There’s a reason why personal shopping services are becoming more and more popular among everyday women; most of us don’t particularly enjoy shopping for clothes. The thought of sifting through racks, waiting in queues to try clothes on (not to mention waiting in queues to make your purchases) and then making decisions about whether or not something suits, or if you even like it, is time consuming and can be frustrating and exhausting.
Shopping for clothes doesn’t have to be an impossible chore if you take the time to plan your shopping trip. Here are some tips to help you survive your next outing.
1. Have a plan. At the beginning of each season go through your wardrobe and make a list of what you need and keep it in your handbag. Identify those key pieces you already have in your wardrobe that can easily be updated with new season trends. This will ensure that you stay focused on the items you really need.
2. Set yourself a budget and stick to it. Knowing what you have to spend will help you maintain focus on items you know you can afford. Instead of using your credit card, take out your budget in cash and spend this. If you are drawn to something that is beyond your budget, ask yourself how many times you would wear it in a year and then work out the cost per wear. If you’re still not sure, think about it overnight.
3. Dress comfortably and practically. There’s nothing worse than having to undo and do up buttons and tie and untie shoe laces every time you try something on. Wear clothing that is easy to take on and off which won’t leave you flustered in the change rooms. If you know you’re heading out to buy a dress, take some heels and wear a strapless bra. Shopping for jeans, wear a basic tee or shirt. Shopping for shoes, wear a pair that you easily can slip on and off.
4. Shop alone or with a friend? This is a tough one. If you do choose to go it alone, be confident about what you want and what you want to spend (i.e. follow the tips above). While some sales assistants can offer great advice and can show you different styles and source sizes for you, many do not offer honest advice on what does and doesn’t suit you. But the same can be said for friends. Shopping with others can cause distractions and not all friends can offer the right advice. If you do choose to shop with others, choose an objective friend who you trust to be brutally honest and who will tell you th
e truth about what suits you.
5. Take your time. Go shopping when you know you have plenty of time to do it. This will allow you to make decisions out of reason, not rush. Don’t fly into the nearest store in a panic because you need something now or go browsing in the shops every time you have a few spare moments (after a coffee, in between meetings). Take your time when trying on clothes. Try them on, walk in them, sit down, bend in the clothes. Are they comfortable? Ideally, find a change room with mirrors that you can see all angles. Don’t rely on anyone else but you to ask “does my bum look big in this?”
Shopping for clothes is unfortunately one of life’s necessities. By following the advice above, perhaps it might become a necessity worth enjoying.
Sally Mackinnon
Styled by Sally
www.styledbysally.com.au
There are people who find shopping to be a wonderful pastime. They can spend hours and hours browsing the shops, looking for who knows what. Many times they can’t remember what it is that sent them out to forage and hunt – they just do it. And all the while they’re enjoying the activity as much as the sports fan who likes to go to the football, or the bookworm who enjoys a visit to the library.
1. Crabtree and Evelyn Festive Shortbread Tin
2. Alex and Lulu
3. Floral Lampwork Bracelet
When he was just six years old, Zachary Lazar’s father, Edward, was shot dead by hit men in a Phoenix, Arizona parking garage. The year was 1975 and it soon became clear that Lazar was murdered in a Mafia hit to prevent his testimony before a grand jury investigating the rampant land fraud and political and institutional corruption existent in Arizona in the 70′s. A fascinating true crime read based around a son’s attempt to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to his father’s murder.
For those that tire of the Christmas themed television shows and reruns featured on television, it is particularly useful to have a DVD on hand. Sunshine Cleaning is about two sisters Norah (Emily Blunt) and Rose (Amy Adams) who attempt to start up a cleaning business specialising in the cleanup of crime scenes and biohazard removal. From the producers of Little Miss Sunshine and also starring Alan Arkin, this refreshing movie will warm your heart. 
I don’t know about you, but I’m one very busy mamma and don’t often have the luxury of popping off to the shops to spend some leisurely time purchasing essentials for myself.
Let’s move on… your pantry. How many bottles of sauce are in there? How many tins of fish, fruit, or beans can you find? Can you count the packets of biscuits, cake mix, cereal, jellies and pasta? When was the last time you saw the back of the shelves? Put your hand on something from the back of the cupboard and check the use by date. Is it still current?
Carmel McCartin is known as The Budget Bitch. She specialises in Personal Budget Planning, Budget Coaching and Budget Education enterprise. 
What a great idea this is. I don’t know about you, but I find it hard to store my handbags so that they aren’t squashed out of shape or buried at the back of the cupboard somewhere. I can tell you that I thick coating of dust doesn’t make your bag look any more attractive!
I love shopping online. I don’t have to go out in the cold and hunt anongst crowds for that elusive bargain. I can lounge slothfully in front of my computer in my lovely doona boots and shop online.
