window shopper

I do a lot of window-shopping, in SL that is. I do it for real too and it’s for similar reason in both cases, I’m poor, both in SL and RL, plus I’m also fascinated with the whole art of the shop window; and it is art. It’s something that’s usually overlooked, taken for granted or not even seen at all.

I think they influence us more than we think, even if you think you haven’t paid any attention to it, I reckon, at the very least,  you’ve probably registered it at some subliminal level. It’s the first thing people see on approaching a shop or wherever it is, not just the name of the shop but how the outside looks, is dressed, and the window-display is all part of that.

I can’t say I know what makes a well-dressed window, what elements make it work, but I know when I see one if it’s good or not, or if someone’s made an effort, been creative, clever, imaginative, and also who they’re appealing too. I especially enjoy Christmas time for this. Some go to amazing lengths to make a window that draws you in, even if it’s not a shop you usually or ever go into, their display can still be a feast for the eyes.

It’s something I find the online world just hasn’t got to grips with and can’t quite do anyway in the same way. Most homepages, which is like the shop window equivalent, are so often dull, bland, or over-crowded, messy, with way too much going on, or confusing or simply useless. In SL, window-displays are not as common as you might think, not many people seem to bother with them. Sure, they have signs and such, but actual window displays, something to initially grab your attention, are lacking. I’ve found a few on my travels and I know there are more but one has to rely mostly on chance to find them.

By extension, I also know window-shopping can simply be browsing instore without actually buying anything, but the term itself has come from the window-display, almost a digest or summary of what that store is all about.

I’ve posted a few photos here of window displays taken during my window-shopping travels, and I’ll be doing more for future blog posts. Rather dimly of me though, I forgot to label what shops these actually were, so in future I’ll try and remember to do so. It’s important to capture the moment as some displays change regularly, and once they’re gone, they’re gone.

 

© Anan Eebus