GOD, GRANT ME THE SERENITY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE, THE COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN, AND THE WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.
Shopping
Accept the things you cannot change, and love yourself. Confidence and knowing what suits you are what matters when it comes to style. Think Marilyn Monroe and the beauty spot, George Clooney and is silver hair, Kim Kardashian and her curves…
Try on clothes that make you feel really good. Work out what it is about your body that makes those clothes work so well.
Everyone has attractive points. Look for your best bits and accentuate them. So, first things first – know what is great for you.
What are you always complimented on? Beautiful neck and shoulders, good legs, toned arms, perfect bottom, beautiful eyes, skin, hair??? These are the things you should accentuate. Learn to play up your strengths.
Good legs – wear skirts. Small waist – wear belts. Striking eyes – find out what colours bring out the colour of your eyes or flatter your hair, and wear them.
Compile a list of colours, shapes, lengths that flatter you and keep it on hand when you’re shopping. Lists focus every shopping trip. Write down what you need and keep it with you at all times so that you’re prepared, when the unexpected opportunity presents itself.
When trying on clothes, make sure shirts and jackets don’t pull across the back of your arms and shoulders. Hug yourself and make sure there is not too much strain on the garment. Be careful not to go too loose. Clothes that are too big are just as bad as clothes that are too tight. If you are small you will be overwhelmed. If you are not small, oversized clothing will make you look bigger than you are. Clothing should skim the body, not squeeze it.
What you need to know before you spend
Your lifestyle – work, social, university, school. Do you walk or drive there?
What image are you looking to project?
If shopping for an occasion, who do you want to impress – your boss, your boyfriend, your family?
What do you need your clothes to say – spot light; dignified; sophisticated; intelligent; studious?
How often will you wear these clothes? Determine its use and longevity and then spend accordingly.
Your body shape – are you pear, hour glass, petite, tall?
Which clothes make you happy when you wear them – favourite colour favourite jean shape, shoes/boots/heels?
Prioritise – Have a list of most essential to least so when you run out of money you have covered the most important pieces.
You don’t have to be rich to look good. The time and thought you put into establishing your personal style will help you make smarter choices about how and where to grow your wardrobe. An unlimited budget is not necessarily a blessing when it comes to getting dressed. Money can often remove creativity.
Some people think they look great just because they paid a lot for what they’re wearing – and they’re often wrong. At the same time, sometimes you just have to find room in a small budget for an expensive item that you’ll use a lot – something that will make a huge impact on your look, rather than buying lots of inexpensive things that fall apart or is a seasonal look.
So, the rules of shopping…
1. Shop alone – too many opinions only confuse you
2. Browse – spend time looking, don’t impulse buy
3. Budget – set one
4. Essentials – buy them on sale and in bulk – basic t-shirts, shirts, singlets don’t date or change
5. Trends – Fads and trends come and go. Use fashion to develop and enhance your style, not as an excuse to abandon it completely. Be confident. If red is your colour and not the flavour of the month, wear it regardless
6. If you really love something and you know it works for you, buy two in alternate colours
7. Last minute – shopping right before an event leads to overspending on something you don’t like
8. Patience – accept that it takes time to be a good shopper
9. Question – constantly ask yourself: Does it fit? Does it go with what I already have? Does it work for me?
10. Splurge – The key to success is to know when
11. Sales – be wary of getting carried away. Don’t buy something on sale you wouldn’t pay full price for. You can go wrong with something that costs $20
12. If you are in doubt, leave it
13. Don’t buy anything you need to lose weight to fit into
14. If you can’t see yourself in more than five completely different situations in an item, don’t buy it
15. Fashion is fun, not a religion. Use a trend to add style, not become a victim!
