His vs Her Shopping: The Differences!!

 This article is based on my experience of shopping for decades with men, be it my dad or my then-boyfriend-now-husband! Let's start with the story, last weekend my husband and I headed towards the malls with a packed agenda of shopping, shopping and shopping. We spent quite sometime there and here's what we came back with -

Him: Pair of jeans, shoes, pair of trousers
Me: Faces Eyeliner (which was not even on my shopping list for the day) and ..that's it!



Later on Monday, I was sitting in a meeting in office and wondering why I can never buy stuff in a planned shopping. This analysis seemed far more interesting that what was going on in the meeting. You won't believe it but I actually made some notes! I realised the concept and approach to shopping are very different for men and women. Let's get into the details.

The Concept
For men shopping is more of a need based thing. They shop when they need something.
For women, shopping is the ultimate pleasure. We don't shop because we need something, we shop because we feel like shopping.

• I shop when I am happy because I am happy.
• I shop when I am sad because it will make me happy.
• I shop when I like something (even if my closet is stuffed with 10 more items of the similar kind).

Yet, I do always have some kind of a reason as you can see, I am not an unreasonable shopper.

Why men take lesser time to shop?

1. The Approach
When men shop, they have very specific things on mind. Sometimes it is simply a replacement. Hence it is much easier and less time consuming. My husband mostly buys from the first shop he enters. He purchased a suit worth Rs 12k ($ 300) in less than 12 minutes!

As for me, I can't even buy something worth Rs 1200 ($ 30) in 12 min. It is a very rare that I picked up stuff from the first store! I may eventually buy from there but not before I have explored the entire mall. I can't miss out on better deals and designs!

Secondly shopping for us is an experience, so if I planned to shop for 2 hrs, I can't finish it in just 10 min!

• Replacement takes lesser time than adding new things to the closet!

2. Hardly Any Choice
 I don't wanna sound rude but men hardly have 10 things to chose from, I mean its just jeans/ shirt/ t-shirt/ trouser/ shoes! But for us, it's so many things in addition to these.. We have to shop for lip glosses/ eye-liners/ eye-shadows/ sarees/ tops/ skirts/ stilettoes/ pumps/ curls/ jewellery....the list can go on!

• Limited Choice = Less Time

 



3. No Questions Asked
Men don't like asking questions, be it while driving to a new place or shopping in a store. They just pick up what they like without asking too many questions to the SA. But again, we like to get the best deals, so we like exploring and bugging the SA with millions of queries. It's their job after all!

• Less Questions = Less Time

Finally: Honey, Let's talk about the Money
Now hear this, not always but most of the times our stuff comes at half the price of theirs. For similar items, men's stuff is invariably more expensive than those for women in the same store! So that leaves us with the freedom to buy more things :)
It's strange that though I am the shopaholic and my husband is a wise shopper, our credit card bills are more or less the same!

This was my experience. So tell what you guys think!

Pictures from Google Images

Where to Shop in Mumbai!

So I am back to keep my promise from here.

My 48 hours in the city were rather busy and I did things that I would usually do in 48 days in Delhi - like going to 15 different places to eat/ shop. But that was exactly what I had on my mind when I sat in my Delhi to Mumbai flight. This is not really a shopping guide for the city because I ate much more than I shopped in the trip. Nevertheless, these were the places I visited and here's what I had to say about them.

Linking Road

Shopping in Mumbai is incomplete without some shoe-shopping at Linking Road. Its one long road with numerous shoe stalls selling shoes of various designs, sizes and styles! There are stalls for baby/ kids shoes too :) They mostly sell flat sandals but have an amazing variety in contemporary designs. Some sell shoes with heels as well but it is better to stay away since heels break very easily is what I hear. These sandals will not last for more than 6 months is a guarantee that the shopkeeper himself gives, but I wouldn't expect more from Rs 150.

Alfa Market

If you are in Mumbai and want to buy a gadget, this is the place to go to! This market is known for the unbelievable deals you can get in electronic items - cell phones, camera etc etc. They also sell loads of make up items from good brands that you can't find easily. Then you can get also find a lot of watches, sunglasses etc. It's a 'people's market'!

Phoenix Mall

Half of my weekends are spent in the malls when I am in Delhi. Most of them are the same anyway. Phoenix mall is the largest shopping and entertainment destination in Mumbai. You would find all the major brands of clothing, shoes and make-up along with several eating options. There is a very huge Chroma for electronic items, Landmark for books besides the usual Pantaloons, Big Bazar etc. In short, Phoenix Mall was like the twin sister of my good old Select City Mall, but it had a few things that I have not seen at other places.

The Comedy Store
You can enjoy Live Stand Up Comedy here. They have international comedians performing every week. And if you get too hungry or thirsty laughing, you can pick up some stuff from their bar and cafe.

Dholak @ the Manchester United Cafe
There was the historic India-England match going on (that ended in a tie) when I had visited the mall. I didn't get inside the cafe, but the 'dholak' beats that were heard inside every time India hit a 4, made me feel the place would be quite interesting.

I will also write about 'Where to Eat in Mumbai' in one my next posts! Time for some pictures now.

Shoe Shopping @ Linking Road

Baby Shoes

The Comedy Store, Phoenix Mall

Benefits of Laughter

Dholak @  Manchester United Cafe, Phoenix Mall

Voice Your Budget Expectations @ Phoenix Mall

Mumbai Madness!!

From 4 posts a day I have come down to 0 posts in 4 days!! But it's not because I have been lazy, it's because I had been having fun in Mumbai!!

