Shopping Survival Guide

Whether you love or hate shopping, always have a strategy. Know the purpose of the

trip before you ever step into a store: is it retail therapy or are you shopping for a

special event?

Leave yourself enough time to shop so you don’t feel rushed—being realistic how much

time you can/want to spend. Also, have lunch to break up the trip (Nordstrom’s Café

being my favorite), it gives you some time to rest and reflect on your purchases,

particularly if you’re undecided.

Try on everything you’re considering, otherwise you don’t know if it fits. Sit down in it to

make sure it’s comfortable and that it doesn’t gape or pull while moving. No matter how

much you love something, don’t buy it if it doesn’t fit, minus reasonable alterations. If it

doesn’t fit or uncomfortable, you won’t wear it, and have wasted a purchase.

Only buy a garment if you love it, don’t buy it because it’s on sale. If you’d be willing to

pay full price for it, then consider it a bonus if a garment you love is on sale.

Next, don’t fall prey to the latest trend, and, if it doesn’t look good on you, admire it on

others. If there’s a trend you want to try, don’t invest too much until you know if it works

for you.

Finally, do a quick inventory of your closet before going out so you remember what’s in it

and what it’s missing. Remember the one thing from your wardrobe that makes you feel

like a million bucks—new purchases should be held to the same standard.

Tammy’s Truism: A good salesperson is critical to making the trip manageable. Don’t buy something you don’t like to avoid leaving empty handed.