Shopping 101: The 9 Golden Rules

Hello lovely readers,

Hope you're having a happy Sunday!

Yesterday I went shopping and got myself quite a few goodies which I'm really excited to wear and show you in the future. Shopping is such a pleasure for me and doing it with my best friend only enhances the experience. I'm not that big of a spender but this is definitely not because I don't want things, trust me, I do. A lot. It is mostly due to the fact that I try to be wise and selective when I shop because I wanna make the best choices possible. There's nothing that bugs me more than having purchased an item I didn't end up enjoying. It's not so much the amount of money I spent on it but rather the frustration of not finding any good use for it and still feeling too sorry to let it go and admit it was a waste.

So to save you from future faux pas when shopping I will provide you with my holy grail pieces of advice that keep me from over-spending and cramming my closet with unnecessary, pointless items.

Make a list. Grab pen and paper and write down which items you wish to buy beforehand. You don't have to be precise, just make a rough list of the things you want i.e. one skirt, one pair of black shoes, one day bag etc. That will help you sort out in your head what it is that you need exactly and will make the shopping process less confusing - which it can be sometimes.

Think about what is missing from your wardrobe. Example: you have too many dark-colored skirts and nothing in a brighter color or pattern? Steer clear of the items that are similar to the ones you already own and try something new. Sometimes we become drawn to items that in reality are pretty much the same to what we already possess. It's our personal taste calling but in the end we might waste our money on something we won't get much out of. That's why it's good to have your bestie close by, he/ she can become the voice of reason when we conviniently forget and remind us "you already have five of these".

When looking at random stuff around the store remind yourself what you originally came in for. Sometimes we get sidetracked by the pretty things we see that basically call our name and forget what it is we actually wanted to buy.

To avoid that, make sure you find what you originally intended to buy first and then decide what to do with the rest of your money. Once the key pieces you wanted are crossed out of your list, you will be able to think much more clearly about what extras you really need.

Do not settle with second best. If you still haven't found what you want and you're iffy about the alternate options you might have, it's best to not settle for those. It's not the end of the world. Go home, do some online research and you will eventually find your dream item.

When looking at an item, online or in-store think about possible combinations. What can I match this with? How many items do I own that go with this skirt? Does this dress require high heels? These are examples of the questions you need to mentally ask yourself.

You don't have to shop like there's not tomorrow. Sometimes we get overwhelmed by the plethora of the things that are available and wish to have them all. Consumerism will try to lure you into buying all sorts of unnecessary things. Try to avoid impulse buying. There will be plenty of opportunities for you to shop in the future. You don't have to purchase everything in one go.

Don't be afraid to take risks and step out of your comfort zone from time to time. It's easy to get comfortable with one type of style and stick to it but it's more fun to give a new one a go. As an example, I've always been keen on the girly sophisticated kind of style, but lately I'm trying to venture into the 70s style a bit more, something that I thought was very far from me. The process of doing that has been quite rewarding and exciting thus far. 

Don't allow yourself to get too carried away by new trends. Think of how the new trendy item you're eyeing would blend in with your other clothes/accessories and if it somewhat fits your style. Can you make it work? Be wise with trends and keep in mind that you don't have to own every seasonal trend. Word of advice: trying up to 3 trends is just fine. 

I hope this post was helpful enough for you. 

Let me know in the comments whether you agree or not with these tips and if you have anything additional to share!