Non-Knitting Post: Diana Buys a Western Purse

Ha - a non-knitting-related post: We were out with my sister, her hubby and darling little girl at the western wear shop, and I splurged.

I don't much like to shop. I don't care much about spending money, either; I drive a ten-year-old car and would truly be disappointed if anything happened to it and I had to get used to a new one.  Most of my shopping, other than groceries and knitting supplies, happens because of John persuading me to go. I used to like to shop and he exercised patience, but now it seems he likes to shop and I exercise my amazement.

For instance, John will decide I'm looking a bit fashion-frowsy (come on, I'm not young and I'm not thin, plus, you know, I'm in the glamorous field of accounting and the glamorous hobby of knitting.). He'll take me to a nice department store using the excuse that they're having a sale, and I watch in complete astonishment as this man I've been married to 36 years proceeds to (1) guide me over to women's clothing and away from men's shoes or whatever ought to be more interesting for him; (2) make friends with at least one sales clerk, perhaps remembering her name from last time; (3) suggest items to me I wouldn't have tried on myself, some of which are quite successful; (4) actually ask to see things I've tried on; (4) find out from the sales clerk how the markdown routine works when things are getting a bit stale; and (5) run for alternate sizes.

How did this happen?  My husband became better to shop with than a girlfriend!  He's almost on par with my late mother, who could see something on a hanger and know that it would fit me and look great.

So, we were in the Shepler's Western Wear shop - the GIANT one near 290 and IH35.  We especially like this shop because John has discovered the joyous comfort of Lucchese boots, and Shepler's has a great selection.  Karen's Anna was trying on blingy belts, which I didn't even know existed but are covered with rhinestones and absolutely adorable on a stringbean preteen with Alice-in-Wonderland hair and long skinny bluejeans. She looked absolutely adorable in a cowboy hat, as well, but they didn't think it would actually get worn in Los Angeles, once Anna got home and noticed that nobody else was wearing them.  I had to take advantage of the visit by having a look around, and I spotted a display of western purses. Who knew there were western purses?


Look what I found, photographed hanging on my front door knob, which means, of course, that I took the plunge and bought it?

This purse, from American West, whose tagline is "leather for a lifetime," is very sturdy, and oh, I do appreciate a sturdy, real leather purse.  The top is a stitched-on layer, it all looks hand-tooled, and the flowers are a number of different colors in reverse-appliqued leather. As an "autumn," I wear a lot of green and brown, so it's in my color sweet spot.  It has a tiny chain with a heart-shaped padlock, lots of pockets, is a great size, and has a zip close across the top.  I almost let it get away because it was not cheap (not ridiculous, but not cheap, either), but John encouraged me to splurge.  Before I could change my mind, he was at the cash register with it.  It was a good decision - if I hadn't, I'd be thinking about it and going back over there to get it.