Shopping Dressed is Heaven!

By Tina Davis

When I woke up Thursday morning, August 11, 2022, I had already planned the major stops I wanted to make at the South Shore Plaza, a large mall in Braintree, MA, 12 minutes away from my hotel. The first one would be to check off one of my bucket list items, getting a bra fitting at Soma Lingerie. I have to thank Rhonda at Rhonda’s Escape for the high recommendation for Soma bras.

I tried to lighten my makeup for daytime, but I did put on my lashes for emphasis. I wore a mask leaving my room and riding the elevator to the lobby, but it was very quiet and I didn’t see anyone else from the event. I got into my car, took the mask off, drove to the mall as it was opening, and parked near an entrance I thought was close to Soma.

It turned out that I had chosen the wrong entrance and had to walk further inside than I expected. My feet kept sliding forward in my sandals, but I managed to slow my pace and relaxed as I heard the sound of my heels on the floor. I think I may have to look into a half size smaller in some open-toed shoes – down to a women’s 9. Yes, I have smaller feet, a blessing for any CD/TG.

When I got to Soma, I became nervous but determined to see my plan through. As I walked in, I was greeted warmly by the sales staff. One young woman, named Kaya, immediately said she loved my outfit and asked what I was looking for. I know I blushed slightly as I said, “I’m a little embarrassed to ask, but may I have a bra fitting?”

Kaya quickly reassured me that I didn’t need to be embarrassed and that she would be pleased to help me. She led me to the back fitting rooms and I stood in one as she took her measuring tape and wrapped it around my chest. As she did the overbust, I quietly said, “You know these are not real”, and she smiled and nodded. But then she treated me just like any other woman in the store, and I was glad to have the experience.

The measurements came out to a 40DD, a shock to me as I believed my forms to be no more than a C. I told Kaya that I had a couple of D bras and felt that the cups wrinkled too much. She said she would bring me some 40C and 40D bras to try on in multiple styles, and I should make sure to put my top back on to see how the bra looked under clothes. I tried on four different products and picked the Embraceable Perfect Coverage bra in 40C as the one I liked the best. I had a mocha color and wanted to find another, as the sale was BOGO 50% off. She came out to the racks with me and pointed me towards a light pink that I liked. After we found my size, I happily went up to the register with her and she rang up the bras. They were a little pricey, even with the sale, but the overall experience was well worth it. As Kaya handed me the bag, I gave her a big hug in gratitude for her help. She was so happy for me!

Next door to Soma is a Sephora store, so I walked right in. The MUA at the entrance asked how she could help me, and I answered, “My brows”. I almost never like how my brows look, and I’ve tried several different products that have been recommended to me. Autumn complimented the look I had done, saying that it was well matched with my hair color and face. She asked if I had used a brow pomade, to which I answered, “No”. She led me to the Anastasia display and pulled out a brown sample pot, which she dabbed on the back of her hand. I understood that I wouldn’t need to use a lot, and I do have a small brush to use for it.

I thanked Autumn for this find, and she asked if I needed anything else. I said that I wanted to browse for lipstick, so she let me wander the store and returned to her counter. I checked out many brands, but spent more time looking at the Sephora Collection options before picking out a glossy dark pink lipstick. I then looked at the eyeliner pencil shelf and found one I liked, as I am going through my current one quickly. Again, I was happy to have my items rung up and thanked Autumn again as I left the store.

Given the time, I was not going to be able to visit the large Nordstrom store in the mall. However, there is a Nordstrom Rack that was closer to my hotel, and I had actually bought the leopard top there a few years ago. Once again, I held my head up and walked into the store to check out the racks of dresses. Finding the clearance items, I pulled out two dresses that looked promising and went off to the fitting rooms. The black and grey dress was a bit tight and itchy, but the light brown was so cute (and not quite age appropriate), I had to get it.

I brought everything back to my room and took my outfit off, packing up my purchases in the separate bag I use on these trips. I had to get the bag and my tripod into the car, as I was picking up my wife late that afternoon. She was volunteering at the event for the weekend. I originally was going to bring my things home that night, but I waited until her morning shift on Friday to do so.

As always, the time flies by and I wish I could get out dressed more. But I realize that short, focused time allows me to immerse myself into being the best Tina I can be. Like I said in my last post, I didn’t need to do this, but I sure wanted to have the fun that I did experience. Until the next time!
Hugs,

Tina