I don’t know a woman who does not like shopping! Wait… I do. Because shopping for clothes, as much as it can be fun, it can also be traumatic. Really!
Trying things on, not liking the purchase after all, or overspending are just a few of the potential problems that might be caused by shopping.
But guess what? This article can end it all for you! Imagine you are looking for clothes in peace, trying them on goes smoothly, and you enjoy a new piece long after you buy it.
Shall we make that happen? With my 5 simple tricks, shopping will be a pure pleasure.
Why Some Women Hate Shopping?
There are many reasons, sadly. Among the most common ones is, of course, not having a set budget for clothes. We end up either spending too much or frustrated because we could not afford any of the items we liked.
Another hard thing is disliking your body. You don’t feel good in it, so even the thought of getting half-naked to try on yet another thing makes you sick. That’s also the reason behind hating the most delicate type of shopping – buying lingerie.
Also, there is confusion about your style. You are not quite sure what you like or not, and you buy things that do not go cohesively with the content of your closet. And then despise having a wardrobe full of clothes, you open it with a thought that you do not have anything to wear.
We are about to solve all three of these issues. So sleeves up, we have some work to do. But before we do, I strongly recommend you start this journey with the article about organizing the closet. Clearing this space out will give you some freedom for shopping 😉 So if you haven’t read that one yet, it would be lovely if you start there.
But if you’re done with that one already I think we can get started 🙂
1. Set The Right Budget
Budget is a very individual thing. Some women do not need to worry about the financial side of shopping, but many become sad because “they don’t have money to buy cute clothes”. Wrong. There are many places with unique and lovely AFFORDABLE clothes (for example my online shop, Marysia’s Colorful Closet :)), and also, there are thrift stores.
What I’m saying is, that whatever you have, can be enough to shop with joy and bring you fantastic pieces. BUT to avoid any hard feelings, you should be realistic. Do not aim at expensive brands if you simply can’t afford them. That’s totally okay, and stylish does not always mean a world-known brand.
Think what amount of money you can spend with joy, and also be able to buy what you need. For example, if your budget is 100$, then do not suppose you will end up getting a whole collection of clothes unless you are thrifting. For such a budget aim to buy a nice, good quality dress and maybe some small accessories to that. Or a nice blazer and a small bag.
The key is not to only set a number that you can spend comfortably without harming your budget but also to know in advance what you are looking for that you can find at such a price.
2. Know Your Needs and Wants
I know the feeling – you go shopping with your friends, find a few things, try them on, and they fit, but you are not sure if you truly need these stuff… What will you wear it with? Do you even have shoes that go with that?
But imagine how much easier and smoother buying clothes can be if you actually know what you’re looking for. Review your closet and figure out what pieces you need because you simply lack them – for example, you do not have any elegant dress and you need one for your friend’s B-day.
Then make a list in your head (or on paper if you prefer) of items that you might want, to elevate your closet, but that are not urgent and your wardrobe will still be complete without them. For example, you always dreamed about the pink blazer. You have a purple one, so you still have a nice, playful one, but pink is next on the list.
Spontaneous shopping is good, but strategic shopping is even better.
Look at your clothes and see what items you would need to have prepared, fun outfits to wear. Be as specific as you can. If you need shorts, see what tops you have and then pick the type and possibly color that would go well with it. And then look for such items.
Of course, there will be times when all you know is that you need a dress. But sometimes it is enough to shift your focus from other things so if you end up making a purchase it will be exactly what you needed and wanted. No money, time, and space in the closet unexpectantly wasted 😉
3. Develop Your Style
Now that’s a hard one. But once you understand the essence of your style, you will automatically buy only clothes that go cohesively with each other.
If you are in the stage of experimenting and figuring it all out, that’s completely fine. I just want to encourage you to think about what you want your clothes to tell people about you. And what clothes make you feel your best.
Also, clothes can help you build up your style before you form one. For example, if you want to feel more feminine, wear more dresses. If you feel like having more happy vibes, yellow clothes will do. See? Clothes can influence your way of perception simply because they are present in your life daily.
Now, if you want to find your style once and for all, and always look stylish and well put together, I will have something for you soon. In October 2024 I’m releasing a big course about elevating your style. I’ve gathered my knowledge and experience from 10 years and poured it into 30 lessons.
The course contains 30 video lessons and a workshop for each of them so that you not only listen but also practice new skills. From basic to amazing – become unrecognizable in 30 days.
Sign up for my newsletter so as not to miss the premiere!
In the meantime, it is worth using another trick for shopping:
4. Make a Rating For Shopping
The method of a 1-10 rating made my shopping fun and enjoyable. Now I do not end up buying unnecessary things and my closet is only filled with clothes that I adore.
This is very simple, but changes so much. When you find an item you want to buy, decide from 1 to 10 how much you need it. If you do not have sneakers and you found a pair, it can be even 10! You yourself know what you have and what you lack.
Then rate from 1 to 10 how much you like it. And not only on a hanger but on yourself! Does it feel nice, and comfortable and do you consider it pretty? Great, it deserves a high rank. If you are not sure, rate it lower.
And then you need to decide which clothes you will end up buying. I do not buy clothes that do not reach at least 8 in either of the rankings. Sometimes the need for one can be lower, but if I do not like a thing more than on 8, then I do not bother getting that.
It is way better to have less in quantity but more in quality, isn’t it?
This method allows you to shop with awareness and self-control. Try it!
5. Understand That Your Body Is a Gift
Many insecurities or low self-confidence have their source in viewing our body as a curse. Finding imperfections, comparing, and constantly nagging ourselves for the way we look.
Oh, how much time simply enjoying what a body can do we spend on complaining about how it DOES NOT look like. Funny and sad at the same time, isn’t it?
I could spend hours and hours helping you build up your self-confidence and maybe I will in some other articles, but for now I just want you to try to shift your perspective. Think about your body as a gift, the way it is. Because indeed it was given to you for free, and it allows you to eat, laugh, work, rest, love, feel and so many more.
So when you go shopping, do not think about how to buy clothes that hide things you don’t like about yourself. Think rather how you can show the beauty of it modest and elegant way. How you can express your soul through your body.
Once you understand that “you” does not end with the body, that there is so much more, and a body is a tool to live, then you will stop overfocusing on it. And trying on clothes will be fun and joy.
It might take time for you to have this comfort, but practice is key here. Just think of all these amazing things your body can do to serve others and yourself and then wrap it in a way that resembles these values.
I believe you can do it, girl!
Make Shopping Fun!
I hope these tips will help you turn shopping into an adventure. Because that’s what it should be about – having fun!
If you have some appetite for shopping, and you just can’t wait to buy some clothes, I want to share this experience with you. Common, let’s go for your first shopping according to these 5 golden rules, without you needing to step outside of your home.
Let me once again invite you to Marysia’s Colorful Closet so you can have fun shopping in the kingdom of colorful and unique clothes. Oh, and there is a discount code waiting for you there!
I hope I’ll see you in the shop 🙂
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