Making Shopping a Little More Bearable for Those Who Hate It!

Some people hate shopping. They look forward to it as much as they do jury duty or a root canal. Men especially hate shopping (for clothes, that is...electronics, golf clubs, and cars are probably a different story for them). Well, if you are one of those people who hate shopping, perhaps some of the tips below will help make it a more pleasant experience for those times when it is necessary.

• Take ONE trusted, honest friend. Make sure it’s the friend who’s not going to hold back about how you look in something. You need a buffer between you and the sales person. An image consultant will not only be honest with you about what doesn’t look good on you, but will also find for you the items that do look best on you and will serve as a buffer between you and the sales person. Avoid taking more than one person shopping with you if you are on a mission to do some real shopping. Having too many people and too many opinions can be cause for confusion and frustration. Save your shopping with a group of girlfriends for times when you’re just browsing or window shopping

• Shop on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tuesdays is when new merchandise usually arrives at stores. Thursdays is usually when weekend sales start. You’ll get the same deals but without having to fight the weekend crowds.

• Shop for shoes in the afternoon. Your feet swell in the afternoon to their largest size so this is the best time to find the right fit for shoes.

• Wear comfortable clothing that you can get in and out of easily. Slip-on shoes and casual dresses that you can step in and out of are great for shopping when trying on lots of clothes.

• When looking for your size in an item at a store but can’t find it, ask the sales person if your size might be the item that’s on the mannequin. If the only available item in your size is on the mannequin, it’s perfectly okay to ask the sales person to remove that item and allow you to buy it providing it is not damaged from the display.

• Don’t pay attention to the size #. A size 6 in one store or by one designer is not necessarily the same size as a 6 by another store or designer. That’s why it’s always best to try on three different sizes to find the perfect fit: your actual size, one size smaller, and one size larger. Don’t let the number on the label affect how you feel about yourself.