Retail Therapy
For one night, Chloe Dao & Kenneth Cole were my personal shoppers
Chloe DaoPhoto by Shelby Hodge
Katy Mills Mall
Kenneth Cole makes brown shoes, but our fashion shopper couldn't find the righpair
I wouldn't expect to find Project Runway's Chloe Dao shopping in the suburbs, but luckily for me she was so far outside the loop that she asked me for tips.
That's only a slight exaggeration.
As I arrived at the Kenneth Cole store in Katy Mills Mall Wednesday night in anticipation of the 50-percent off everything already marked down sale (for two hours only), I managed to catch a glimpse of a woman who looked like Dao. I continued shopping until we both arrived in the male bag section, where she was on the phone with one of her many siblings.
"Don't you think this bag looks too girly?" she asked me.
"Yes," I responded authoritatively, "nylon bags do seem girly for a man's bag."
I continued shopping until I summoned the nerve to walk up to her again to tell her I am a fan. Approachable and courteous, she chatted with me for a while, exclaiming, "I am like everyone else. I still shop!"
But unlike the typical shopper, Dao was snapping pictures to share with her siblings — and probably for inspiration. She analyzed every seam and proved to be a savvy shopper, commenting, "[that bag] has a scratch on it."
As we both shopped, I had a dilemma. I'm not good picking out brown shoes (it's not my favorite color, but I needed a pair).
And so I asked Dao for help. She whipped out her phone and scrolled through all of the images she had previously taken to show me a pair of Kenneth Cole boots that her friend really liked. I looked for them, but they were sold out.
Even so, the shopping opportunity was a milestone for me for several reasons: I bought my very first briefcase and everyday shopper Dao was my personal stylist for the night.
I can't wait to go shopping with her again.
