Super Cute!

Photo by (nutmeg).

Women who shop together could be accused of enabling. In general women tend to buy more when shopping with friends than when shopping alone. Shopping “wing-women” can talk their friends into buying just about anything by saying that it is “super cute”. Last night I attended a “Cabi” party. This is the clothing version of the “Tupperware” party. (I seem to be going to a lot of these lately). I realize that the powers that be in these companies have tapped into a brilliant business model- using the guests of said parties, to sell their merchandise.

At the kitchen party I attended (the one where I was dressed like a slut); I bought all sorts of gadgets that fellow potential buyers raved about. “Oh that hamburger breaker-upper thing is awesome! It gets all the lumps out when you fry it”, one guest would proclaim. “Oooh, that sounds amazing! You mean if I buy that I will never have lumpy Hamburger Helper again? SOLD!” Regardless of the utility of my hamburger crusher, there is a sense of connection when I show such confidence in another women’s opinion and buy what she recommends to me. Our generation also seems to thrive on buying. It doesn’t matter what we buy, we feel good, really good, after we buy it.

This clothing party featured a variety of women. Different sizes, shapes, ages and budgets. The representative for the products begins by following a company catalogue and shows each featured piece. This portion of the evening gets the frenzy started, with each women calling out progressively more complimentary statements. “That is cute!” That is really cute!” The ultimate cuteness rating was then shouted out, “That is super cute!” It’s the one-up-manship of cuteness comments! Unconsciously, as the cute rating is established, the women in the group would reach for their pens and circle the item, intent on capitalizing on the guaranteed cute factor.

Once all of the clothes are revealed, the women in the group quietly rush to the rack to be the first to try on the cutest clothes. As each shopper returned to the room after having donned her selected pieces, the rest of the women in the room would begin telling her how she looks. This is the part that resembles a dysfunctional relationship. The more we can get our friends to buy, the easier and more acceptable it will be for us to buy. “That jacket looks amazing on you! When I saw the colors I thought they were hideous, but on you it looks fabulous!”. “You really think so?” the temporary model asks. “Oh absolutely, it is super cute on you! You should definitely buy it!” Cha-ching! Sold!

This scene repeats itself until each women has added a number of items to her personal shopping list. Very much like my hamburger smoother, many of these clothes they were brain washed into buying, will end up buried in their closets, as the colors of that jacket are indeed hideous, and whatever possessed her to buy it in the first place?

When I shop I like going with friends who I know will absolutely tell me the truth about what I try on. These shopping buddies are not motivated to cover up their own expenditures with my much larger ones, but are genuinely interested in my level of cuteness. Select your shopping sidekicks wisely as you must trust that they are unbiased or motivated by such factors as man competition. In this case they may try to sabotage you by encouraging you to buy highly unappealing clothing. “My, my! That glitter pant suit looks wonderful!” “Really? Don’t you think it is a little tight?” “Oh no! Camel toes are in right now!” Cha-ching!

As FTC (Fashion Tacky Cop, our fashion advisor) recommends, know your personal style! You must mentally prepare yourself before these peer pressure sales parties to resist the super cute sales pitch. You must have a clear and unwavering idea of what you are looking for and and what you are not. Like any great plan it will only succeed if you stick to it. If your defenses break down, you can pull out the emergency reverse cuteness move, by saying “This would look way-super-cuter on you!”