The Quietest Place in Tokyo

So, I'm just going to go ahead and say this up front...very girly post, so consider yourself forewarned...

After a little personal victory yesterday at the post office, I decided to go ahead and treat myself to a little shopping excursion today. I get dressed (please keep in mind that it is still in the mid-80's here) in a fairly summery top, but it's light blue and orange and puts me in a good mood and matches these great shoes that are slip-ons with the soles of Nike's. Well the minute I walk outside, I realize that you know it is fall and I should really consider changing out my closet. The only problem with that is that my fall clothes are in fact for cooler weather, which though we've had a taste of, we aren't there yet. But the minute I'm outside I notice that EVERYONE else looks like fall from head to toe - including scarves and Uggs - I would be a puddle of sweat. So, I'm already feeling like a huge fashion disaster....and this starts my trip. I know a bit ridiculous, but when you already feel like every time you go outside you stand out like a sore thumb this doesn't help. I also know that no one cares what I have on, but I'm a girl and there you go.

So, I decide that the closest shopping locale to us is Tokyo Midtown. Now this is near where we stayed when we first came to Tokyo on our "look see" to decide if we wanted to live here and I remember it being pretty fancy. So, I'm already resigned to the fact that this shopping trip is also going to be more a "look see" than a "buy me". What I didn't know was that this was quite possibly one of the quietest places in the whole of the city, it was really crazy....like radio silence. Now grant it there weren't all that many people given the time that I went and it is one of those very high end shopping areas, but we're talking I could hear my footsteps.

I felt very intimidated, just like I do in all those very uppity stores everywhere...you know the ones. You walk in and you feel like all eyes are on you...they say hello but there is only the slightest hint of a smile to go along with it and you feel like they KNOW that you aren't going to buy anything and you are never going to buy anything because you can't afford ANYTHING in the store. I'm specifically referring to my Harry Winston experience. I've never been in HW because my pay scale has never and likely will never go quite that high, but today I thought why not....let's see what all the fuss is about. There is a doorman to open the gilded gold doors and he was very cordial. There were two women that were in a room practically the size of my bedroom and one glass topped round table with the most amazing engagement rings you've ever seen. I felt so out of place....all eyes on me as I was the only person in the store and no one says anything other than the aforementioned greeting and it took me all of 5 seconds to see the entire display. So I go to leave, say thank you and with a laugh say I just wanted to look at all the pretty things. They all laughed and it was the best party of the visit, but incredibly awkward.

After that I hit some really great stores with very friendly salespeople. And it dawned on me that after leaving Japan I'm going to have the best accessories ever. Since most of the clothes are made for Japanese women, which are tiny, they don't lend themselves to purchase, however accessories are made for all body types and they are fabulous. That being said, I did find a cute shirt that fit me...bad news for John.

Anyway, I thought that the girls would appreciate that some things (i.e., shopping) are the same everywhere.

Until next time....Jenn