Shopping - Love or hate?
Shopping for clothing can be a frustrating experience. While some of you may enjoy the thrill of buying something new, others find it to be time-consuming, overwhelming, and even demoralizing, which one are you?
One of the biggest frustrations when shopping for clothes is the lack of consistency in sizing. This means that you might have to try on multiple sizes of the same garment, adding extra time and effort to the shopping experience, but the chances are you may just give up trying on anything else. This happens to me when I go to the big chain stores, as you could be waiting a while to get another size brought back into the change room
I know that the clothes number is only just that, but for some that could be a huge trigger for someone with body dysmorphia and they just can’t bring themselves to buy the bigger size. But if you can get passed it, go for the better fitting garment and cut the tag off.
Another frustration is the limited range of styles that are available. Many brands offer clothing that is designed to fit a narrow definition of body type, a bit like what is hanging on the mannequin in shop windows, which can leave you feeling not good enough. This can also make it difficult for women to find clothing that makes them feel confident and comfortable, especially with the amount of cut out in dresses (sorry I’m not a fan). So what do you do, identify your body shape and find clothes that accentuate the best features of yourself. Great legs, good arms, lovely bustline, you should showcase these areas.
Spending your money on clothes, only to find that they quickly fall apart after a few washes or wears. Consider this: cost of garment vs cost per wear. Buying the right piece, will be worn over and over. I always advise to take a few minutes to look at the garment seams on the inside and also what type of material it is. What is the cleaning method, if it is dry cleanable only, you need to consider this in your cost per wear.
Some shops are quiet at the moment and some sales staff have to meet their targets each day. So you may encounter a pushy salespeople who try to pressure you into buying items that don’t actually suit you. This can make the shopping experience feel stressful and uncomfortable, and may lead you feeling like you can't trust the advice of salespeople.
Ok I have a confession, sometimes I try something on and I know it doesn’t suit my body shape but I come out and see what the sales person says about it on me. To my surprise, sometimes I get a good honest response but 8/10 they gush and tell me it looks great on me. No, I don’t buy it.
Advice that I give to my clients, if it’s not a hell yes in the change room, it definitely won’t be a hell yes in when you get home.
