Lured shopping under false pretences...

[Fab Foodie]

So Christmas is coming, I've quite a bit of hols left which both wifey and work want to make sure I use-up.
So wifey says I should have today off for Christmass shopping. Fair enough, today was not the best day work-wise.... but nevertheless, I relented.

Get the kids off to school, need to pop into Citroen to sign the papers for the new car (collect tomorrow) and off into Oxford. Discussing the plan of attack, Mrs FF mentions that she just needs to get a new outfit for my works Xmas dinner next week.... Oh and she only wants to be a couple of hours (so I've taken a day-off for 2 hours chaperoning. And so it starts...

Clothes shops and shoe shops abound... but eventually, me of all people spots a corker of a LBD which fits her like a glove and she agrees it's fab. Job done. On to the present purchasing. After about an hour she's had enough, getting tired, you know, the way wives suddenly contract sleeping sickness as soon as you dare stop a second to gaze in a bike shop window....

Now I don't mind shopping per se, but a little honesty wouldn't go amiss

 

[Noodley]

Oh Mr Grouchy Pants...

 

[Ste T.]

You know, I think shops are missing out on a trick here. What they need is a small corner with a table and a few chairs, maybe even a complimentary coffee dispenser and a few news papers. In other words a man corner.

After about fifteen minutes in any shop I get fed up and start moaning at the missus to hurry up. For a small outlay the shop could keep the miserable sods like me happy and give the women folk longer to spend the cash. Result everybody is happy.

 

[Norm]

You know, I think shops are missing out on a trick here. What they need is a small corner with a table and a few chairs, maybe even a complimentary coffee dispenser and a few news papers. In other words a man corner.

Not sure if I am confessing a little too much here, but Laura Ashley in Windsor used to have just such a corner.

 

[Lisa21]

Not sure if I am confessing a little too much here, but Laura Ashley in Windsor used to have just such a corner.

Im proud of you Norm....at least you've progressed from the naughty step

 

[Speicher]

You know, I think shops are missing out on a trick here. What they need is a small corner with a table and a few chairs, maybe even a complimentary coffee dispenser and a few news papers. In other words a man corner.

After about fifteen minutes in any shop I get fed up and start moaning at the missus to hurry up. For a small outlay the shop could keep the miserable sods like me happy and give the women folk longer to spend the cash. Result everybody is happy.

Yes that is an excellent idea. How much space would it take, in relation to the whole shop? Man can sit at table, looking after the lady's handbag, lady can browse, try things on, and return, if applicable, for approval by Man.
Man could even serrupticiously take notes along the lines of

Blue dress = lovely, enhances the colour of her eyes
Black dress = not sure
Red dress = deffo not

Man can then pretend to be knowledgeable about lady's choices, even after the nineteenth dress has been tried on. Man then has energy for looking at bike shops, where there is a reciprocal arrangement with tables, and herbal tea for lady.

Please note, the above is entirely imaginary, and I will not be partaking of said scenario.

 

[ianrauk]

You know, I think shops are missing out on a trick here. What they need is a small corner with a table and a few chairs, maybe even a complimentary coffee dispenser and a few news papers. In other words a man corner.

After about fifteen minutes in any shop I get fed up and start moaning at the missus to hurry up. For a small outlay the shop could keep the miserable sods like me happy and give the women folk longer to spend the cash. Result everybody is happy.

There's a ladies clothes shop in Bromley that has exactly that.. Think it's called Monsoon.

 

[summerdays]

Not sure if I am confessing a little too much here, but Laura Ashley in Windsor used to have just such a corner.

I was going to say that but I don't drag Mr Summerdays .... I feel less pressure to make a quick choice and he doesn't have to bother himself with how much money was flowing out of the family coffers until the Visa bill comes in

 

[ttcycle]

One thing I don't get is why people do this to each other!

I generally am a lone shopper -go in, glance to check if the 'style' of the shop is what I'm after, if not then off out to another place- however, having spent some time working as a stylist (hence the lack of mooching time) I understand this is not what everyone does and can see the desire or want to occasionally graze around a shop. I can see that some people would want a second opinion but the amount of times I have seen a bored boyfriend/girlfriend being dragged along for a shopping trip is just not even funny anymore.

Why don't people go off to their shops and meet back at X point at X time? if there's an opinion on a dress or something or the other then they can ask then?

Is this really such an unusual thing to do?

 

[Fnaar]

Me and Mrs F rarely go shopping together... too traumatic for all parties concerned. I do 'man raids' for what I need on the way home from work... she goes on major expeditions to come back empty handed.

 

[Piemaster]

There was a 'mens creche' with such facilities at one of the big shopping centres (Meadowhall perhaps?)

There are many similar facilities located in high streets up and down the land, entry is free but you have to buy your own drinks.
They are commonly called 'pubs'


edit: found the creche, was awhile ago. Article here

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I love shopping for clothes and shoes, for myself, on my own. My wife prefers doing hers on her own too. Can't see why we'd want to mess it up by trying to force it together...

 

[ttcycle]

I love shopping for clothes and shoes, for myself, on my own. My wife prefers doing hers on her own too. Can't see why we'd want to mess it up by trying to force it together...

+1 FM

There are tons of things that can be done together ie kitchen goods shopping (I know,don't ask!) but some things are best left alone.

 

[thomas]

You know, I think shops are missing out on a trick here. What they need is a small corner with a table and a few chairs, maybe even a complimentary coffee dispenser and a few news papers. In other words a man corner.

After about fifteen minutes in any shop I get fed up and start moaning at the missus to hurry up. For a small outlay the shop could keep the miserable sods like me happy and give the women folk longer to spend the cash. Result everybody is happy.

Probably not a good business idea. Most shops probably realise that most Women ignore their men's cries for help when shopping...so it would just be an pointless expense

 

[Norm]

Is this really such an unusual thing to do?

On the one hand, you might just be the perfect partner.

On the other, I've no issue shopping with Mrs Norm. I enjoy clothes shopping more than her, I have probably bought more of her clothes than she has.

This arrangement is not reciprocal, though. She will not come shopping with me, which is just fine because, for all the reasons that TT and FM give, I prefer to buy my own clothes at my own speed.