This has no sound; just sound logic!
They say that every professional needs a good outlet. I took that quite literally this weekend, hitting the outlet shopping malls and hitting ’em hard in celebration of my…ahem…29th birthday. I share my birthday with my wonderful niece, Willow. I often tell Willow she was the best birthday present I ever got – my very own built-in outlet shopping partner. My boys, God love ’em, aren’t big on all day shop-stravaganzas.
Which, in my opinion, is the only way to celebrate a birthday. If you’re not an outlet mall shopper, allow me to convert you: All of your favorite brand names, organized not by section, but by store. A whole building, just for Levis. Or Vera Bradley. Or Williams Sonoma.
Or Coach.
That’s right, imagine the holiest of holies, Coach bags, available at a steep, steep discount. Why should Willow and I try and describe the bags we want to the rest of the family when our pockets are lined with birthday cash and we’re both raring and ready to go shopping?
It’s a sport. A workout. Kind of.
Not everyone’s ready for the intensity with which Willow and I do our outlet birthday days. We wake up super early, eat a great big breakfast, fuel up on fancy birthday coffee, and hit the outlet mall in Knoxville, TN as soon as it opens. Here are our best tips for a perfect day of birthday outlet fun:
The Neiman Marcus and Saks outlets are a good early stop – lots of variety and they can get crowded later in the day. From there we recommend Coach, Coach, and more Coach, until your dogs are barking in your shoes and you just have to sit down.
And speaking of shoes, there’s no better reason to sit down than to try on a few new pairs. After wearing out your current pair with all of that outlet mall exercise, you’ll need some cushy foot support for the drive home. Nike or Skechers anyone?
And just remember, when you get home? It was your birthday! You treated yourself! And if they want to see the receipts? Deny, deny, deny!
Happy Monday,
Mary
P.S. To see photos of me and my niece, Willow, visit our Facebook page!
