Shopping can be a euphoric experience; we can lose our minds seeing the pretty prints, oodles of handbags and racks of dresses just screamin’ our names. It’s sort of essential to keep a cool countenance, though. You don’t want to end up toting out clothes you can’t afford, paying for looks you already own, or committing any other number of shopping crimes. So, don’t. Here is my personal list of rules for a smart shopper. Follow along.
1. If you’re not sure you want it, you can live without it. Put it back. If you spend a chunk of your shopping time carrying around an item you’re just considering, put it back on the shelf. Uncertainty means you just don’t need it. There’s plenty more items you’ll simply fall in love with.
2. Set a limit when you go in. Don’t overspend and have shopper’s regret later. Keep to your budget, which you should plan out beforehand.
3. Make a list, and allow yourself X deviations. Another way to keep within a budget is to decide what you want. What pieces are you looking to add to your wardrobe? Only buy those. Allow yourself two or three extras that you’re obsessed with, the ones that aren’t on the list. But generally, keep to what you want and for what you came to the store.
4. Know what you already have. Don’t buy a little blue dress if you already have one that’s perfectly gone from last summer. Do a wardrobe sweep before hitting the mall, so you don’t buy duplicates.
5. Spend on classics, save on trends. Investments are the items that will never go out of style (trench coat, black pumps, classic boot-cut jeans). Bargains are the pieces you’ll wear for a season, then toss or put in the vault (lace dress, fedora, jean shirts). Know where to spend and where to save.
6. Always try it on. Don’t walk out of the store guessing that you’ll love an item. It doesn’t always look the same on the rack as it does on a body. Try it on. Half the time, you don’t have the motivation to bring the ill-fitting piece back, and that’s money wasted.
7. Ask: Where will I wear this? If you can’t answer that question, then don’t spend your cash. No matter how pretty that glittery frock is, if you can’t name an occasion for it, it’ll only sit in your closet.
8. Recognize essentials. Jeans, button-downs, heels, boots, classic jewelry? All essential pieces. Don’t sacrifice the foundational pieces of your wardrobe to buy trendy items. It’s better to have the building blocks!
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