by Ruchika Kalsi Kapil – Updated 06-08-2021
If you have been saying, ‘I have nothing to wear’ every time you open your closet. Then, you really need to work on the way you shop fashion. Read on these smart shopping tips and be a Super Shopper.
I have nothing to wear ! What should I do?
Come on, Seriously ! But you are shopping fashion every other month !!
😊 😊
Almost all of us love shopping fashion but with those piles of latest fashion trickling out of our wardrobes, Guess, many of us suffer from – ‘I have nothing to wear’ dilemma. 😉 😉
And as much as, we love shopping, we also hate the fact that we often get curve balled by offers, sales, discounts, desires, favourite celebrities and trends into purchasing a lot of stuff that actually doesn’t make sense for us. We hardly wear it once or twice or never at all and regret later thinking about places where those pieces could have been worn (Usually we don’t find any).
That is where the need for Smart Shopping arises.
It’s important to make meaning of every buck spent and know how we can put our existing and prospective purchases to the best use. Smart shopping is not only mindful and satisfying but it also, gets one what they actually need.
So, what if, we share some simple yet effective tips that help you make better and clear shopping decisions because definitely, having a closet full of clothes means one thing and having a closet full of coordinated outfits that really work for you, is another.
Let’s fix your ‘I have nothing to wear’ issues with these Smart Shopping tips :
1. Understand Your Lifestyle
Your day to day routine greatly defines what you wear.
So, sit back and think about :
- What kind of work you do – Are you a student, a homemaker , a fashion designer, an engineer, a marketer or any other professional?
- Which kind of places do you often visit?
- How often do you travel?
- What hobbies you have and activities you engage in?
- How much time per week can you spend on care and maintenance of the items purchased?
A consideration of these factors and the time spent on each one of them in a week, would help determine the kind of fashion you should shop for.
Precisely, the number of outfits for a specific occasion/ job/ purpose must pertain to the amount of time spent on that activity in a week.
2. Consider Your Personal Style
Have you ever wondered why you avoid or don’t like wearing certain styles of clothes and accessories despite the fact that you are truly appreciative when somebody else wears them? OR
You simply deny wearing a certain outfit chosen for you by your parents or somebody important because there’s something about the outfit that puts you off.
The most probable reason for such instances is that the outfit doesn’t resonate with your personal style or taste. Some have a taste for blingy-flashy-bright fashion while others prefer keeping it simple and subtle.
For Example: Many of us like wearing blues, blacks, greys and browns with occasional bright colours whereas there are others who only like bright hues in clothing and accessories.
Similarly, not all women can sport fuchsia or bright red lipsticks because that’s simply not their personal style.
3. Look into Your Wardrobe
This will help you get a clear picture of what you possess and what you don’t. In fact, you will get information about
- The styles of clothing, shoes and accessories you have
- What all you specifically need and already have to complete an outfit
- How many shirts go with how many trousers, tops with denims, caps with jackets, belts with shoes and scarves etc.
- What all you need to keep, to chuck out and to add
- Do you have all the occasion specific clothing/ clothing for your lifestyle/ Clothing for your personal style
Thus, this step will help you get a clarity and the right direction for fashion shopping. If all this sounds too overwhelming then you can take help from professionals like Image Consultants who can really simplify things for you.
4. Create Lists
This is the simplest yet the most overlooked step. Usually, people don’t list out what they actually want to buy. This is the biggest reason why we end up getting a bedsheet when we went out to purchase a belt.
A wardrobe analysis helps you clearly understand and list out the items that you need to purchase in your next shopping session.
Lists also, serve as great reminder tools for carrying any items that we need to match with while shopping.
5. Shop on Week Days
Skip the weekends to avoid long queues outside the trial rooms and overly crowded markets. Choose to go for fashion shopping on the week days. This would ensure that you have a smooth, easy and comfortable shopping experience.
6. Be Shopping Ready
Wear comfortable clothes that are easy to remove and slip into, in trial rooms. Choose a snug fitting t-shirt or wear a spaghetti/ tank top over which u can quickly try out clothing. Similarly, wear slip in footwear that are easy to put on and remove.
Always put on natural makeup because that would help you give a better idea about your entire look.
7. Look for Basics and Versatility
Invest more in basic clothing with occasional trendy items for that fashionable and modern look. Basic Clothing refers to those pieces that are simple in design but can be easily dressed up and down by using other garment pieces or accessories.
For Example : A pair of solid blue or black denims are a basic piece which can be paired with a white blouse for a casual friday look at office and can be paired with a crop top for a fun Saturday look.
Always purchase items that you can pair with five other items in your wardrobe. This gives your wardrobe a versatility.
8. Define your Budget
Always go out with a budget in mind and stick to it. This also, helps in dealing with your extravagant-ness.
Another great way, is using cash rather than card. It works because one can tangibly see the money going out and gradually decreasing from the amount they originally had.
9. Check care tags
Before finalizing an item to purchase, always check the care instructions tags inside clothing or those that come with accessories. This will help you ascertain the maintenance costs of your purchase and you will be better able to decide on the purchase if they are not as per your requirements.
For Eg: A care tag mentioning dry cleaning for a t-shirt that one intends to wear weekly. This would just add up to the costs. So, why not purchase a t-shirt that can simply be thrown into the washing machine and retrieved all nice and clean.
10. Don’t be fooled by Discounts
This is our final fix for ‘I have nothing to wear’ blues and definitely, it’s a big one.
Sales and Discount seasons are a great place to shop but they are so enticing that most of the times, people end up purchasing items that they never intended to buy in the first place.
So, make the most use of your buck in BOGOs (Buy One Get One), Buy Three for The Price of One etc but ensure that you purchase what you actually need or want. This will save your closet from becoming a dumping yard of all things unnecessary.
These smart shopping tips will make your fashion shopping fun and a guilt free experience. You will be able to make better shopping choices and create a wardrobe that you love. And in case, at any point of the process, you feel that it’s overwhelming and you need help then seek out a professional like an Image Consultant who will navigate through the nitty gritties and find what suits and fits you the best.
Hope this eases your ‘I have nothing to wear’ problems. Happy Shopping!!
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