DOs and DON’Ts When Shopping

When you decide that it’s time to hit the stores, here are all the things you need to remember

before, during and after.

BEFORE

• Wear proper undergarments. Leave the “laundry day” boxers at home.
• Don’t shop in something that makes you feel unattractive. Sweat pants, NIKE jogging outfits, anything athletic in general need to be left at home. Some stores have notoriously terrible lighting. If you walk into them in athletic clothes that you normally lounge around the house in, how inclined are you to maintain a positive attitude? I never buy things when I walk into a store already feeling ugly.
• Wear things that you can take off easily. Don’t waste time with a button down.
• Take a shower first. Yes, I really do need to say this. Be clean.
• Bring water and/or snacks. When it’s going to be an all day affair, plan ahead. Stay hydrated and have some fuel with you. Don’t stop at the food court and eat a big meal in the middle of your day because you’ll be bloated. Make healthy choices.

DURING

• Have a plan of action. Try to do research online before you go shopping. If you have favorite stores that you always stop in, know what is on sale and what their latest line looks like (plus you might be able to find coupons on their websites!), this way you won’t spend a lot of time shopping in a certain store if their new line isn’t your style.
• Know your limits. Do not spend more than you can afford! I don’t care if that Hugo Boss suit is on sale- it doesn’t matter how cute you look if you’re stupid with your finances. If you find something that might spend the bulk of your money, ask them to put it on hold for the rest of the day so you can continue shopping and weigh your options.
• Budgeting doesn’t mean being cheap. There is a big different between frugal and being cheap. Just because Wal-mart has clothes that are of lower price, doesn’t mean that the quality is something in which you want to invest.
• Always ask for a discount. Let’s say that you need to buy more dress shirts for work. If you stumble upon a store in which you find several shirts you like, ask the sales associate if you can get a discount on at least one of the shirts. “Listen, I really like these shirts and need some new ones for work. How about I take all 3 and maybe you could give me the third for half off?” Just try it, the worst thing they can say is no!
  • Out of State discounts. Did you know that if you have out of state ID, many places will give you at least a 10% discount? (Macy’s!)
  • Opening a credit card. I am 100% against opening a credit card at a store just for the extra 10-20% discount. Having worked in retail before, don’t feel bad for saying no to a sales associate when they pitch to you. They’re just as embarrassed to be asking, most likely their boss is standing next to them, or they are forced to ask everyone in line to sign up. Sales associates don’t just get commission on the total amount of a sale, but for opening new accounts as well. Don’t take the bait, it’s just not smart.
• Communicating with attendants. If you really really really need help making a decision in the dressing room, then you are allowed to ask for help from a sales associate. Otherwise, their opinions don’t matter. After reading through this site, you should be smart enough and stylish enough to make your own choices, just trust yourself and give yourself permission. Take a good look at the people working in the stores in which you shop. Are they groomed well? Do their clothes fit properly? Are they polite to you? Are they overbearing and pushy? Do they make eye contact with you? The answer to these questions will help you know who to trust and who to avoid when shopping.
  • If it doesn’t fit, ask for another size. Don’t be embarrassed to ask attendants to help you find another size while you stay in the dressing room. It’s not rude- remember, they applied for the job.
• Inspect items thoroughly. Look at all the seams. If you are buying anything with silk or another fabric that is prone to pulling, inspect every inch. If you find one little pull on a sweater and you’re ok with it, then ask for a 10% discount and point it out. Otherwise, it is probably going to be a big red flag that the item won’t last long and is of poor quality.
• Always buy when you don’t need. WHAT?! Yes, I said it. The chance that you will be unhappy with your purchase if you are under a time-constraint or deadline to find that new suit for a job interview is significantly higher than if you buy when you want. Don’t get me wrong, “wanting” something in this case doesn’t mean the same “want” as me wanting a Fendi purse. I am only referring to items of reason and practical use. Try to buy staple pieces that will last many seasons and through many trends when you can afford them. (i.e. winter clothes during clearance sales at the beginning of spring)
• Keep the receipts! You should keep receipts for everything anyway, but keep the ones for apparel in a special place just in case you have buyer’s remorse.
• Don’t cut the tags until you wear. Again, just in case you have buyer’s remorse, or if that new brown belt isn’t the right color to match with everything you already own.  Brown can be tricky…
• Pay attention to the return policy. Some stores have different rules about sale items. For example, Target has a 90 day return policy and you don’t even have to have a receipt if you made the purchase on a credit card, while Loehmann’s has a 14 day limit.
• Don’t buy in anticipation of weight loss. If you have recently lost a significant amount of weight, don’t buy an entirely new wardrobe until you have proven to yourself that you can maintain your new lifestyle and habits. If you are dieting and have a target goal, don’t buy a whole new wardrobe when you’re half way there. If you used to have a 29″ waist once upon a time, like when you were on the tennis team in high school, don’t keep all your old “skinny clothes” in your closet- it’s not healthy and a waste of space in a NYC closet. I wouldn’t recommend keeping all of your “fat clothes” either just in case you “fall off the wagon”. Remember, it doesn’t matter how nice your clothes or shoes are if you can’t make healthy life decisions. Be good to yourself and promote healthy thoughts and habits.

AFTER

• If you have bought a new staple piece in your wardrobe, like a new pair of black slacks or boots, try them on at home with several other outfits. Make sure that they are versatile enough to mix and match, or that the hemlines are long/short enough to wear with the right shoes, etc. If you bought something really uber-trendy, try to create that sexy outfit you were thinking of in the dressing room. Play with everything for a while until you are convinced that you can walk out of your apartment without thinking that you look like Karl Lagerfeld a clown.