Better clothes shopping guide
Shopping for clothes can be fun, but it can also be frustrating. It’s not always easy finding the pieces that will work for you. But there are ways to make the process easier.
Preparing for a great day of shopping
If you’re going to be trying clothes on, wear clothes that are easy to put on and take off, such as pullover shirts rather than button-down blouses. If you’re going to be trying on shoes, you may want to wear sandals you can kick off, but always bring along a pair of socks in case you decide to try on shoes you would wear with socks. Make your shopping experience as easy as possible so you won’t run out of steam too early.
If you’re looking for a piece to go with a specific other piece, wear the piece you’re trying to match.
Don’t shop with people who hate shopping
Don’t drag someone with you who doesn’t want to be there – they will complain or pressure you to leave early. Most importantly, they’ll make what could have been a fun day into a miserable one. It’s better to go shopping on your own – in fact, it can be very relaxing – than with someone who will suck the fun out of the experience for you.
Don’t dawdle, unless that’s the point
If you’re just out to have fun, maybe looking at every piece until you get bored is all you want to do. But if you have a specific goal – a piece to go with a certain outfit, or several outfits appropriate for a new job – don’t get distracted by cute pieces that aren’t what you’re after. Discipline yourself to ignore items outside of what you’re looking for.
Also, don’t let merchandising distract you. The stores want to move certain pieces, and they will do their best to tempt you to buy these pieces. Unless they do happen to be what you need, ignore them.
Borrow pieces to see the whole outfit
If you’re looking for pieces to finish several outfits, you can’t possibly wear all the right pieces to try them on with. Look for similar prices in the store and take them back to the dressing room with you. What looks good with the skirt you wore for shopping might not look as good with jeans. By bringing a pair of jeans back with you to the dressing room, you get an idea what that piece will look like with the jeans you have at home.
Note return policies
Make sure you understand the return policy on any clothes you’re buying. Some stores only allow you a 15-day window. Don’t buy anything you’re not prepared to make the time to return, just in case you do need to return it for some reason. When you get home, try on everything immediately with whatever pieces you plan on wearing it, to make sure it’s a keeper.
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