Shopping Issues

Saturday, I went shopping at the Macy's 1-Day sale. I had a gift card and figured I could use some new work clothes (and get Michael a shirt and tie for work as well). I started sifting through the racks, grabbing what little I found that I thought might work for me. I even grabbed a couple of pairs of Lucky jeans in size 28. I finally make it to the dressing room, and every single thing (minus a small sweater top) was too big. Everything I grabbed was a size 6, and none of it fit. The freaking jeans didn't even fit!! They were hanging off of me! So, I still tried it all on so that I could get an idea of what might actually work for me in a smaller size. I go back, switch out for size 4s, grab a few new things (in size 6 since they looked to be cut smaller). I said to hell with the jeans though. Once I got back in the dressing room, I found several pairs of pants and tops that I liked enough. Of course, the few size 6 items I picked up needed to be swapped for size 4. For some reason I could not get it in my head that I needed a smaller size. Finally, I make my selections and head to the scanner to see what my total will be. Two things I picked up were on sale (not even a good sale), and the rest was regular priced. AGHHHH! So, now I decide on 2 pairs of pants (since that's what I REALLY needed), and a short-sleeved sweater top. This was all I ended up with after 1 1/2 hours of shopping. I think that maybe I don't shop well by myself.... I never seem to find anything unless I'm with my mom or girlfriends. :(

I have some beef with this shopping trip. Not because I needed smaller sizes, but because I almost feel like the joke's on me? Department stores cater to "bigger" women. I have ALWAYS found myself in smaller sizes in the department stores. I guarantee that if I have walked down to Buckle and grabbed a size 28 Lucky jean, it would not have been hanging off of me like the ones in Macy's. That's what is aggravating. I don't want to walk around saying I'm a size 4, when I'm really not. I'm just a size 4 in the department stores that are cut for bigger women. I my head, I knew what size I was and after the first part of shopping, it was really a tease to get in the dressing room. I also realize the flip side of if I had fit those 6s that I would really be bigger, but that's not the point. Why can't the designers all get together and decide on a set of measurements that they are going to use when determining sizes?! I hate that my work clothes can be 2-4 and my going-out clothes are anywhere from a 4-8. It sucks.