Okay...today, I want to talk about shopping, specifically clothes shopping.

Now, I will admit...I LOVE to shop for clothing now. Back when I was younger, I loathed it. With a passion. Mostly because I hated what was offered in terms of clothing...but there may have also been the beginning of my distaste for male clothing back then as well.

Anywho, I figured I'd share what I like and dislike about clothes shopping...and see if anyone else here has any thoughts on it or points they want to discuss further.

So...what I like:

-Variety. YES PLEASE! I will browse every single rack in a store to see what they have and what might look good.
-Clearance. Sometimes, I do have a limited budget when I shop...so hitting the clearance racks is often a good way to stretch my budget.
-A store that has a little bit of everything. Formal wear, casual wear, preppy, fitness (or "Athlesiure" as they're calling it now), business wear. This ties in a bit with variety, as I do like to have a big sampling pool, yet can make outfits out of items from a variety of styles.
-Room to maneuver. I am not a small person...so I need some space to breathe.
-Good displays. Sometimes, I will go to a mall and just look at the mannequins or displays in the storefronts. Those can give good ideas and, if the outfit there is really nice, could lead to a purchase.

What I do NOT like:

-Limited sizes. I wear an XL in tops and am currently an 18W in bottoms (down from a 24W). If your store doesn't carry those sizes, I won't be there until I AM a size you carry.
-Attitudes from sales personnel. I can understand if you're uncomfortable with a scruffy-looking Nerf-herder shopping in your store...but don't make it blatantly obvious. I have gotten the "You do NOT belong here" glare from salespeople before. As a result, I don't shop at stores where I get that.
-Trying things on. This is more a safety issue than an "I hate trying things on" issue. You never really know which stores will give a transperson/genderfluid person grief over trying items on...so I generally don't do it unless I KNOW it's safe for me to do so without harassment.
-Clothing that falls apart on first wearing. This just blows. Makes me not want to buy from your company.

Lastly, I'm going to give my preferred stores, along with why I like them:

-K-Mart and Sears. I always feel welcomed and appreciated when I go in there. I'm greeted warmly and they have a decent selection as well.
-JCPenney. Usually very good with deals and a very good variety too.
-Macy's. A bit pricier, but good for more formal moments.
-Kohl's. My Holy Land. I usually blow over $100 per visit there because I find so many great deals and great items. I would highly recommend this store. ^.^
-Claire's. A good spot for accessories on the cheap. Might get my ears pierced from them at some future point.
-Lane Bryant. A good store for bigger people. Some fancy and formal stuff. Also, my mom's new favorite clothing store.

All righty...I think that's enough blathering from me. Your folks' turn! ^.^