Before You Go Shopping
Occasionally I still get fooled into thinking that shopping is a leisure activity. Let’s face it: shopping is hard work! To improve the likelihood of success, try these tips:
Dressing for clothes shopping includes wearing a simple top which you can try things on over and slip-on shoes, if possible.
Choose your destination carefully. Before you even get to the store consider:
- Does this store stock a good selection in my size? This one gets me all the time. For example, the Eddie Bauer outlet doesn’t even offer their outlet label in XS. If less than half the offerings are in my size, do I even want to expend the energy to drive out there, get out of the car, pick through everything, and so on? No. If possible, concentrate on stores where your size is in the middle of the options, rather than at one end.
- When thrifting, look for stores that organize the racks by item and size. Hopefully, in your area, as in mine, this is becoming common practice. My favorite thrift store even puts things on the rack in color order.
- More thoughts on where to go: Choosing Where to Shop.
Is shopping therapy for you? Or does it make you need it? Share your best tips!
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WFMW: Where to Shop for Shoes
When shopping for shoes, one often overlooked consideration is the return policy.
Once upon a time I bought a pair of black dress shoes for $20 at Ross, parked a block away from church, and found them so uncomfortable that I took them off and walked barefoot the rest of the way. And, yes, I had tried them on and walked around the house in them. Ross would not offer any remedy. That, I would say, is an unacceptable cost per wear.
Back in the days of my retail career, when I worked for a wannabe Nordstrom competitor, we were all keenly aware as management of the Nordstrom tire refund legend. At Nordstrom, if you are not satisfied with your purchase - they will take it back! That policy extends to The Rack, as well.
Updated: Thanks to Ambika for telling us about The Rack’s 30 day limit on returns. That’ll still work for me.
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Where Would You Shop?
Choosing where to shop these days is half the battle. If you haven’t determined where you would shop if you had a greater budget, there’s no better time than Winter Clearance season on the entire calendar.
By fashion personality types, a few pointers:
- If your style is purely functional, then it only makes sense to shop at those places which are most convenient for you. Most fun, too. This probably accounts for the fact that the stores I would choose to shop at, if money were no object, are all within a few doors of each other.
- A few chains cater somewhat to the Romantic, but the frequently overlooked western-type store is worth a look.
- What kind of classic are you? Classics of various shapes and sizes have probably already noticed that Talbots is offering 25% off already reduced clearance prices.
- True or false: For the contemporary classic, who mixes classic pieces into uniquely personal ensembles, the trick is to select the store that suits your age category?
- What I am really waiting for is the big reductions at Ann Taylor. For me, their stuff is primarily dressy social. If I were glamorous, I’d wear it for everyday.
- Now I realize that a true trendsetter is not going to be pinned down about where to shop, so I’m just going to throw out one suggestion: there’s lots of crazy bargains at the discounters (TJMaxx, Nordstrom Rack, and the clearance centers).
Allow me to be transparent. My reason for a post of this type is mainly to find out — where do you like to shop?
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Where to Shop: The “Old West”
It’s not my style, but I’m always impressed with the selection of clothing available at a certain category of, often overlooked, retailer: the combination hardware and western clothing store. With names like The General Store and Big R, I wouldn’t expect much in the way of style. I’d be wrong.
The other advantage to these types of stores is that they actually carry sizes, specifically 36 and longer inseams in men’s pants, unlike Eddie Bauer, which is where I formerly bought most of my husband’s clothes.
Have you discovered the “Old West” store in your neck of the woods?
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Choosing Where to Shop
Choosing where to shop, these days what more important topic is there?
Recently I said this in comments:
Shopping these days is so overwhelming that going to the right place is half the battle. In thinking about where you go, the stores that most often carry your size is a great way to narrow things down, then style personality, then
price.
The reason I’m thinking about this: I have a couple of friends, one IF, one RLF, who will be going shopping soon, both at largish malls, for some fall SAHM basics. I’d love to get reader input about where the most efficient shopping is.
- Size: For me, being able to get standard misses sizes, but small, is critical (I have unusually narrow shoulders). Both of my friends need - oh how can I say this delicately? - more generously sized tops. We all have our figure issues, why bother shopping where you will only be frustrated?
- Style personality: Are there stores where you consistently find nothing, where the sales staff doesn’t even look at you, or where you feel uncomfortable? It’s probably because of style personality. I’ll let you in on one of mine: Christopher & Banks. But I totally recommend shopping there IF you sit further back on the “fashion train”.
- Price: If you are going to buy just a bare-bones wardrobe, and you can afford it, I just wouldn’t worry as much about this. Assuming you are a Frugal Mom, or at least a sensible person who calls herself a tightwad, you aren’t likely to get yourself in too much trouble going to the mall once.
Back at this old post I revealed where I would go. What are your go-to mall shops, and why?
