Shopping for clothes brings me pure joy, and until last week I was under the impression that most people felt the same way. Then some friends told me shopping is anything but fun for them. It made me wonder if others felt the same way, so I began asking almost everyone I met if they enjoyed shopping. To my surprise, about half of the people I asked said that shopping made them anxious and they only did out of necessity. To help the shopping-challenged, I’m sharing my shopping tips in hopes that people will use them to make their shopping experiences more enjoyable.
FIGURE OUT YOUR STYLE
Embrace what you feel comfortable in. Not everyone feels good in the same style clothing. Decide if you like loose fitting clothes or clothes that are more tailored. If categorizing yourself helps, then figure out your style category. Are you classic, simple, bold, hipster, bohemian, rock and roll, trendy? Once you decide what your favorite styles are you’ll know what to be on the look out for while shopping.
FIND YOUR FAVORITE BRANDS & SHOP THEM EVERY SEASON
This is probably the best piece of advice I have to give. Every brand represents a certain style and they all cut their clothing different. Some brands run small while others run big. If you stick to your favorite brands you’re less likely to be disappointed once you get in the fitting room. Shopping the same few brands every season means you can keep adding pieces to build a cohesive wardrobe.
CLEAN OUT YOUR CLOSET
If you haven’t worn something in over a year it’s time to toss it. I personally don’t get rid of anything until I try wearing it for a whole day. If I wear something for the entire day and it doesn’t make me feel good, like maybe the shirt rides up or the fabric makes me itch, it goes in the Goodwill pile.
GET INSPIRED
Find “looks” online or in magazines that you like. If a sales associate (hopefully at one of your favorite brands) asks if they can help you, show them the picture and let them pull pieces that resemble what you’re looking for. It obviously won’t be identical, but remember your going for similar. One of my favorite ways to find cool looks is to pick a celebrity style icon and mimic their outfits.
HAVE A BUDGET
Knowing how much you can spend will eliminate most buyers remorse. When it comes to shopping, it’s good to remind yourself that it’s ok that you can’t have it all. If you can’t afford something, tell yourself that next season they’ll be something better. There’s nothing worse than having to return something because you went over your budget.
Shopping is an art form. You’re not required to love it, but knowing how to do it efficiently can definitely help you hate it less.
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