how to make shopping fun

Why do people wear clothes that they don't like and that don't fit? Is it because A.) they don't want to spend the money on new pieces, B.) they are unhappy with their body, or C.) they find the whole shopping process exhausting and exasperating? Based on a very biased sample of people who talk to me about this issue, the answer is far and away C. Shopping feels like a chore for many people and one that doesn't always end with a positive or successful outcome. If it is going to be an unpleasant waste of time, it is easy to throw up your hands and give up. But I promise that shopping doesn't have to be that way. By changing how you approach the process it can actually be a fun experience and one that ends with your closet full of pieces that you love and feel great wearing.

The biggest mistake that people make is to go shopping only when they need a specific item. This puts incredible pressure on to find exactly what you need when the stores just might not be stocking it. When I was working in retail, it was not uncommon to have clients come into the store on a Friday looking for a dress to wear to a wedding the next day. Often they were visiting from out of town and expected that Chicago stores would have a better selection than their hometown. But by shopping with a time constraint, their selection was limited by several factors. The first was that if we didn't have the size in stock, there was no longer the option to order it from another store. Another was that we might not be having any sales or promotions which meant that the perfect dress was now out of their price range. Since they were trying to buy something before the stores closed (which on Michigan Avenue was between 8 and 9pm), they didn't have time to comparison shop. Maybe they would have found the perfect piece at the perfect price at a store two blocks away, but because they were desperate to just buy anything, they never made it past the first store they went into. Compounding this problem was that they were trying to choose a dress that worked with the shoes and accessories that had brought along so they could avoid spending even more money on coordinating pieces.

While that example is extreme, many people wait until an old piece completely wears out before looking for a replacement or wait for a special occasion to buy fancy clothes. It is actually less stressful to always shop than to rarely shop. When you see pieces that you like, you should buy them even if there isn't an immediate need for them. That way you never are in the position where you have nothing to wear. Earlier this summer Boden had all of their dresses on sale for 50% off. I didn't specifically need new dresses, but I really liked two of them and the price was right so I bought them. That was back in June and one is the perfect piece to wear to a wedding early next month.

Of course, you should still use your judgment when buying things that catch your eye. You may fall in love with five different sequin evening gowns, but unless your social calendar includes at least five black tie events a year, you should probably hold off on purchasing them all. When deciding whether or not to buy something, ask yourself whether you can foresee yourself wearing it in the next six months and if you think you will still like it in six months. If you answer yes to both of those questions (and it is not a duplicate of something you already own), then you should go for it. These questions are especially important to ask when the item is incredibly inexpensive. It is easy to be blinded by the low price and not think about how useful the piece will be in the long run. 

When you do find a great piece, there is always the temptation to buy multiples of it so that you never run out. While this inclination isn't entirely bad, it does need to be tamed. For example, if you find a pair of jeans that fit and then buy five pairs, those will be your only options when you want to wear jeans. If your weight or mood fluctuates and you no longer feel like amazing in those jeans, there is not another alternative in your closet. But if you buy only two pairs of that style and then continue shopping and find another style or two that you also like, you now have insurance against those fluctuations. The easiest way to keep a varied wardrobe is to shop in multiple stores. A long sleeved, crew neck cardigan from Ann Taylor will fit differently than one from Banana Republic. Even better would to get a crew neck cardigan from one store and a v-neck cardigan from another. Basically you want to avoid having any category of clothing dominated by a single style.

When you are shopping, don't be afraid to try on new things. Take an adventurous friend with you or enlist the help of the sales associates and have them pick out pieces for you. Commit to trying on everything they bring you, even if you are sure that you won't like it. If you don't pre-judge the items, you will open yourself up to discovering new styles that look incredible on you! Some of it will probably look not so great on you, but that's also okay. That's the reason that we try on clothes before we buy them.

If trying on clothes in a store is discouraging for you, try online shopping. I personally hate bra shopping, so I recently ordered several styles from Nordstrom. They offer free shipping and returns so there wasn't any pressure for me to keep the pieces if I hated them. I could try them on in the privacy of my home and see how they looked with various tops. If you often get pieces home from a store and find you don't love them as much as you did in the fitting room, then this is your solution. Zappos also offers free shipping both ways and except during big sales, so does Boden.

For an in-store experience that is more leisurely, do your shopping during slow times, such as weekday mornings. You won't have to fight the other shoppers to find your size and you'll also benefit from having the full attention of the sales staff. If you have a favorite store, call them up a day or two before you want to go shopping and see if they can set up an appointment for you with a sales associate. Let them know what pieces you are looking for and your size so they can set aside some of their favorites for you to try on when you get there. If you build rapport with a sales associate, pass on your contact info along with a few notes about styles you are interested in. Ask if they can let you know when items arrive that they think you might like. They'll be thrilled to know they you will be a repeat customer!

By adjusting how you shop, you can avoid long and exhausting days hunting for an elusive item. When you need something, you will be able to head to your closet, not the mall, and find exactly what you need. Popping into the shops on a regular basis to window shop or browsing through inventory online lets you find the pieces you love without all the added stress-and I promise that it might even be fun.