What inevitably happens when I go shopping for someone else

There is no other person for whom I would endure a Saturday afternoon battling the elements - and by "elements" I mean the kind of people who, when their cards are denied at Steve Madden, say things to tired, defeated salesgirls like, "Well, it's probably a fraud protection thing because I just dropped $2,800 at Intermix and $1,500 at Barney's, here try this other AmEx" - than my girl L.

Perhaps it's just that I'm particularly selfish, but when it comes to picking out a Christmas present for my Mother, a baby shower present for my sister-in-law, and today, a birthday present for my best friend, I always spend a good deal more time looking at that-would-look-so-cute-on-me than that-would-look-so-cute-on-her items.

Hence, this adorable deep scoopneck dress in shocking-red with ruffled neckline and criss-cross back from Zara that flattered my assets as perfectly as Vivian's red dress, in its own way, did hers.

In the end, of course, I found just the right 3.5-inch patent-leather way to tell L how much her friendship and acceptance of my judgmental unacceptance means to me.

And yes, guilty-as-charged, I also fed the beast that is my closet by indulging in this sweet summer frock -- it was $59 at Zara, after all, not "$2,800 at Intermix."