I finally breached that last barrier of shopping this weekend, Rodeo Drive.

I think that last trip to Express did me in.  Paying extremely marked up prices for shit clothes made by the children of Pakistan or Sri Lanka or whatever overpopulated, brown-countenanced country is being exploited at the moment.

Last week I was shopping for Adam at the mall — because he can’t stand the scene there, crowds, bad parking, craziness — looking for pants.  $98.00 for hipsters — for men.  You’ve got to be kidding.  These were pants for the skinny, effete, clubbing, hipster, not a respectable 33 year old adult with a job.

The other mall alternative — Dockers or as I like to call them, pants for beer drinkers, engineers, and salesmen — were out of the question. 

About a year ago, I came across a group of books — Chic Simple — which discussed a better way for professionals to dress.  It focused on quality made, well tailored clothing.  Why not spend $200 on a pair of well fitting pants, rather than the same $200 on several pairs of somewhat ill fitting pants (or if you shop at Old Navy, ten pairs of pants you regret buying as soon as you leave the store).

The clothes recommended in those books, are, well, mostly designer clothing.  And where in the L.A. area can you get good designer clothing all in one place — Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.

Now as a poor kid, I was sure I was going to be banned from this mecca of commerce.  Urban legends abound about appointment only boutiques, snobby sales people, and outrageous prices.

At any moment I was sure that I was going to be ushered out.  The truth — it was fine.  Lovely sales people, good service, and most importantly good pants.

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