A Magazine About Shopping?

I cleaned out my book case the other day and I came upon this "Shop, Etc." magazine from Nov. 2004.  I thought to myself  "Did I buy this?  Why?"   A magazine dedicated to shopping.  I must have been having a really bad day.  But, since I miss shopping with my friend in Omaha so much, I probably bought it to read it and then send to her.  That way, we could shop together vicariously through this magazine.  It was a November issue, so probably at the time it seemed like a very different Christmas gifty – not too expensive and yet priceless in the thought it conveyed.  In retrospect, not as cool as the first impression.

So I sat down to read it cover to cover.  Much to my surprise (was I really THAT surprised?), it's geared to 20-something, independently wealthy, skinny bee-atches. 

Ah yes, the obligatory $295 soft, LUXE Cynthia  Steffe cardigan – the ULTIMATE must-have piece to take me from day to night (p 173).  I think my Margaritaville sweatshirt does that quite nicely, thank you very much.  What the hell is LUXE, anyway?  DE-luxe?  And while  we're on the subject of changing words, when did they delete the second "f" from FIFTH?  Have you noticed now it's the "fith" of the month instead of the "fifth?"  But, I digress……………….

THANK GOD they reminded me it's Time to Change my Fragrance (p 135).  What would I have done had someone caught me still wearing my Avon Night Magic Evening Musk?  That's SO 80's! 

And, last but not least, how will I EVER live without the $1,295 Paul Smith "Love" Needlepoint Wall hanging (p 87)?  At my age, that's the last thing I need glaring at my friends when they visit.....I can hear it now "Isn't that an icon from the 60's?"  How would I explain that I actually liked that icon when I was in high school when they all think I'm only 45??!!

In short, I can't believe I actually shelled out cash for that magazine.   In my haste to rekindle the feeling of cammeraderie Linda and I shared during our numerous shopping excursions,  I probably sold out to the glossy come-on promises of a shallow magazine cover.  Silly me.  That's what I get for shopping at Wal Mart.