Writing this post  reminds me about Aisha of 'Wake Up Sid' who spent a whole night in her bathroom to come up with that perfect article to show what she truly felt about the city and how it grew on her! I will be a little more spontaneous and quicker, I am not a writer after all. But the purpose remains the same, what is it about that city that even makes me want to write about it!

Mumbai always makes me feel romantic and liberated. This was my third visit to the city and each trip has made me fall in a little more love with the city! The sea takes my breath away and the fashion quotient of the city makes my head turn innumerable times!

What I Love about the City

Freedom to Wear What You Want to: Don't get me wrong, I love Delhi, but we all know that no woman can roam around in a short skirt on the road at 12 in the night. Only Mumbai girls can! Be it a high-end pub or a small eating joint, you can wear (or not wear) whatever you want to and noone gives those lecherous looks. I am a bit jealous, I must say.

The Liveliness: Can't say that the 'City Never Sleeps', but it sleeps pretty late. There is so much happening almost all night long.

The Style Quotient: Delhi and some other metros have seen a significant change in the way women dress in the past couple of years, but Mumbai still remains ahead of any other city in terms of the fashion quotient. Delhi women can give a close competition but Mumbai will remain a winner for a while to come!

Simple Set-up but Amazing Ambience: The 'Most Famous Hangouts' are not necessarily the 'Most Expensive' ones too, be it Candies at Pali Hill or Pizza by the Bay on Marine Drive. These are cool hangouts with affordable prices, yet amazing ambience.

What I find Amusing about the City

The Coexistence of Slums and Skyscrapers: Slums and high-rises coexist on two sides of the same road. Probably the way I live between complicated SQL queries and bubbly beauty blogs!

The Call for a Passenger: The way the autowala's call a passenger is something!! I don't know how to describe it but they make a sound to call you that in Delhi is called 'Eve Teasing'! I got seriously offended as well as scared the first time! 

PDA Lanes: They have roads that people think are meant for public display of affection- Band-stand, Bandra reclamation amongst others! I know every city has a few, Victoria in Kolkata and Lodhi Garden/ Garden of Five senses in Delhi. But in Mumbai people don't even hide behind a bush. They can just stop the vehicle on a flyover and get started!!

Glamorous Horse Carts:

What I can't understand about the City

National Anthem in the Theater: Why do we have sing our national anthem in the theater before the start of every movie? There are many ways to show that you love your country!!

No Helmets: Wonder why people don't care to wear helmets! 

I want to write a lot more about this trip, the places I visited, the things that I bought, the things I ate. I will have these in my upcoming posts. Tell me what you think of this one!

Here are some of my favourite pics from Juhu..

Fun and Food at Juhu Beach

 

My First 10 Days of Blogging have been like those Early Days of Romance!

I have completed 10 days as a blogger and I am enjoying every bit of it! Honestly, I started this blog very impulsively and did not expect to have posted 9 articles in 10 days! With the stock markets crashing, I did not have much to do in my free time. I have already watched most of those movies that they show on TV. I don't have the patience to read through the pile of magazines building up at my husband's behest. So I diverted all my energy and enthusiasm to this blog..and now I am addicted to it!!

I keep thinking about what I would write about tomorrow, the catchy title that I would put up to get more  hits on my blog. I dream that my blog has a thousand followers! This is like falling in love all over again when all you can think about is that one person.. I am almost obsessed! And it takes me back to those early days of my romance when I was nervous yet excited every time I would meet him! I get that same feeling when I check the 'Stats'  tab of my blog every morning :).

Though my theme is Fashion and Looking Good, there are so many things off my theme that I want to write about (beisdes the 20 titles pertaining to my theme that I have already noted down), like why 'Yeh Saali Zindagi' is a paisa wasool movie, and about that yummy cake that I bake and is loved by everyone, and Sonakshi's performance at the Filmfare was So Not Sexy!! I guess I would write an off theme blog once in a while.

Blog is defined as 'A frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web links'. But I guess it soon translates from a publication to a passion for most of us very soon. We get so attached that some days we refresh the stats tab every hour and desperately wait for some nice comments! Well, atleast I do :) and I am already am..

Happy reading!

Why I got tempted to write this blog..

Looking good makes us feel good. And we all want to feel good.
  Sporting the latest in fashion makes us look good. And we all want to look good.

But where do we go to get the latest in fashion? We have been blogging since 2007. But when I wanted to read about the kind of stuff that are available in this sale season, I could not find much. And so I thought, why not write about what I feel and also hear what the others have to say.

Everyone loves shopping, and so do I. I just had my year end appraisal and got to know about my bonus, and I was certainly not happy. What did I do about it? Argue with my boss?? No, that was not even an option. So, I simply got off at the Select City Mall at Saket while on my way back from office and bought some nice clothes from Van Heusen Women.. Yes I spent a part of my already shrunk bonus, but I still felt good! I just acquired something new to add to my ever expanding wardrobe!! I know we have all been cured by the retail therapy at some point of time.

With the desire to shop comes the ability to afford it and the art of choosing. So through this blog I want to help people make an affordable choice! I will write what I feel about the latest in the popular brands: office and casual for both men and women. (I may start writing about children's wear a few years later :)).

Disclaimer: I will not write this blog as if I am writing a business proposal to my VP. I will be spontaeneous and honest and not meaure every sentence that I write. If you do not agree with me, please let me know, we can argue about it. And, if you like what I write, please let me know most definitely!!

** Picture from Google Images