Hi Everyone! It's so nice to be back blogging after my looong high seas adventure. What was the first thing I did when I got back? Yep, you guessed it!
Let’s face it, I love shopping, and as my friends routinely
point out to me, I have no qualms about spending my money… What could possibly
go wrong, right?
Admittedly, this does tend to get me in trouble from time to
time because I’ll end up with clothes I don’t need (is there really such a
thing?), spend too much, or make somewhat questionable fashion choices in the
heat of the moment while in the spirit of shopping. Trust me, I could do a
“what not to wear” from my closet at times as easily as I could do a fashion
blog. I’ll spare you the pain of seeing my previous shopping blunders. It is
all good though! Why? Because we learn from our shopping mistakes… or at least
we are about to start learning now ;-)
Given my history of somewhat frivolous shopping habits, I’ve
taken to being diligent about shopping with purpose and with specific goals in
mind. My latest shopping adventure proved to be a wonderful example of my new
strategies successfully in motion. I was
lucky enough to find myself this past weekend at the Providence Place Mall (one
of those insidious, three story malls with tons of stores). But before I get into what works for me when it comes to being
an effective shopper, I want to talk a little about learning the stores you
frequent and tailoring your expectations accordingly. During this particular
trip I visited Forever 21, Express, and H&M. Knowledge of the ins and outs
of each store comes with experience, so I’ll share mine with you now:
Forever 21 –
As the name implies, F21 is targeted towards a younger crowd (teens and early
twenties) and are sized to fit typical body types of that age group while being
super “trendy”. Whenever I shop there, I ask myself “Is this age appropriate?”
(I’m 28, so with many items, the answer is no). Luckily F21 has a huge variety
of styles with several different lines, one caters to a slightly older, more
contemporary look... this line is called “Love 21”, and is geared towards more
adult body shapes, it usually has its own section in most locations. This
is where I focus my efforts and find classier pieces that better fit my body and
wardrobe.
Forever 21, in my experience, is pretty hit or miss… but has
potential to offer unique hidden gems of creativity. Items are way cheaper than
most places, which is awesome for shopping on a budget, however, as you may
imagine sometimes (not all though) the quality suffers as a result. Clothes
from F21 will fall apart, seams will come loose, there will be errors in
stitching… its only a matter of time (I've often joked that the name means the clothes will only last 21 days, but thats probably a bit harsh). If you are ok with a little mending, you
can easily sew things back together. If not, just set your expectations for
your garments to have a limited lifetime. I encourage checking out F21 online
to shop, the in-store locations are pretty jumbled, I sometimes feel like I’m
literally rummaging through a teenage girl's room looking for clothes to borrow.
The organization online makes finding things you want much easier.
Express – I
love most pieces from Express, they have clean lines, sophistication, and just
the right amount of femininity for my taste. Unfortunately, Express is also
expensive, as many “name brands” can be. It
pays big dividends to watch for sales at these places, they happen regularly,
so be patient… twice a year or so they may even hit clearances where everything
is 50% off (or more!). Don’t fall into the trap of paying full price, it takes
a bit of vigilance to wait for the sale but it’s well worth it, especially for
more expensive items. Express has a rewards program, many stores do, it’s not
much, but saves you $10 here and there, every little bit helps! You can also
shop online which is nice to catch quick sales and snipe a piece you’ve had
your eye on in the store for a bargain.
The tailoring of Express clothing trends towards favoring
more slender, less curvaceous body types and is subsequently more flattering for those who have
more subtle curves (I fit into this category… one more reason Express is a good
store for me). Not everything they sell fits that description, but its a definite trend in their lines. Also, I have found that sleeves
on Express tops are always too narrow. Tops that fit me wonderfully across the back
and chest are often pretty tight around my forearms. I work with it, but if you
have more muscular arms, it may cause fit problems. Bottom line, if you're looking for higher quality, classy looking apparel, and don't mind spending more... Express is a good match for you.
H&M – H&M
is another one of my favorites. It falls pretty nicely between "F21" and "Express" type stores, offering a reasonable range of prices, great clearance deals if
you can catch them, and a solid variety of styles from which to chose. I’ve
found sizing is pretty consistent without many quirks. The clothing tends to be
geared towards more of the mid/late twenties age group and up on average; it still has
some edgy/trendy vibes but airs usually more conservatively than F21. It is a
shame there isn’t a location nearer to me or I would shop there more often. They
have an online store, however I’ve never found it to be as helpfully accessible
as other sites… not entirely sure why.
