Swagger & Greys

so, you’ve approached your shopping a little differently this time around:

• you hit the mall early, armed with your list and ready to do battle – well, to at least try things on and not give up too easily, and
• you’ve succeeded in getting some key pieces to add to your current wardrobe.

do

start working what you bought right away. why keep things sitting in the bags on your bedroom floor for weeks?! you’ve worked hard to build your wardrobe, braving the dreaded mall and everything!

rock you’re new outfits with confidence. think about how you felt before the shopping; then how you feel once you’re strutting through your office with your stylish self. you’ll  not only look good, you’ll feel good. trust me.

me

hate the malls? hate paying full-price for clothes? or do you feel that waiting for items to go on sales is a waste of time?

outlet malls might be the solution for you. outlets have upped their game in terms of merch; there can be great buys to be had all year round.

do 

consider shopping at outlet malls if you’re wardrobe budget is tight or even if you’re not on a tight budget. who doesn’t love a good deal?!

If you haven’t guessed yet, i like to shop when the mall opens to avoid crowds. i’d do the same for outlet shopping as well; also if you’re driving, you can get a prime parking spot early in the a.m.

beauty of boutiques – boutique shopping is great for the unique pieces to add some interest to your work-wear or support local designers. Boutiques are small so you can get to know the owner/staff and get the scoop on when the have sales.

me

you might have to let go of the idea that you can rock leopard-print leggings. i get it, leopard is hot right now.

just because something is trending now doesn’t mean that it’s the trend for you.

do

if you really love a trend, like an animal print, try to find a creative way to add the trend to your wardrobe, like rock it in an accessory instead.

me

not all of us can get a perfect fit right off-the-rack. and honestly, who has the figure of a mannequin? so, why should we expect that the clothes should look exactly like that when we put them on? don’t get me started on “size 0” or “00”. *eye roll*

do

 focus on you and how the clothes look on you and not what the blouse looked like on the mannequin or on the woman that just stepped out of the fitting room beside you in the same blouse – i know you’re checking her out and doing a comparison – stop it.

also…

if at first you don’t succeed… don’t be discouraged if the first few things you try don’t work for you.  keep going.  enlist the help of the sales staff or take advantage of in-store stylists where available – lots of stores are offering this service now.

be patient and keep an open-mind: to achieve a good fit, you might need tailoring – you’ll be amazed at the difference this can make.

me

“i don’t know what looks good on me?”

“I don’t know how to make an outfit?”,

“can I wear this with that?”

if this is you, then you might not want to tackle the shopping mission alone. Phone a friend.

do

Bring a friend along whose style sense you trust (don’t bring a friend who hates shopping as much as you do – not kidding).

maybe limit the amount of friends. why? you ask. you step out of a fitting room in an outfit:

• suzy sunshine gives you a thumbs up and squeals, “oooh, i love that on you!”
• debbie downer, scrunches her face like she ate some sourkids, gives you a thumbs down and says, “that’s soooo not working for you!”
• you look from one to the other because you’re unsure who to believe *awkwardness*

in-store stylists:

can’t find a friend or at least one whose opinion you value? you can also check if the store has an in-store stylist that you can book a consult with (ask if there are fees for the service); some malls have stylist services as well.

also…

one last thing, make sure you bring the friend who has enough patience to deal with your cranky ass after the first hour of shopping.

me