In the early aughts, when I was in my late teens and early twenties—in typical millennial-girl aesthetic—Sex and the City became my entire personality, and I lived by this Carrie Bradshaw quote. Shopping, for me, was a combination of cardio and therapy. Whenever I was feeling restless, anxious, bored, or lonely—which was often in those early days after I moved back to Omaha and didn’t know anyone—I’d grab my slouchy hobo bag and head for the mall. If all I did was walk a few laps and window shop, taking in the recent trend arrivals, and noting the pieces I wanted but would wait for a sale, I considered it time well spent.