Make Your Next Shopping Trip A Huge Success

To prepare for the upcoming sales, I’m sharing how to ensure your shopping trip is a success. This means that you make good choices while in the store or online, and you only buy things that you’ll wear. Because the last thing you need is to stock up on a bunch of stuff that you only bought because it was on sale.

Does this sound familiar? You see a sweater. It’s on sale. So you buy it, and realize that you never LOVED the sweater. It was the good deal that you LOVED! 

Because who doesn’t LOVE saving money?

Plus getting good deals means you’re a smart shopper, right?

Not necessarily.

For Every Shopping Trip

A smart shopper is someone who buys things that add value to their lives. This means spending within their budget AND being selective about what they buy. They don’t seek to accumulate good deals. They seek out products that make their lives better. (This includes things like the new blouse that gives you total confidence on your zoom calls because CONFIDENCE = VALUE!)

Here are 3 guiding principles to help keep you on track, and steer you away from shopping mistakes They’re simple to follow. And if you keep these in mind every time you shop, you’ll always buy the right clothes.

Love It Or Leave It

It seems silly to even point this out, but when you’re considering a new item, it’s imperative that you LOVE the thing. The reason I mention this is because I’ve done it before. And so have my clients. 

For whatever reason we get swept up in the store, and buy the thing that we don’t love. Sometimes I don’t even like it! So guiding principle #1 is that you must LOVE the item. Obviously you’re attracted to it, if it drew you in. But sometimes we’re attracted to things that aren’t right for us. (Have you ever dated a guy that falls into that category? – I have!) If you don’t love the item, leave it on the rack for someone else!

Look Good Feel Good

Next, you need to assess if the item will look good on you. Look closely at the color and the cut. Sometimes I’m drawn to pale pink pieces, but the reality is that color washes me out. It’s not a good choice for me! In regards to the cut, or silhouette this is where you’ll think about the clothes in your closet that you feel amazing in. What shapes and styles are they? If you’re familiar with your body shape you can apply these principles here as well. (Get the guide to determine your body shape here.) 

Because I’m petite, large handbags overwhelm me. Whenever I see a photo of myself carrying a huge bag it looks ridiculous. So guiding principle #2 is the item must flatter. Don’t forget that you’re in charge of deciding what’s flattering or not!

Where You’ll Wear It

Once you’ve determined that you LOVE the item, and it looks good on you, you must decide if it’s something you’ll wear. Does it make sense for your lifestyle? This is where a lot of my mistakes come from. Sometimes I like to pretend I’m involved in activities that require a certain style of dress. But it’s not practical for me to buy clothes for events or activities that I don’t take part in

Guiding principle #3 is the item has to be something you’ll wear. To help determine this, think about what else is in your wardrobe. Will this contender fit in? Or look like an outsider. I love taking risks and wearing things outside the comfort zone. But the key component here is to actually wear the things outside your comfort zone. Don’t let them sit in your closet!

In the video below, I take you on a thrift shopping trip so you see exactly how I apply these principles to my shopping trip to come up with an outfit I love!

As a personal fashion stylist, I’ve been professionally shopping for more than 20 years. One of the skills I help my clients build is knowing how to shop for themselves. This way they buy pieces that fit their style. And they don’t end up with a bunch of random items that they don’t want to wear, or KNOW HOW to wear. (The first thing we accomplish in our work together is defining what their style looks like which is essential when you want to shop better.) 

If you feel lost or overwhelmed in a big department store or find yourself scrolling unsuccessfully while shopping online, I can help. Join me for a complimentary call & we’ll discuss what you should be focusing on in your shopping so you have a personal style that you love and that makes you look your best. Click here to book your free call!