Jun 10, 2011
Have you ever come home from a shopping trip, unpacked your purchases and had doubts about what you had bought? Or better yet, weeks later, still not having worn certain items, or maybe only have worn them because you felt you had to because you bought them, either regretted having bought them or wondered why you did?
I frequently complain of having nothing to wear, and then my boyfriend comes in my room, opens my closet, and asks me what I am talking about. And he has a very good point- my closet is absolutely jam packed, but 70-80% of what’s in my closet I never wear. It’s amazing how many things we buy because their on sale, seem like a good deal, or are in fashion, even though we’re not absolutely crazy about them. The result is that we never end up wearing these clothes. For example, I once bought a pair of Joe’s skinny cargo jeans from Nordstrom Rack because they were marked down from over $200 to $70. They were my size, but they fit a little funny in the waistline. But I justified buying them because I thought that if I just toned up my stomach into abs and/or wore a long flowy shirt they would look good. Besides, they were Joe’s cargo skinny jeans, both cargo and skinny being major trends last fall. I haven’t worn them once. Direct TV Satellite
It’s amazing how we justify certain purchases with claims like “oh this will motivate me to lose weight” or “once I get a good tan, this dress will look fantastic on me” or “I bet I won’t see anyone else wearing this top, and I’ll definitely get noticed”. The fact of the matter is that 98% of the time, if you don’t love it in the store, you’re not going to love it and want to wear it once you get home, and those obnoxiously bright lights in the dressing room, as hideous as they make us all look, won’t change how we feel about what we wear once they magically disappear.
I have a friend who always (well, the vast majority of the time) looks very cute, fashionable and well put together, and makes it look easy. The most amazing part about her sexy yet sophisticated wardrobe, however, is that is doesn’t even take up her entire closet, which is much smaller than mine (and most people’s, I would assume). I was simply shocked at how few hangars and space was taken up in her mini walk in the first time I saw it. After going on several shopping trips with her, I am trying to pick up a few of her good shopping habits for myself, and have come up with a few tips and tricks that she uses to shop fabulously, save money, and look great:
1. Never go shopping when you feel rushed or are in a hurry. Last minute events come up sometimes, yes, and you need to get an outfit quick, but in these cases you should try to stick with some classic pieces that can be reused frequently, or make sure the store has a flexible return policy. When you shop hurriedly, you aren’t thinking clearly about what you’re buying and will probably purchase something that just suffices rather than really makes you look like a million bucks. You’re also more prone to overspend when you shop in a hurry. So plan shopping trips wisely and with plenty of leeway time. And if you do need an outfit for a last minute event, try borrowing something from a friend before you ever set foot into a store or mall.
2. If you don’t love it, don’t buy it. Seriously, its not worth it. It’s better to re-wear an outfit that you love and feel confident in than to buy something simply because it is different or you feel like you need to rock something fresh. Overtime you will build up your wardrobe, and if you try to do it overnight, you’ll end up not wearing most of the things in there. Instead, try getting creative with the things you already own: pair up tops and bottoms you’ve never paired together before, or that you never thought would go together, and try to tie them together with matching accessories. You’ll be amazed at the brand new outfits you can create with just a few minutes of toying around your closet and exploring your creativity. Step out of the box!
3. The more expensive the item, the longer you should wait. I try to abide by the rule that if a piece of clothing is more than $150, I need to put it on hold and wait at least 24 hours (or however long the maximum hold period at the store is). The more expensive the item, the longer I should wait. If something costs $200, and 3 days later I still wish I had it so I could wear it, or could have thought of several occasions to wear it to already, then I’ll go back and get it. If not, its not worth it.
There are many other rules I’ve seen women use, but I think these three are key and will get you on the road to making smart purchases that won’t break the bank and leave you unsatisfied later. Besides, use the money you save to shop on QVC deals for tv!! Happy shopping!
