Shopping Friends

Over the years, I've noticed that shopping with certain friends yields certain results.  When grocery shopping with Jessie, I come home with several meals planned for that week, and definitely an onion of some sort.  When grocery shopping with Jay, I come home with more baby carrots and fresh greens than a vegetable-avoider like myself could ever hope to eat in a lifetime, much less before the produce goes bad.  When clothes shopping with Kelsey, my classy alter-ego is brought forward and I come home with the cutest, classiest jeans I've ever owned, and occasionally great shoes that work well with many outfits and yet are totally adorable and full of their own charm.  When I shop with Rachel or Melody, the essence of my style comes out, and I come home with things that look like, well, me.

But today I wasn't shopping with Jessie, Jay, Kelsey, Rachel, or even Melody.  Today I was shopping with Megan.  And shopping with Megan means that my crazy alter-ego steps into the limelight and I come home with the strangest, most awesome things imaginable.  Megan is the shopping friend that lets me dream about who I could have been in another lifetime.

Are you the girl who wears straw fedora hats?  What about adapted military style hats with a little flower on the side?  How about both?  Ooo, you've thought about piercing your belly button?  Let's do it!  You love this unusual color of dusty red that matches nothing else in your wardrobe?  Try on this shirt with a crazy silhouette.  You need a bikini top?  Target on a Tuesday night is the place for us!


While these are not transcripts of actual conversations I've had with Megan, you understand the spirit of our shopping adventures.  I do currently possess a straw fedora, a black military hat made of linen with cute flowers on side, a pierced navel, and an awesome red shirt, all thanks to shopping adventures with Megan.  But today was maybe our crowing achievement, and I can now say that I'm the proud owner of an adorable, deep magenta, bandeau-style bikini top.

Aside from indicating that Megan has a good sense of style, I think these adventures indicate that she is a person who lives life relatively unafraid.  She knows that the style choices I make don't ultimately mean that much for my future and identity, and yet can be incredibly freeing.  I tend to put too much emphasis on decisions that don't have eternal consequences.  These stories also indicate that Megan is great at celebrating the successes of others.  She is always so excited about these new additions to my wardrobe. What a goofball.  I love all my shopping buddies a lot, but tonight I'm especially thankful for Megan, and for the confidently playful way she approaches life (and swimsuit shopping).