I mentioned car boot sales on @Jenni's thread earlier - I hated having to wake up early for them as a kid, but I loved sorting through the stuff there for gems because it was outdoors (& usually with ice cream &/ or a bouncy castle set up nearby).

I imagine that I may start to feel claustrophobic if I had to do all that indoors (especially in a place like @CarolS describes)!

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Otherwise I like shopping new in the UK, where SAs aren't as pushy or don't hover as much as in HK. Oh, & they usually have my size out on the floor back home, lol

I have much more tolerance outside too This flea market had both, but by the time we got to outside, I was DONE.
Ok, by the time we got halfway down the first of the rows, I was DONE.

Department stores are overwhelming to me (online isn't as bad to me). I don't like having to walk all around a huge store comparing different options of similar things. I don't like malls either for that reason. Or grocery stores for that matter. I'd rather be able to say yes or no quickly and get on with my day!

Oh the "cheap as chips" thread did remind me to do the post, but I had the idea while in FL.

I enjoy most shopping environments, but with some caveats: if it is a small curated boutique, I am perfectly happy as long as I am left alone by the SA without any pressure. Similar thing for very high end stores (though I rarely go into them). For the big, chaotic stores, I have to be in the right mood, but if I am, I enjoy the digging and the search. There used to be a lovely big Nordstrom Rack pretty close to me and it was fun going there from time to time. Unfortunately it closed a few years ago. I will occasionally go to the 2nd closest one but it is much smaller and thus less fun - I have only found some shoes there so far.

Link to a very interesting NYT article on the Roma Usada shops mentioned. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/0.....shops.html

ooh, can't get in to the article -- will have to see if I can find a back door.... I'm very interested to read it!

The reactions to small boutiques are interesting to me. I generally like to be left to myself while shopping, but I want friendly, helpful advice when I ask for it. The only place I really like a more “hovering” SA presence is in the boutique I go to a few times a year where they know my name when I walk in the door, and they know my style. The kind of place where my favorite SA messages me when they get a new Zadig & Voltaire piece that screams my name. They never pressure me though, and in fact are helpful with honest feedback when I’m on the fence about an item.

I maxed my NYT articles, will try again!

I don’t remember the last time I bought something at a brick and mortar boutique! It’s been many years. I guess merchandising doesn’t really do much for me? I make several in-person purchases at thrift and consignment stores each year, and occasionally find something at discount outlet chains like Sierra/TJ Maxx. So I guess my natural inclination is “the thrill of the hunt”. But the substantial majority of my purchases are made online. Search function and filters are my preferred forms of curation, and my home is the best dressing room. A deep dive into online reviews is just as satisfying to me as pawing through racks.

Here, all -- the Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/0.....QTHFSelzhi

This is a fascinating thread and I have lots of feelings but no coherent thoughts at the moment.

All I will say is that Ropa Usada experience sound horrible, Carol!

And I have enjoyed shopping at all kinds of places, but tend not to feel comfortable in extreme thrift environments (the smells, the lights), OR small, very high end boutiques, because in the past, I could be talked into items that are not right for me. That would be less likely to happen now that I'm more confident in my own style.

Having said that, I have had great experiences in some boutiques (and I used to work in a couple, including one that sold Marimekko designs!). And also in thrift stores. Anyone from Canada's east coast know Frenchy's?

Thank you Suz for the access to the article- and thanks to UmmLila too for sometimes doing the same for us. That very sort of article is why I am not so keen on the “let someone else wear it” philosophy and am trying to buy sensibly enough to be closer to wearing out my stuff and then giving it for rag recycling. Some of the thrifted things I buy I don’t feel so bad about donating back into the thrifting system if not worn as much, since they already were in the system, but try to avoid churn even there.
Maybe imagining clothes there before we bought them would be good Unshopping inspiration!

My favourite shopping is from small local boutiques (which includes a great consignment store) that have lovely sales assistants with a good feel for my style and are not pushy at all. I also shop online and enjoy buying items from Zenmarket - which is an online store selling new and second-hand Japanese clothing and accessories.

Off to check out Zenmarket!