4 SHOPPING TIPS TO HAVE A BETTER WARDROBE

Last updated on May 31, 2017

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Do you find yourself standing in front of your closet in the morning and thinking “I have nothing to wear!” only to be looking at a closet full of clothing OR even skipping an event because you secretly have nothing to wear (and not really because you don’t feel like it)?  Well you aren’t alone, I cannot speak for men here but I know this happens often to women. Yep, I am guilty of the “nothing to wear” scenario.

What to do?

It is as simple as changing the way you think when you are shopping.

Let me explain….

I have realized that when I applied these 4 simple steps, it completely changed my way of shopping and made it less time-consuming, less expensive and so much easier!

Here are my 4 shopping tips to have a better wardrobe

1. Ask “what do I need?”

Okay, this might seem obvious but too often we shop and buy what we want as opposed to what we need. Boring? Well, it doesn’t have to be. Have you heard that it’s expensive to go grocery shopping on an empty stomach?  Research indicates that you will buy more than you need and most likely overspend.  When we go shopping blind, without any idea of what we are looking for, we can easily buy things that we don’t necessarily need.  I have seen a drastic difference in how I shop when I have an idea or a list of what I am looking to buy. The more specific you are, the easier it will be (“I really need red pants to match my tops” “I need light yellow walking sneakers that can also be worn with dresses or jeans”).  Of course, you might see many other products that you like.  The idea is to have something in mind before stepping in the store or a shopping mal.  The best way to create that list is whenever you are getting dressed and think “these ____ would look great with _____ or if I had ______ then it would look much better”. Write it down and next time you are shopping, buy it.  This will help to guide you through the thousands of products that are well marketed and save you a lot of time.  In the end, you will build a wardrobe that is perfect for you and your life.

2. Diversify your clothes

Stand in front of your closet.  Is there a pattern that emerges right away? Are your clothes mostly the same color OR do you have tons of t-shirts but barely any long sleeve shirts OR do you have too many pants and not enough tops?  When I looked at my closet, I realized that there were 2 colors that I kept buying over and over again… navy and orange.  Also, think in terms of seasons, you might have a lot of dresses for summer but wear only pants for fall and winter. Maybe you could buy some winter dresses to diversify your clothing since that’s what you seem to enjoy in summer.  If you only wear tailored blouses, you could add some short sleeve blouses, some stripes, some with details such as ruffles or embroidery. There are many ways to think outside your usual box, while staying true to your style.  Another option could be as simple as changing the type of fabric in your garments, which changes the vibe of your outfit.  For blouses you could use seersucker (stripe puckered cotton), cotton voile, silk, rayon, knit, chambray, etc.. You get the idea.  One piece of clothing can be made in multiple colors or multiple fabrics, and each one will look slightly different.  This change will prevent you from saying “I don’t have anything to wear”.

3. Think in terms of 3

Everytime you buy something (clothing or accessories), think about at least 3 things that you can wear it with that’s already in your closet.  This will prevent you from buying something that you either love but have nothing to wear it with OR from buying something that you love but doesn’t match your lifestyle. For example, if you are a stay-at-home mom and rarely go to dressy events but want to buy those hot pink 4″skinny heels, when what you really need is a new pair of red flats or 2″platform espadrilles that is multifunctional for your current lifestyle.  Yes, it’s great to dream of having Carrie Bradshaw’s “Sex in the City” full frontal fashion wardrobe. Heck, if I could have her wardrobe for a day (in my size), I would be very exciter!  Now, let’s be real, unless you are living that jet-set lifestyle or are going out to those types of events every week, then you probably don’t really need it.  The exception to the rule is of course for a wedding, graduation or any other formal or black tie event that you are attending.  Don’t get me wrong, I have my share of high heels that I’ve bought over the years when I used to go out more often.  Nowadays, if I need shoes, I will think in terms of 3 for my current situation.  After all, there are so many great options for everyone.

4. Calculate the amount of wears

Heres a quick story for you.  When I used to wear eyeglasses, I always preferred slightly different and colorful frames (surprise, surprise!). So I found this boutique with hundreds of colorful frames.  The salewoman was amazing in listening to my preferences while guiding me through hundreds of styles and choosing the right shape and colors for me. Once I had narrowed down to the best one for me, she gave me all of the information for my necessary prescription and the final price.  “Ahhhhh, that much!” It wasn’t even a known designer label!  Clearly she was used to this reaction, so she calmly explained something that TOTALLY changed my perception of how I shop.  She asked me how often I would wear these glasses? Since I was basically blind, every waking moment I would be wearing them. Then, she asked how long do I usually keep my frames? I said, about 5 years.  She continued, if you divide the price based on the amount of wears, you will notice that it is worth every penny and a great investment.  Wow, she was right! You could say I had an Oprah aha moment. Ever since this has basically been my shopping philosophy. It also goes both ways, I will not buy a 20$ top just because it’s on sale from an original price of 150$.  If I don’t need it, I won’t buy it.  So next time think about how many times you will actually wear it to calculate it’s worth to you.

These 4 simple tips helped to build a wardrobe that I love and needed. Now, I can always find something to wear for any situation.  The fact is that not everything looks the same, I don’t get tired of my clothes because I can wear the same item of clothing with multiple other things in my closet.

I hope these tips will help you on your next shopping outing!

Christiane xxx

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