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Given that these three are probably my most common stores to
shop (aside from ideeli.com), I know my sizes in these stores by heart, so
shopping at these locations (and online) is a bit faster and more reliable than
at stores I’m not as accustomed to. I don’t always have to try everything on
(though it never hurts and saves on returning items).
So, how do I go about shopping with purpose? There is no
right or wrong way to shop, I firmly believe that shopping should make you
happier! If it doesn’t, then try approaching it differently. Below are a few
tips that keep me on track and happy whilst spending my hard earned money.
- Set a budget – I’m probably the worst at this one, however setting a budget forces me to be a pickier shopper. Its good to be picky. If I can only spend $100, then I want to get the most for my money. That doesn’t necessarily mean buying a bunch of cheap items though, I want value, not quantity. For example, a nice $100 jacket that goes with everything, and I’ll wear often is so much more valuable in my wardrobe than 10, $10 tops that all look cheap.
- Keep a Running List of what you Need or Want – Write it down or just remember it, however you want… there are always items we need either for an upcoming occasion, replacing a worn out piece, rounding out a gap in your wardrobe or jumping on the latest trend. The point of this list is to keep yourself focused in the sea of shiny, glamorous, advertisement filled stores designed to coax your hard earned money from your wallet. Having reminders of what I’m looking for helps me develop this jedi-like focus I need to not simply buy an entire store (if only I could!). I love using Pinterest to keep a list of wants and needs in picture form, its fun and useful! Check out the link to see my list in action. I also often provides motivation for shopping for me (as if I’m ever lacking motivation to shop!). Identifying things you’ll need in the future well ahead of time saves the stressful panic of trying to find things at the last minute.
- Allow Yourself to be Fluid while Shopping – My best discoveries, as with most of life, are of things I wasn’t looking for to start. If something catches your eye, go for it! Let shopping inspire you. Don’t get locked into looking just for specific things on your list. Creativity comes from not being restricted.
- Evaluate each Purchase
before you buy – Ask yourself those difficult questions to really
decide if something is right for you.
1.
Does this fit and is it flattering?
2.
Does it fit into my budget? Is it on sale? Or can I get
this for less later?
3.
Is this a stand alone piece? Or is it something likely
to be used in combination with other things (layering, etc)? How does this go
with the rest of my wardrobe?
4.
Do I have an occasion to wear this? Will I wear it
often?
5.
Is this on my list of needs and wants?
6.
Does this fit my personality/style?
If you answer yes to all or most of
these then it’s probably a great choice, if not… there are so many options out
there, why settle for something that isn’t exactly what you want? If you are
unsure of a piece, be sure of the return policy!
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Let's see how I did!
The Plan: Expanding my summer wardrobe by finding some cute, loose fitting tops, and a pair of nice
white pants to be more of a staple piece. Oh! and explore... thats always part of the plan.
The Budget: $200
The Results!
I ended up spending about $240, so not too far off my goal, but still over (yes, I'm still a work in progress). But! I ended up with 9 new items, so it was a good haul.
Essentially I purchased everything I "needed" at Express, but since I went there first... I obviously had to check out my other favorite stores, just in case there were treasures to be found :-)
And there were!
Both this lovely creme, polka dot, tank top (F21) and the purple crop sweater (H&M) were amongst my purchases. I loved the color on the sweater (the pictures don't do it justice really), its soft, was basically a homerun in all the other evaluation categories too. Crop cuts (the bottom hem of the shirt is cut higher than normal hitting at the waist rather than the hips) help define the waist, which is usually flattering. Plus, it was only $10 and I know I’ll get plenty of use out of it
throwing it over just about anything, probably my favorite purchase of the putting. The polka dot trend has recently struck my fancy so I figured this top from F21 would have possibilities as a bottom layer piece to add a fun, more feminine texture to an outfit (as you can see here). At $12 if it doesn’t work out, its not a big loss.
This dark grey ruched sleeveless top (H&M) caught my eye and it fit, so the rest is history. I have a weakness for this
gunmetal color which just so happens to be one of my colors! If you're looking to find your own best colors, check out my guide to color analysis. The ruching on the sides is super flattering. Ruching can be used to break up the body's true lines as well as hide any areas that may have a bit extra. It will be a great top for a night out. Now I just need
someone to take me!
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