While many male partners are more than happy to pop down to the shops to pick up a few things for their female significant others, it’s safe to say some things are a little more… confusing… to purchase than others.
Like tampons. Or hair products. Or makeup.
But when 22-year-old Taylor, from Ipswich in England, sent her boyfriend to the store to grab her a new pair of leggings, she had no idea the amount of trauma the experience would put him through.
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Tim Goddard, 28, shared his shopping struggle in a series of text messages, which, of course, Taylor decided to share online.
“There’s so many types of leggings… Why? For what reason?” his texts to Taylor, who was busy at work and unable to reply, began.
"Do you want ankle length or ones that don't say ankle length? Do you need ones with zips? This is incredible."
Tim's frustration quickly turned to disbelief that there were so many legging options available.
"I fail to understand the need for eight thousand different types of black leggings," he wrote.
Then, a further complication: "Oh so now I've spotted that they have different thicknesses as well."
The confusion sent Tim into a type of existential crisis, and he began to draw comparisons between the amount of choice on offer and mental health.
"I'm feeling overwhelmed. No wonder of women with anxiety is on the rise."
Soon, Tim was at breaking point.
"I'm on the floor now in the foetal position," he wrote.
"Send help. I've been in this shop for five days now. I miss the sun.
"Tay, I love you. Tell my family I love them too. I'm using extra thick leggings for warmth now, but I don't think I'll last much longer."
Tim's hilarious commentary quickly went viral on Twitter, with Taylor's note about her boyfriend's disastrous shopping trip being retweeted more than 9300 times.
Other women soon responded with tales of their own, creating a whole new genre which shall now forever be known as 'Stories About Men Who Got Lost (Physically and Mentally) Going Shopping'.
"I asked my boyfriend to get me some knee length socks and was on the receiving end of a similar message thread," one woman wrote.
Another added her boyfriend "has a meltdown on my behalf" whenever the topic of shopping is broached.
While we're happy Tim made it out of this apparent legging superstore alive, there's one question we really, really need answered: did Taylor ever get her leggings?!
Thankfully, yes.
"Thick warm ones from H&M which I wore today!" Taylor wrote.
"He still did a good job so I am pretty proud."
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Top Comments
Hers's what my boyfriend bought for me when I asked him to pick me up a pair of basic black ankle length leggings.
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So the real issue here is women not giving proper instructions to men who are buying their stuff?
I'm quite happy buying pads for my wife, but with so many choices I make sure to take a photo of the packet before i go.
And then they'll go and change the packaging on me!
I saw a poor teenager at the window of a car talking to (I assume) his mother - she yelled at him for a minute, then I saw the poor kid walking back into the shop with his head down & a packet of pads in his hands..........
Presumably a return / exchange?
While i would be okay with it now, as a teenager i'd be pretty mortified.
Even now i think i'd prefer to just keep the wrong ones (for backups, emergencies, donations, whatever) and go and buy the right ones.
I realise not everyone has cash to spare for that though.