The Sock Monkey

I'm sick of shopping at the same old stores that the same old people shop at. You know the ones.

I crave something unique, something distinctive, and something one of a kind.


Of course I still buckle at the knees for designer perfumes, bags and jewelry, but sometimes I question my tendency to conform to those common and often-expensive trends. What's with the attraction of 'needing' something 4 million other people on this planet have? Shouldn't we be putting our efforts into standing out instead of blending in? To the world I'm just another 20-something white American girl trying to disappear into the sea of similar styles.

I'm sick of those same old stores that make me look like everyone else. So on the 24th of July, when my family and I went out to eat in an area of town I usually don't frequent, I noticed a hidden gem concealed between a pizza shop and a rugged old home.

The Sock Monkey, (yes that's the name of the shop) greeted me with rusty old bedframes and felt hats sporting colorful jewels and feathers. Around each corner was a new, okay old, collection of vintage treasures.


I stumbled across gorgeously ornate tea sets, earrings so large your ears would throw a fit, and porcelain dolls staring up at you with china blue eyes and perfectly painted lips.


As I perused my findings, I thought to myself, you can't find these prizes at Pottery Barn or Crate and Barrel, these haphazard items are only as unique as the piece laying beside them. They don't compete with local department stores. Instead they stand on a whole new level of style and panache. These hole-in-the-wall boutiques breathe new life into old objects, as if giving them a second chance to shine.

So if you're looking for yet another label-stamped t-shirt, or the latest fashion of dishware, you're not going to find it here. These places are the essence of standing out.


Don't get me wrong, I'll still go back to worshipping Rock Revival jeans and I'll still smile ear to ear when I sling my florescent pink Coach bag over my shoulder. I'm still in love with cupcakes and frozen yogurt, like every other human being, and I'll still cut my hair like the trendiest celebrities.

But on those days when I'm sick of conformity and I need a little extra something to feel like I'm an individual, I'll be hunting down those hidden stores, eagerly searching for that special treasure that no one else will find.