I love clothes when they’re not on laundry piles or on racks. Due to time, crowds, queues, and lack of planning, clothes shopping can be an exhausting excursion. Add tiredness and apathy as the day wears on, and one increases the risk of making haphazard purchases. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of shopping expeditions and avoid falling victim to the vicious practice of making useless wardrobe additions that end up in a garbage bag faster than you can say “Goodwill.”
Resist the urge to clutter your closet with clothing that lacks co-ordination with your other clothes and has no real purpose other than lead you to question: What was I thinking when I bought that? Ever examined the contents of your wardrobe and think “I swear that looked different at the shop!” or “When will I ever wear that?” Avoid this by steering clear of stores on blue days, those largely (forgive the pun) exaggerated fat days, or those days where your mind has just been too bombarded with bullshit to think logically. You’ll miss the gems and may end up with a WTF? compartment in your wardrobe on account of impulse buys and being in too much of a hurry to pay a visit to the change room before heading to the check out counter. Combat this problem by always shopping for clothes in a cheerful frame of mind. It’ll give something a chance to look and feel good on you. Nothing goes with a bad attitude. In addition, never go clothes shopping in an outfit too time consuming to take off so you won’t try before you buy. You might be thinking it’s irrelevant to point this out, since no one goes shopping in Batman’s costume, how hard can undressing be? But I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been in too much of a hurry to take off a pair of jeans and regretted my shopper’s sloth when clothes turned out to be too tight, too loose, too unflattering, too uncomfortable, and too unlike the mannequin. It’s important to be able to assess your image rather than think “It’ll suit me” or “It’ll fit.”
Ask yourself “Do I really need it?” and if it’s going to put a significant hole in your bank account, ask again.
Sure, the sequinned pink and purple faux snakeskin jacket looked spectacular on the mannequin, but the coat hanger in the deepest, darkest corner of your closet does nothing for it. Don’t despair: it does nothing for you, either. It’s not that you’re incapable of dressing yourself, you just made a bad choice because those mannequins are so damn deceptive (hell, that’s my excuse, anyway.) Not to mention everyone has some desire to appear “with it,” and the bubbly saleswoman talking a thousand words a minute convinced you it was the hottest thing of the season. Politely tell her so were fluorescent spandex jumpsuits once, too, and be on your way. In other words, just because the fickle business of fashion gives its stamp of approval, doesn’t mean it suits you. Worse, these pieces date quickly and minimize your mix-and-match all year around options. Better to keep your eyes and purse open for that one really great dress, jacket, or pair of jeans that you can dress up or dress down with accessories to your heart’s content. You should never feel guilty about extravagant spending if you can see yourself wearing it every second day. Always consider versatility and necessity.
Don’t fall into the trap (and boy have I ever!) of buying your dream clothing item a size under yours because you just fit into it. Yes, I’m aware it’s a thrilling discovery when your true size isn’t available, but wearing it for five seconds in a change room is no indication of how comfortable you’re going to feel in it after five hours. Don’t be deceived by how it feels for that few moments. If it looks too tight, it is.
Don’t give into the temptation to buy a bright yellow outfit merely because you don’t have any yellow in your wardrobe already. You’re not constructing a rainbow. I was a victim of this irrational thinking when I decided to spend a weekend color-coordinating my closet. I now have bright yellow and bright orange clothes that never get worn under the silly impression that a closet should look like a box of crayons.
It helps to know what you’re looking for. Since most of us spend time looking in our closets every day and putting together an outfit, take a note of what you need for the next time you’re clothes shopping to complete your outfits or to get more wear out of them. E.g simple cardigans to go over a black dress for every day wear and fancier ones for dressier occasions. Make a note of what ever missing items come to mind and you’re less likely to become a sucker for anything under a bright yellow sign that isn’t a valuable contribution to your closet.
There’s no way to say this delicately, but if it’s opinions you’re after, never shop with friends whose clothing taste doesn’t harmonize with yours. Don’t underestimate their influence. The safe route is to shop only with friends who dress better than you. It’s common sense. You wouldn’t hire an obese personal trainer to educate, and encourage you towards a healthy diet and fitness regime. But if you can manage it, shop alone. After all, you know what you like, and it eliminates the problem of two people wanting the same garment. In the same size. And there’s one left. It happens.
Above all else, WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES! Blisters and aching feet are the only thing worse than overworked and over-persistent shop assistants in crowded clothing stores.
Blair Adele – sometimes better known as Vanity Blair has had a love affair with the art of writing since she knew how to hold a pen properly. While girls studied Seventeen magazine, she studied the dictionary, infatuated with expanding her vocabulary. Since the tumultuous teenage years, she has viewed trends with disdain, preferring to embrace individuality when it comes to style. “The Blair Necessities” is where she combines her objective: expressing femininity through fashion, and encouraging what sets a woman apart from the rest, with her passion for the written word. Let she who is without fear of fashion, cast the first stilletto
