Then, within hours, two sprang up yesterday. Quite literally, actually.
Saturday was a couple hours at the salon getting my color touched up and my hair cut. Good laughs and time to get my OK! and People mag fixes. I'm all caught up on celebrity gossip now!
Then, I forced myself to go to the mall. I LOVE shopping, but I can't stand shopping for bras. Yeah, bras and swimsuits are the two worst. Not fun. But believe me, it was time. When your bras stop doing their job, wires break, well it ain't pretty and it's super uncomfortable. And, as much as I hate to admit it, some of mine are a leeetle too tight in the band now. That's either weight gain, loss of muscle tone or both. So I figured I would do the bra shopping first and then do something fun afterwards, like get some new makeup or perfume to reward myself. And why "waste" freshly-done hair by just going home, right?
Next destination: the lingerie section at Nordstrom in Bellevue Square. OK, I had to first stop in makeup, jewelry and then upstairs to look at cute sweaters. THEN I headed up the escalator and procrastinated some more...browsing around looking at cute sleepwear...then a sales person asked if I needed help. Ummm...yeah, I need new bras I kind of mumbled. She smiled and said no problem and that she'd measure me to make sure I had the right size.
OK, I remember doing this a few years ago. I was super self-conscious about it as that was my first time ever getting fitted, but they are pros. And it's a free service! Alright, are you wondering how they do it? C'mon, you're curious, admit it. Here's what happens: you and your fitter go into a dressing room. You take your top off with your back turned to the fitter and face a non-mirrored wall. You keep your bra on, and she measures you for your band size. Then she asks if you have a favorite brand. She comes back with a few basic styles just to get an idea of your cup size and you take it from there. She helps you into the bras by standing behind you and holding it for you to slip your arms through. Then she fastens it in the back and you turn around and she helps you get it adjusted and helps decide if it's a good fit or not. So yay, no bare booby moments with the fitter.
So as she was measuring me she said yeah, you're around a 36. Really? That's what I've worn for years and now most of my bras are too snug even in the loosest clasp. She said, well, yes, you might be more around a 38 - we'll try both. OK, that sounds good to me...well, not really that I've gone up a band size but that's reality right now. My favorite brand, by the way? Chantelle. These bras are beautifully made and just really work well on my figure. No, they're not cheap, but they last for years and years. And that day I was on a mission to get t-shirt style bras...those that are just simple and smooth and don't have a lot of lace. Just basics that look nice under sweaters.
As L was heading out of the dressing room to grab a few for me to try, I said oh, these are gonna be C cup, right? She smiled and said, no...D.
I stood there in shock, looking at this petite brunette who was probably all of 30 who had just measured me...and I looked her right in the eye and said are you shittin' me? Good Lord almighty. Normally I can keep my cool but that just popped out of my mouth. L kept her cool, smiled and didn't miss a beat. No, that's your size, she says. And we both laughed a little. Man, I'm sure she hears it all with that kind of job.
Then she left the dressing room. And I had a rather awkward moment with myself. What the hell is it about store dressing rooms...the light is always so unflattering. I sat down in the corner seat and looked across into the mirror...I'm just wearing jeans, black high-heeled boots and my now-too-tight Chantelle bra. My pale skin looks like a plucked chicken in that horrible fluorescent lighting. My lost muscle tone. Rolls and bulges I don't remember seeing before, made worse as I was sitting down in my jeans. UGH IS THIS ME?
And how in the hell am I now a D cup? That just seems...well, BIG. I'd been a 34B for years...forever it seemed. And I could never quite fill out that cup size but I would buy it anyway just 'cause. 'Cause that was my size! Back in college we had a joke club in our sorority: the IBTC. Yep, the itty bitty titty committee. And I was Vice President. I remember later when I first got professionally fitted and found out I'd morphed into a 36C. And now, up another size yet again.
A few minutes later L came back and I came mentally back to 2011 after that daydream down Bra Memory Lane. I giggled again and said sorry, I'm still trying to process this new info! Anyway, we tried on a few styles and I ended up with 3 I really liked. Not loved, because, well I still was in shock. L was great the entire time...I thanked her so much for her help and said thank you for making a not-so-fun chore a tiny bit fun for me! She really was fantastic.
$235 later I was on my way back down the escalator, headed into the main mall. (Yeah, I told you these bras are not cheap, eesh). I looked down at my shopping bag, new bras all nicely wrapped with tissue. And smiled.
Next it was off to Sephora - I was tempted to get a new mascara but then remembered I have a ton at home. Willpower, yes!
I walked past the Michael Kors store and realized I hadn't been in there in awhile. I really love his stuff and how this store is laid out. An SA approached me and he and I chatted for awhile, admiring shoes and bags (ahh, my favorites!) I wasn't really in the mood to purchase a bag given the $$ I just spent on my new bras, BUT I then suddenly remembered how everyone raves about Michael Kors perfume...and I've never tried it! So I asked R to show me the perfume. I tried a little spritz of it and LOVED it. I have no idea how to describe it but I am in love with it. Amazing.
R was waiting for a cash register so he could ring me up and we just chatted for awhile. He asked what I do for a living and I said I'm consulting at (name of company). Then I heard a somewhat loud woman's voice behind me:
"I THOUGHT that was you!!"
Do you know that moment when you turn around and see someone you think you recognize but aren't quite sure how to place it? I smiled and looked at the woman. Where do I know her from? Then she jumped in, "...building 110, remember? The cafeteria??" Aha, now I do! Too funny!
Back at my last work engagement, consultants did not get official, assigned workspaces. You could try squatting in empty cubicles but more often than not the routine was to either work at home (which I can't stand) or find a place in the cafeteria that's close to an electrical outlet. This also was a less than ideal setup - the chairs are not ergonomically correct for sitting for hours, and during the peak lunch hours it gets so noisy it's hard to concentrate. And don't even try to be on a conference call during those times - too much background noise. But I knew that would be the deal going into the gig so I wasn't too surprised when I had to give up my unofficial cubicle.
So I officially met D, my cafeteria colleague. She too has moved to another group on campus, and we had a blast reconnecting, sharing our common memory of the ol' cafeteria. We talked about networking and how important it is, especially in our line of work. She explained, while purchasing an incredible black leather bag, how she is a part of a group of women who meet periodically for professional networking. Sign me up! I handed her one of my Silpada business cards and she said oh...jewelry? We may need to REALLY chat soon now!
R, the SA, was very patient, waiting for D and me to finish our chat as he wrapped up my new perfume. He smiled, hearing us reconnect and all.
Will D and I stay in contact? I sure hope so - I really liked her personality and energy. And in just that short chat we seemed to have a lot in common.
I drove home, smiling. New haircut, new bras and a new colleague connection! That's the funny and cool thing about weekends...you never know what's gonna happen!
