Emotional Stages Of Shopping At Delia's In 2015

Most of us go in and out of stages when it comes to shopping and loving certain stores. When thinking about all those nostalgic, now-classic shops of my adolescence, though, there's one thing I've never stopped loving: shopping at Delia's. Now an online-only retailer, Delia's is truly a blast to the past for '90s kids. As every adult who has already shopped at the new Delia's knows, however, there are a lot more emotions involved in this sartorial experience than one might think.

When I started growing out of my love for Limited Too back in the day (prompted by the realization that I had way too many Jonas Brothers T-shirts), it was Delia's I turned to. Since then, it has always held a special place in my heart. From its pink corduroy boot leg jeans to the hundreds of graphic cat T-shirts to the seasonal Delia's catalog I would rip apart every few months and tape to my bedroom door, Delia's has and always will be the store of my dreams.

The experience of shoping at Delia's when you're 12 is slightly different to shopping at Delias's when you're 22, though. So here are the seven emotional stages of the whole she-bang. Visiting the online store and not feeling something is, I'm convinced, impossible. Here's to the '90s and, of course, to your favorite cheesy T-shirt.

1. The Pangs Of Curiosity

Let's say you come across a rogue Delia's catalog in your childhood bedroom, or you find yourself scrolling through its Instagram page, or you simply ask yourself one day: Whatever happened to Delia's? It's natural to feel curious about something that used to be cool and popular when you were a kid (not unlike the curiosity you felt when discovering your crush from seventh grade was now on Facebook). Wanting to know just what's going on with Delia's in 2015 is totally normal. Right? Right.

2. The First Throws Of Temptation

In my experience, the key to being an adult is acting like an adult, and that can sometimes include wearing office-appropriate pants and button-downs and leaving your soft, comfortable, dreamy pajamas confined to the bedroom. But since when was that any fun? Maybe if you shop at Delia's you'll feel more kindred with your adolescent self and start to embrace life again... maybe.

3. The "Realizing This Is Going To Be Epic" Stage

Delia's still exists. Delia's still makes super cute clothing. Delia's still has an adorable catalog. And you can get the clothes delivered to your home? This truly must be how Thomas Edison felt when he discovered electric light. Re-discovering the classic '90s store from your childhood is basically the equivalent of finding the fountain of youth.

4. The Purest Of Joys

When looking through the Delia's website, you might start to feel like the '90s never ended. It still has all the cute graphic T-shirts you loved way back when, adorable cropped floral skirts, and comfy, cozy cardigans. You have found your ultimate shopping destination and you couldn't be happier. So you fill up your online bag with all your favorite items, convinced that you will never have to shop at another store again.

5. Oh... Wait?

After you're done looking through every single page online, you find that you have 72 items in your e-bag. How did you lose so much control? How could you have grown so attached to hundreds of dollars worth of tween clothes? Aren't you supposed to be evolving?

6. A Spiral Of Sadness And Quiet Contemplation

Suddenly it becomes painfully clear how quickly your childhood just ended, and how all those little things you loved when you were a tween quietly slipped away from you. But you're also glad that you can still relive the sartorial moments of your youth at Delia's. Maybe you don't need that seer-sucker mini skirt. And maybe buying a pair of cropped wide leg capris isn't the best idea. So you start to remove some items from your shopping bag as you consider that who you are now might not be who you were the last time you and Delia's had a get-together.

7. Existential Crisis Averted

Yes, Delia's still exists. And yes, it's still all of your middle school self's dreams come true. While you're more than happy about your (greatly reduced) purchases, you're definitely glad you scaled back. It's easy to be distracted by all the cute clothes, but you're a grown-up now. You have to think about things like money, and the reality is that you just can't wear that graphic tee to your work meetings.

In need of some final comfort? Why not curl up with your Lisa Frank coloring book and turn on a Disney Channel original movie? Just don't forget to bookmark Delia's on your homepage. It's not like you have to be office-appropriate seven full days a week, right? And hey, your boss might even like that amazing "On A Pizza Diet" tee.

Images: Delias/Facebook