My prized Betseyville vegan pumps
The Dish: Shopping stresses me out. While I love the idea of spending a day downtown, about 20 minutes into looking at clothes and I'm done. Fitting rooms? It's all too much work. However, the one exception to my retail-fearing nature might be shoes. I own, well, more pairs of shoes than I'd like to admit. Keeping my collection up to date doesn't have to be expensive, and I have a secret weapon: Ross.
Ross, a discount retailer, carries everything from housewares to clothing to accessories, to the most random stuff you'd never expect to find—or need—for 20 to 60 percent off retail prices. Its shoe selection is freaking awesome, and I never have trouble finding cute vegan styles for my giant feet. Believe me, it can be difficult to find age-appropriate shoes in a size 10.
For the summer, there's plenty of fashionable sandals to choose from, and I grabbed a few pairs at only $12 each. I will warn you, however, that these man-made material beauties aren't the best for major city walking—R.I.P., my favorite white gladiators. By far my biggest score has been the most adorable, faux-leather pair of Betseyville black pumps for only $15. Designer shoes for less than one Andrew Jackson? I'll take it. The style wasn't even on sale online yet, meaning that not all of the discounted garb is completely out-of-season, making it even more gratifying to stock my closet.
The Final Word: Similar discount retailers exist across the country, including Marshalls and T.J. Maxx. While these big, open-space, and often unorganized stores may seem daunting, if this shopping-phobe can handle the stress and snag sweet deals, so can you.
