153 - Shopping for Clothes
Partial Vocabulary Cheat Sheet
to invest in = to put resources into something.
trendy = stylish; in style
faded = with lost or reduced color.
pit stains = permanent markings in the armpit section of shirts.
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Every now and then, many of us have the urge to go shopping. Some of us like shopping online for new clothes and products, others like to shop in brick and mortar stores. Brick and mortar is another way to say physical locations, places where you can walk inside and be seen by a sales clerk and other shoppers.
Needless to say, all of us love getting good deals. We’re all fans of a good sale, that is for sure.
In episode number 86, we talked about the English expression "in the red" and the history of Black Friday, which is one of the biggest annual shopping times of the year in the United States. In today’s episode, I want to talk about shopping for clothing. My goal is to introduce you to all of the terminology you need to talk about this topic in English. You’ll hear phrasal verbs, collocations, and a lot of expressions we use when talking about clothing.
As usual with 5-minute English episodes, the audio will be more challenging than typical episodes. If you want to get the bonus material that goes along with the audio so that you can see the text and read along, be sure to check out the link in the episode notes or on the episode webpage.
The lesson that corresponds with this audio also includes exercises and quizzes to master the key terminology. If you’re interested, I highly recommend signing up to the 5-Minute English Course Bundle or All Premium Content for Seasons 1, 2, and 3.
The audio for this lesson is a little longer than five minutes, it’s because this topic is a big one. I tried to shorten it, but I didn’t want to leave out important phrases, so I hope you don’t mind. I really honed in on things that you might say while shopping for clothes, and that had to include the good, the bad, and the ugly. So I hope you enjoy. You will hear the audio two times. I highly recommend listening the second time, you’ll understand many new words from context just with that repetition.
For this story, I need you to imagine yourself as the main character. Are you ready? Let’s begin.
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Many people care about their outward appearance. It makes them feel good. It helps boost their confidence. For years, you haven’t cared much about the way you look, but that’s about to change.
One sunny morning, you look in your closet and realize it’s time to invest in a new wardrobe. Some of your favorite t-shirts have pit stains, your favorite jeans have a hole in the crotch, and your most comfy workout clothes are ripped in multiple places. Many of your outfits that used to be trendy are now shabby, faded, and very much out of style.
Needless to say, you’re not a trendsetter. You don’t read fashion magazines or wear the latest styles. However, you have a friend, Katrina, who is very stylish and so you ask her to go shopping with you. She agrees!
With your credit card in your wallet, you set off for a day of shopping. When you arrive at the mall, you can see Katrina waiting for you in a retro, polka dot jumpsuit and sunglasses. She waves and runs in your direction.
Together you walk into the mall.
