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August 30, 2008
Dick’s is Probably One of My Least Favorite Places in this World, but You Have to Appreciate the Irony of a Sporting Goods Store with Escalators
You know how when you walk by an Abercrombie & Fitch, you don’t want to go in because every single thing about the front of the place tells you that this is not the store for you?
That is exactly how I feel about sporting goods stores.
I think my problem stems from the fact that when I am in a sporting goods store, I never know when I’m going to turn a corner and find a huge display of knives or guns or bottled deer urine or whatever, and all the camouflage makes me feel like maybe I’ve wandered into “The Most Dangerous Game.” And while I am nearly always in these places to get stuff to wear to the gym, I don’t self-identify as someone who is into fitness, and I am certainly never going to learn to love performance fabrics more than I love cotton. From the clothing selection at Dick’s, I’ve come to the conclusion that there is a sizable subculture of teeny tiny fit people who like to exercise in clothes that show off all that work they’ve been doing.
I don’t want to do that.
When I exercise, I want to wear something soft and roomy and cozy enough to sleep in because I just know I’m going to lose consciousness in the middle of spinning class one of these days, and I figure I might as well be comfortable when I wake up on the floor. That is my approach to fitness. My approach to sporting goods stores is to ask Tammy to go with me, but in a fit of independence, I went by myself the other day and did manage to find everything I was looking for—namely a couple new pairs of yoga pants and a pair of swim goggles, which involved a ride on the store’s ironic escalators and a bonus perusal of a display of the aforementioned bottled deer urine. And, heck, I even stopped and looked at the backpacks and sneakers. It’s back-to-school time, so they had a fun little display of pens. The store’s not so bad, I guess, but I would still rather stay home and read a book.
Posted by adrienne at August 30, 2008 02:26 PM
Comments
I don't care for Dick's because they carry an insultingly small line of women's golf attire. And it's ugly, too.
But anyway, for fitness wear it's Athleta.com for me. (First choice.) Or there's Activa. Or Lululemon. Or Lucy. All of which carry attractive, functional women-friendly clothes, for all sorts of activities, even lounging around. Mail order is the way to go. (Although we do have actual Lucy stores and a Lululemon one here in Metropolis.)
Posted by: Sara at August 30, 2008 04:56 PM
How's that campaign to add yoga pants to the work dress code going, anyway? :)
Posted by: Olivia at August 30, 2008 09:47 PM
Sara, Okay, looking at those websites was very exciting. How on earth have I lived this long *not* knowing that there are whole websites practically devoted to yoga pants? This changes my life. I'm never going to Dick's again.
Olivia, Poorly, but I will keep trying.
Posted by: adrienne at August 31, 2008 12:25 AM
And they have cute DRESSES. :)
Posted by: Sara at August 31, 2008 11:55 AM
My favorite memory of Dick's was when we went with Bri and could not stop making fun of the "topflight balls" and well the name of the store, we were so awful Brian said he would never go there with both of us again, good times.
P.S. You are so self-actualized. I'm proud of you.
Posted by: tonderdo at August 31, 2008 09:25 PM
Sara, This is such dangerous knowledge.
Tammy, We really mortified poor Bri that day. He enjoyed it, though.
And thanks. :)
Posted by: adrienne at September 1, 2008 12:23 AM