While looking at my closets, I realized that most of stuff I never wear was bought during sales. Instead of saving up for some piece that I really need, I tend to spend too much money when I see that oversized sign, calling out to shop until I drop.
So, instead of saving up, I ended up spending way too much money on useless pieces. Of course, I am not the only one. Seems like sales trigger some feelings that women are allowed to buy literally anything, but most of the time ending up with clothing items that don’t fit or aren’t flattering. Here are few tips how to overcome the excitement that comes with sales and shop smart.
When you see all that clothes and all those precious shoes half price off, you feel an immediate urge to give them a new home. But, in reality, there are great chances that you will end up with a pair of shoes that are too tight or that you will buy a piece you already bought during previous sales. Read the following steps, because it will save you some time and money, which is priceless, don’t you think?
Make a List
Open you closet and start rearranging your clothing pieces. If you find some pieces you like, but rarely wear, take a good look at them. What are they missing? A nice cardigan to match with? Maybe a pair of casual trousers? Do all of that clothes fit? If you find pieces that say “What was I thinking?”, throw them away or even better give them to charity.
Not only that you don’t need any junk because if feng shui, but you will be able to see what is missing and put it on to buy list. I insist on basics, because with them you can create stylish outfit in less than few minutes.
Timeless pieces, like a little black dress or a white shirt never go out of style and you cannot create various daily looks without them. Also, if you have too much pieces in one color, make sure to buy stuff that will match. Too many black needs pastels, too much red needs green or blue, for a more daring color combination, while too much beige and off white might make you look washed out, so you need some bolder color choices. Write everything down and put the list in your wallet. You never know when it might need it.
Size Matters
So you found the perfect dress. It is not a dress, it is the dress. You fell in love with her, just look at that fabric and magnificent color. It is perfect, but you are size 12. The dress comes in 10 and 16. What to do? Well, sure, you have to try it on, but that simply is not your size. Are you planning to lose weight just to fit into the dress? That’s a bit extreme. If you get it in bigger size, you might have it fitted. But will it look the same? Doubtful. There is one thing you can do.
Ask sales woman if they have the same dress in your size in some other shop. If not, just walk away. Yes, it may seem like a much bigger deal than it really is, but that moment may be painful. Don’t be angry at yourself for not being thinner, just continue shopping, because at the back of your mind you know that the dress was not the one. Lesson here: if you are not shopping online, make sure to try out every item and be honest. You are not shopping for the future; you are shopping for present time.
If the Shoe Fits…
No outfit is complete without a perfect pair of shoes. But a perfect pair is not about looks as it is about comfort and quality. Considering that women tend to buy shoes just because they are pretty, no wonder we spend most of our time wearing the same boots or sandals, while the other twenty pairs are covered with dust. That is why you need to be extra careful when you are shoe shopping. Take a good look at the shoe, make sure that the color is right and that you can spend more than just 15 minutes in them.
If you have wide feet, don’t try to squeeze them into pointy heels. If you spend most of the day walking or have crazy office hours, don’t wear sky high heels, give your feet some rest. It is better to invest in a more expensive pair than to have 10 useless pair of colorful and uncomfortable shoes.
Choose natural fabrics and do not get blindsided by fashion trends. Of course, a pair of cozy ballet flats and summer wedges are a must have, just like a pair of classic pumps. Think this way: you need two pairs of shoes for each season, but they have to be comfortable and a perfect addition to your style. Just look at Kate Middleton. She simply adores her nude pumps and is not embarrassed to wear them over and over again. Remember that shoe shopping will not make you prettier or more successful. At the end of a day, it is just a shoe, even Cinderella knew that.
Basics
Basic clothing items include everything that you can wear all the time, they are not related to any trends or fashion in general. Some of these pieces are iconic, like a leather jacket, while others are necessities, like white shirt, pair of well fitted jeans and tank tops.
When you are shopping for basic pieces, go for timeless colors, like black, white or light blue. What every woman needs is a black or tan bag for day, pumps in neutral color with a heel that is not too high, simple black or grey top with sleeves, a blazer, oversized sweater for cold days, but also some fine pieces of jewelry.
Basics are not the same for every woman, they change as we grow older, as we loose or gain weight, but at the end, they aren’t called basics for nothing. They are what you need to create a perfect outfit that will not just look great, but also you will feel cozy enough. Use sales to find missing pieces and make your closet more functional place to live with.
Colors
Just like we have color we simply like or dislike, there are colors that suit us better than the others. This rule implies for everything, from make up and clothes to jewelry. You should know which colors suit your skin tan perfectly and stick to them.
However, if you like a certain color, but it doesn’t suit you well, wear it on items which are not near the face, like shoes, bags and skirts. Don’t be afraid to try out something new, like neons and pastels, colors which are the latest biggest fashion hit. Also, try out various shades of certain color, it will surprise you what some undertones might do to the color.
I hope this was helpful. Shopping can bring a great pleasure, but it can turn into nightmare if you may out your credit card or if find yourself staring at the closet full of clothes you don’t want to wear. Sales are perfect way to improve your shopping skills and learn what smart shopping truly means.
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