We all have those days where we forget about sales, want to get out of the house, or just happen to be nearby our favorite store. While I believe that planning clothing shopping is the best practice, you can’t take the fun out of a spontaneous shopping trip!
The following tips are to help on your next unplanned shopping adventure. Sometimes these shopping trips start off super exciting and wrap up with you feeling discouraged or frustrated. Following these words of advice will help you feel less overwhelmed about your time.
Tip #1 | Set a budget
It might sound obvious to set a budget on a shopping trip but it’s something that is often missed when you find yourself on an unplanned trip. Sure, it’s easy to set a budget when you know you’re going to the mall but we often think that these fun trips will be “just to look” or “just to see what I can find.”
Setting a budget is always a good idea, even if you are going last minute. When you have an idea of what you’re willing or able to spend, it gives you the confidence to walk into a store without the stress of a possible impulse purchase. It will also give you parameters in case you, accidentally, find something you like!
Tip #2 | Set an agenda
Having an agenda, itinerary, or to-do list will help you feel accomplished at the end of your shopping session even if you walk away empty-handed. Often we feel discouraged if we’ve spent hours at the store and come home with nothing to show for it. Did you waste your time? Could that have been done online?
You can still have a productive shopping experience by quickly setting a small agenda or goal for yourself. Maybe you want to check out that mid-season sale? Maybe you want to see what size you wear at that new store? If you’re looking for a particular item, like a wedding guest dress, you can check off places you’d like to look. This way, even if you didn’t find anything you fell in love with to bring home, you will still have a sense of accomplishment with your trip.
Tip #3 | Look up your size
If your unexpected trip is on a time crunch you can save time by looking up your size chart! It’s no secret that every store has its own idea of sizing which can make shopping incredibly difficult! We often look at size charts when shopping online but they can be just as helpful in the real-life dressing room!
Most retailers have size charts listed on their websites. If you’ve taken recent measurements, you can easily reference these online charts when you’re at the store to eliminate having to take five different sizes to the fitting room! This will cut down your try-on time.
You can also make this one of your goals for the shopping trip. Maybe you are in-between measurements according to an online size chart. Simply going to the store and trying on multiple items in those two sizes could help you get a better idea of what you fit into at the retailer. You can then log that size in your shopping notes for the next time you shop that retailer online!
Tip #4 | Review your style board
At The Style Warden, it is all about your vibe. If you have taken The Style Board Masterclass or made your own digital style board you know how helpful this can be when curating a wardrobe.
Having a Vibe Board gives you clarity of the type of clothes you want to fill your wardrobe. It gives you a sense of style, inspiration, and guidance when shopping.
Quickly reviewing your Style Board or having it on hand can help you during a spontaneous shopping trip. You might not be looking for a particular item during your day out which can make your shopping feel a bit aimless. However, if you have reviewed your Style Board before hitting that sale it can help you stay on track and keep you focused on items that are fun but also complementary to your existing wardrobe. This is a must-have for those impromptu shopping trips that will help you quit bringing home clothes you later find have no place in your wardrobe.
I hope you find these tips helpful for your everyday shopping needs. Don’t let these tips take the fun out of shopping but rather aid you in feeling more stratified with your wardrobe over time.
If you’re wanting more ideas on what to buy for your next shopping trip, be sure to download my free Wardrobe Essentials Checklist to guide you!
