Shopping like it's my Job

Aside from talking, there is nothing my Aunt Binh likes better than shopping and finding great deals. Naturally, when I mentioned my new job, she immediately scented a shopping extravaganza opportunity and announced that she was taking me shopping for that business casual wardrobe. I protested weakly that I already went shopping and had a few pairs of slacks and appropriately professional attire in my closet. Also, I’m working at the Fed, not an i-banking firm or something involving sales. Nonsense, she said, we’ll set you up properly! Even brides aren’t getting this great a makeover! You will not get passed over for promotions because of any sort of attire slip-up! It's rather a shame (or a blessing, depending on how you want to look at it) that my aunt never had daughters.

So, the next day, my aunt (along with one of her sisters and my grandma) plopped me down at the nearest mall and went to town. I have to hand it to her, she has some kind of radar for clearance sales, and we picked up pants, blouses and jackets for absurdly low prices. Nice pants for $4.97? As she pointed out, even if you were a seamstress, the fabric itself is worth more than that. I hope some poor sweatshop worker is getting paid overseas.

At the end of the day, she eyed my (unprofessionally large, colorful, eye-catching, cartoon-playing) watch and hinted that I needed a nice silver one. I waffled and said I had one at home.

I now have lots of garment bags full of clothing of the type I haven’t worn since my hotelie days. My aunt has lots of bragging rights to stories which demonstrate her shopping savvy. “Your Auntie Lin was practically drooling over the phone when I told her last night!”