Shopping Tips:
- Wear nude-colored underwear. When trying things on, you’ll be able to concentrate on the clothes themselves, not the black bra you can see through the white top you’re wearing.
- Wear the belt you normally wear, and use it when trying on pants. A belt can make the difference between crack and no crack!
- When shopping for dressier clothes, either bring heels with, or snag some from the shoe department to try on. They’ll help you see how skirts and trousers will look when you’re wearing the right shoes.
- Stay hydrated. Dehydration headaches and thirst make shopping no fun. Same with eating, but don’t overeat either. A light lunch will give you energy, but a heavy one will make you feel bloated and that makes trying clothes on not so much fun.
- Wear comfy shoes, especially if you’re mall and/or marathon shopping. Under no circumstances attempt to use a shopping trip to break in your new pumps. You will seriously regret it.
- Go shoe-shopping at the end of the day. Your feet swell as the day goes on and shoes that fit fine in the morning might be too tight by supper time. Plus, shoe size doesn’t matter, so if you’re down by an unsuccessful shopping day, cute shoes should cheer you up!
- Always try things on, and lots of them. Go for anything that strikes your fancy, try it on, see how it fits, and decide if you like it. You’ll sometimes find a new favorite by trying something you normally wouldn’t. And remember, just because you try it on and like the idea of it, doesn’t mean you have to buy it, especially if it doesn’t fit right.
- Shop at the end of the season, especially at the more expensive boutiques and department stores. They have to turn over inventory, so normally expensive items are often marked down considerably. For example, I got a $120 cashmere cardigan for $11.50 at an end-of-season sale last spring. But stay away from the super-trendy pieces, as they’ll get dated fast.
- Remember that outlet stores are often not as good of deals as they claim. You can often get things on clearance at the regular boutique for cheaper than in outlet stores. But as always, never buy something just because it’s cheap. If it doesn’t fit and you don’t love it, don’t buy it! Unless, of course, you intend to get it tailored. But only if you are actually going to do it.
- Don’t get hung up on brand names, especially when dealing with basic wardrobe pieces like tee-shirts, cardigans, and jeans. Try lots of different things.
- Don’t get hung up on size, either! A size is just a number and varies greatly from brand to brand. I like to grab the size I am normally, and generally the size larger. If I need a size smaller, I’m usually more than happy to go get it and try it on.
- Color is your friend, but be aware that you can have too much of a good thing. I personally prefer colors that are saturated, not bright. Bright overwhelms, but saturated color (like kelly green instead of neon) really pops. Also be aware of how color looks on your skin. Avoid colors that match your skin, like pale dusty rose for fair skin, or yellow-green for skin with olive undertones.
- Try things on again when you get home, including with the other clothes you think you might wear with them, especially shoes. Walk around a bit, see how the clothes let you move. And be sure to see how colors look in non-flourescent lighting and if possible, daylight. Clothes look differently in different lights. If a piece of clothing turns out to be awful, return it!
- If you want a second opinion or don’t like to shop alone, go with a girlfriend who is similar in size to you. If one of you is significantly smaller or larger than the other, it makes it hard to shop in the same stores or departments and can cause envy. So unless you’re really good friends, stick to a shopping partner roughly your same size.
- HAVE FUN! Shopping is about finding things that make you look good, which should make you feel good. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t find something you like. Looking good, like any worthwhile endeavor, is not always easy, but shouldn’t be impossible either. It mostly takes patience.
