Interview 2 - Shannon

We conducted our second interview with Shannon, a 29 year old high school teacher in Savannah, today. We spoke with her for about 30 min, and used the same methods as the previously described interview with Shawna, with one main difference - we did not go shopping with Shannon. She previously told us over the phone when we were scheduling the interview that she rarely if ever goes shopping anymore, and commented that the reason is because she is a teacher.

When we arrived, she apologized for the mess in her home and introduced us to her 2 cats. She welcomed us upstairs and allowed us to look at her clothes and where she keeps her accessories.







Shannon on...


-Accessories

Shannon wears a watch, two rings, and earrings almost every day. She rarely wears additional accessories - she only wears different or additional ones on special occassions.




Most of her accessories were gifts, including the jewelry box that she keeps everything in - the box was a, "last ditch effort," from her ex-boyfriend.







When asked if she has any special items, she enthusiastically said, "Yes," and directed us to her great-grandmother's engagement ring, which she wears every day and feels naked without...




...and a bracelet that she inheritied from her grandmother, which she wears only on special occassions.





-Clothes

She doesn't identify with any certain group, and wears what she feels is comfortable. When she stands next to 'alternative-dressing kids' she feels like a walking Gap ad.


-Getting ready

Her getting ready process is hectic - she plans her outfit while she in the shower, making her decision based upon what is clean and ironed. After her shower she goes to check that the items are infact clean and ironed. After dressing, the last thing she does is put on her makeup and accessories.

She has tried planning her outfits the night before, but ended up changing her mind "8 times" the next morning, so she stopped doing that.

If her morning ritual is disrupted, she automatically feels as if she forgot something.


-Comfort

Comfort is one of her top priorities, especially, "in the feet area." She rarely wears high heels to school; "I stand up all day so I won't wear spike heels."

"The other day I decided not to be comfortable and wore a black dress..." to work.


-What is appropriate

"If I don't feel comfortable in it, it must not be appropriate." If she wears something that is inappropriate for the situation she, "...stresses herself out."


-Portable technology

Shannon only carries her cell phone, and sometimes wished that it was a camera phone.


-Her friends

She dresses similar to her "core group of friends," and feels comfortable with that.


-Brands

She doesn't buy any particular brand, except for the Gap because she has a credit card there. She is more concerned with cost than brand or label.


-Style

Shannon says that she sometimes dresses grungy, sometimes preppy.