Part #2: Shopping!!!!

Cardigan (Gap). Dress (Forever 21). Leggings (Jacob). Shoes (Aldo). Necklace (Stella and Dot). Bracelet (Coach). Watch (Guess).

This is what I wore to drop my son off at preschool this morning. I was also wearing a scarf and my pink trench coat. The sun is shinning, but a blistery wind is blowing. I won’t complain though, as it rained for 3 days straight.

A quick synopsis of the first part of this series on “Shopping” is:

1. Clean out your closet: make sure your clothes fit and that they make you feel pretty.
2. Have a list of what you are shopping for.
3. Have a budget and stick to it!!!!
4. Dress comfortably.
5. Make sure you are well fed and/or ready to take a meal/coffee break when needed.
6. Give yourself plenty of time to shop.

Next, Part #2: Shopping!!! (The fun part :))

1. Try on clothes. You will never know how it fits unless you try it on. I don’t care how good it looks on the mannequin/hanger, it has to fit you and look good on you. When I went wedding dress shopping, the sales lady brought out a wedding dress that didn’t look good on the hanger, but I said that I would try it on anyways because you never know. I tried on the dress and immediately fell in love with it. So the moral of my story is, try things on. You will never know how it looks unless you try it on!!!!

Remember, it has to fit you properly. No mom jeans or muffin tops!!!! It also has to make you feel good. If it doesn’t, then put it back and go onto the next item.

2. When you find something you like, think about the different outfits you can make with it. If you are looking for a new outfit all together, that’s ok, but you should always try and incorporate your new items with ones you already have. It makes your wardrobe more versatile. If you find a pair of pants you like, but you know you have no where to wear them, then it’s probably not a good idea to buy them.

3. Look at your cost-per-wear ratio. I learned this from Stacy London, host of TLC’s What Not to Wear. If the jacket cost you $200 but you will wear it all Fall and Winter, then it’s a good investment. When shopping, I look at the cost and ask myself if I’m going to wear it a lot. If the answer is yes, then it’s something worth getting. I also think if it’s a classic piece like a LBD, or blazer, or boot then it’s worth spending a little more. It will last you longer and you’ll get more wear out of it.

4. Don’t buy things just because they are on sale. Even if that skirt only cost you $20, if you never wear it, then it was $20 that you just threw out the window. Only buy things that are on sale if you are actually going to wear them. If you are unsure, have it put aside, go for a walk and if you can’t stop thinking about it, then you should get it.

5. The clothes have to fit you properly. If it needs a simple hem or to have it slightly taken in at the waist then it’s worth purchasing and having altered. Get yourself a good seamstress. It’s worth the money. Remember no one looks like the mannequin and half the time, if you take a closer look, they also alter items displayed on the mannequin.

6. Don’t get too many trendy items and don’t spend a fortune on them either. If you’re unsure about animal print, try getting it in a scarf and see how you like it. That’s an inexpensive way to incorporate a trend into your wardrobe. Get a few trendy pieces and don’t spend a ton of money on them.

7. Focus on establishing a good wardrobe with lots of basics like pants, blazers, blouses, jeans, sweaters, heels, flats, boots, statement jewelry, good fitting t-shirts, and pencil skirts. Having the basics allows your wardrobe to be versatile and makes it easier to shop and incorporate new pieces into your existing wardrobe.

8. Most importantly make sure your wardrobe is a reflection of you and your style. It can be hard sometimes to find your style and you may need to experiment a bit. But I truly believe if you find something that fits you well and makes you feel pretty, then you are on the right track to finding your own style. Ask yourself:

• What is your lifestyle? What do you spend most of your time doing? And if you answer running after your kids, that still doesn’t give you an excuse to wear Lululemon all day, every day.
• What makes you feel pretty?
• Are you preppy, classic, bohemian, hipster/urban, sporty, feminine, or casual? Below are examples of each style and stores that carry these styles. Which one are you? Or are you a combination?

Preppy

Classic

Bohemian

Hipster

Sporty

Feminine

Casual

As you can see I am a combination of preppy, classic, casual and feminine.

The following stores are great places to find many of these styles: Club Monaco, Old Navy, Jacob, R W and Co., Gap, Banana Republic, J. Crew, H and M, Aritzia, Forever 21, Guess, American Eagle.

May this blog inspire you to shop your heart out, make wise choices and explore the many great fashion options out there.

Happy Tuesday Everyone!!!