The Quest Continues

After Wednesday's fiasco at my local mall, I called up my friend J to drive up to Pittsburgh (aka The "Big" City) with me to continue my search for a suit for Spain. The quest became more pressing when I got news this morning that I'll be speaking to an audience of 150-200 European Union scholars as well as government officials that work for the EU or the regions that make up the EU itself. Seriously, I think the biggest group of people I've ever spoken in front of might have been 20 to 30 people large. My classes don't count. I've taught classes that had 80 kids in there, but that's lecture, and it's a lot different when you are giving a lecture to your peers rather than your students. So, when I caught wind of that, I started to get really nervous. I needed to look the part of the "expert" which I know I am. I have a PhD dammit! What I want people to think when I step up to the podium is "wow, she knows her stuff" not "how old do you think she is? 22? 25?" I get this all the time... people still think I'm a student. I'm a 28 year old professor. Trust me, it's a compliment 95% of the time. Spain makes up that other 5%.

I called J prior to my noon class, asking her where she thinks we ought to go. I'm REALLY scared about trying suits on. The cuts aren't as forgiving as jeans or khakis. Also, I'm trying to spend under $100 on a nice looking (read, not cheap looking) suit. That's next to impossible to begin with. But what I don't want is to spend a ton of money on a suit that might only last me the next six to eight months, especially if my weight loss continues. I believe J thinks I'm a freak at this point, calling her less than two hours before we go to the mall to freak out about going to the mall. We hang up and I go give my class an exam. After that, we head to the 'Burgh.

There are three major department stores at the mall we went to: Boscov's, Macy's, and Sears. We park at Boscov's and go in. I find a petite size suit, size 16. However, the jacket is hitting in this weird no-man's land of my waist. I decide to chuck it and move onto the next store. Nothing in Sears. I found something at Macy's... it also cost $300. Um, no, that's not going to happen. JCrew and Ann Taylor are a blur, as is the Banana Republic. Somehow, we've circled around the mall, and I left my self esteem somewhere around the Auntie Anne's pretzel stand.

We're back at Boscov's. I say to J, let me go try that suit on one more time. It wasn't that bad. We start walking back to the dressing room where I left the first suit I tried on, and somehow, I come across a jacket in a different cut, but the right size. Woot! It fits, it hits my hip where it should, and..... drumroll please...... the suit costs $73 on sale. Since I'm under $100, J and I decide to hit up the Bandolino store, where I get that pair of fabulousity you found at the top of your page for $30. I think I'm set for Spain... a new pair of shoes and a great summer weight suit all for under $110! (and before you ask, the answer is yes, I was wearing the shoes around the house in my underwear. I *love* living alone.) G'night all!