Fall fashion rules. Cardigans, jackets, scarves … oh, my! What looks great on your bod doesn't always bode well for your bank account, though. If you've turned over a new leaf this fall in terms of spending – and fall is often the time we do – make sure your shopping habits don't ruin your excitement for the season. Stressed out is never a good look. Here are our tips for shopping smart and saving money.
Know what you like
Know what you like – and wear, in terms of feeling of fabric, drape, line, and colour. Don't buy to dress someone who has your dream job, lives in your dream city or yourself "ten pounds from now." Buy for yourself now. Buy what you know you'll wear, not clothes you like the idea of.
Buy what catches your eye
The first item of clothing you see that grabs you, before you know its price, have thought about what you might wear it with or where you might wear it, is likely the one for you. The peices that grab your eye right off the bat are the striking pieces that are likely to be most "you."
Watch for care instructions
Are you really going to get something dry cleaned every time it needs a wash – really? Pick the sort of clothes that suit your lifestyle. If you know something is too high maintenance for you, kip it. It'll just hang in your closet looking pretty in the dark.
Don't buy for the sake of buying
If you don't see anything you like, you don't see anything you like. Don't walk around a store you normally love for an hour, trying to find something that "might work." If nothing is jumping out at you, save your cash for a time when it does. When it comes to shopping, it always seems to be the case that you find awesome clothes when you're not looking for them too hard.
Have a shopping piggy bank
If retail therapy is one vice you can't give up, don't! Just prepare for it. Every paycheque you get, set aside a designated amount – however much you're willing to budget – for shopping. Break that bad boy open when you find a piece you can't lie without.
Shop alone
Peer pressure is in full effect when you shop with a crew. A day trolling boutiques and vintage stores with your lady friends sounds super fun, but more often than not, it results in a splurge. it's not just clothes either. Add up the morning latte, lunch, and bus fare and you've dropped 30 bucks before the clothes even hit your closet. If you must, really make sure your shopping piggy bank system is in effect, and budget for those days.
