Let’s face it. Shopping and men don’t really go together. While you could quite happily spend a day strolling around your favourite department stores, trying a few things on, and taking a break for coffee and a muffin in Costa, he would much rather mail order a few pairs of jeans and get back to spending the weekend watching the big game.
If you fancy some company while you’re splashing the cash, then you’ll have to get creative. Here’s a few tips.
Include him:
You probably wouldn’t enjoy shopping for his trainers and t-shirts if you didn’t get to look at a few things for yourself.
Let him look at some unique menswear in a Hugo Boss or Barbour outlet before you head to somewhere that specializes in women’s clothes.
Promise a special treat: So, you’ve paid a visit to La Senza – why not reward him by modelling what you’ve bought?
Take a break, guy style:
When you’re shopping with the girls you might stop off for a glass of wine, or to soak up the atmosphere at a trendy coffee bar.
Most guys aren’t into that sort of scene, so you might want to change things up a bit.
Head for a beer and a burger instead of a coffee and biscotti. I bet you’ll enjoy the change of pace too.
It works both ways:
You’re happy to wait while he buys some unique menswear, but what about other purchases?
If you’re dragging him into the jewellery store, give him the same length of time to peruse the specs of a few gadgets.
Also, try not to make any comments about how recently he bought the last model, or how many skinny tees you could buy for the price of his new tablet PC. That’s a sure way to ruin the mood.
Suggest a trip he’d enjoy:
Instead of scheduling a visit to the local Barbour outlet, why not suggest a trip to the mall? He’ll be more likely to jump at the suggestion of “Why don’t we go to the shopping centre tomorrow?
I know you’re in the market for a new phone, and I’d like to pick up a skirt for work” than he would be a general shopping request.
If you can turn a shopping trip into a day out where everyone gets to do something they enjoy, it will be more likely to be a big success – and something that both parties will want to repeat.
Shopping with your man will never be the same as shopping with your girl friends, but it can be a lot of fun – and there are some things that your guy is uniquely qualified for; such as fending off pushy shopping assistants, carrying your bags, spotting you some cash for an impulse buy, and – hopefully – remembering where in that maze of parking lots you parked your car.
