X-factor of Smart Shopping Skills (A2Z of Image Management)

Hi Everyone,

Here I am with my 24th post for #BlogchatterA2Z challenge. Having a Smart Shopping skill may turn out to be an X-Factor in Wardrobing. So here I am talking about What is a Smart Shopping Skills and steps to follow in order to become a smart shopper.

Open your closet doors for a long look. Don’t be discouraged if the contents look skimpy. You’ve pared your wardrobe down to the bones—to what really works for you. What you need now is an accurate mental image of what’s in your closet. This mental image will give you direction for planning, shopping, and purchasing wisely—for adding new pieces that will continue to work together for you to your advantage. Think of it this way. When you buy a piece of furniture, you envision your whole house, then the room and how that piece of furniture will look and work in that room. It should be the same with your wardrobe. Just as a piece of furniture becomes part of the interior design, part of the artistic composition; a piece of clothing becomes part of your exterior design and a part of your personal artistic composition.

You’ll know which stores cater to your clothing needs and personal style. Smart shopping skills keep you on target. Smart shopping skills simplify the shopping process. You’re less likely to be frustrated and exhausted. Smart shopping skills save you time and money. Te skill allow you to avoid the accumulation of “wardrobe orphans,” clothes that hand in your closet unloved and unworn.

When you have an accurate mental image of your wardrobe and shop with that wardrobe accurately in mind, when you see an item that catches your eye, you will know immediately if you need it, will really use it, and if it will fit into and contribute to your existing wardrobe. This puts you in charge. With an increased awareness and understanding of yourself and your wardrobe needs, you can feel secure in the knowledge that the clothing in your closet will present you attractively and appropriately wherever you go and whatever you do. As you implement your wardrobe plans, learn what stores and catalogs cater to your needs, preferences, and ability to buy.

Practice shopping strategies that prepare you to make wise purchases.

The first guideline for smart shopping is to buy only what you need. Make a list of items you need to complete your cluster or add on to your expanded wardrobe. Be specific about the item, its style, color, fabric, what you expect it to go with, and the estimated cost. Keep your list in your closet area, perhaps tacked to the inside of your closet door—or in your purse or planner. Prioritize your list according to each item’s importance.

Shopping can be distracting due to people, displays, and merchandise all around you. Your shopping list will:
• Keep you on target.
• Help you pass up tempting displays.
• Keep you from getting sidetracked into departments you don’t need.
• Prevent you from impulse buys that whittle away your budget and keep you from being able to buy the item you really need.

Plan Ahead
Whether shopping at regular prices, discounts, or sale prices, plan ahead. Armed with your cluster plansheet and shopping list you are ready to preplan your shopping trip. It’s easy to get tired when shopping, but having a cluster plan in mind makes all the difference in any shopping excursion. You don’t spend the entire day running around from store to store accomplishing nothing. Knowing the stores available in your area, and the ones that suit you best, you can zero in on the ones you think are the most likely to have what you want.
Further prioritize your list according to the stores and departments in stores, so you get to the most important, difficult-to-find, or fast-selling items first and save on retraced steps and zigzagging back and forth across town.

Do Your Homework
There is an incredible selection of clothing and accessories to choose from. It can be very confusing. To get a preview of what’s in the stores, shop through a few fashion magazines and catalogs , also on online shopping portals.

Shopping Alone or with a Friend
Take a very good friend or family member shopping with you only when you want a second opinion or need someone to stifle your impulse to buy. Even then, make sure that it is a person whose opinion you respect, someone who understands you, someone who will be objective and brutally honest with you, and someone who will not be a distraction. It may help if that person’s personal style is similar to yours. Shop alone on longer shopping trips. Your time will be spent more efficiently. Include children only on short trips for gifts or personal items of their own to avoid overexposure to the vastly tempting array of merchandise.

Knowing more about the many types of stores and clothing sources available to you will help you in finding your clothing needs.

Go to the stores where you generally shop and visit others in the area where you live. Do some comparison shopping. Compare the clothing styles and values. Ideally, choose one item carried by many clothing stores. Visit several stores, locating the item in as many as
possible, noting its price and quality. Compare the same item in the same brand wherever possible. Compare the same item in different brands. Determine which stores carry the most variety, in the best quality, at the best or widest price range. There are scores of different types of stores to visit. Some are recognizably different. Others are
becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between, as distinctions
have become blurred in recent years. Through this process of comparison shopping, you will discover which stores suit your personal style and provide the type of clothing you want at the price you are willing and able to pay. With each store you scout, consider the following points:
• The type and variety of merchandise carried in the store.
• The amount of money you have available to spend on clothing.
• The convenience of shopping at that store location.
• The type of sales associates the store employs.
• The types of services the store provides.
• The business practices of the store or retailer.
Be a comparison shopper, but don’t over-compare at the expense of gas, time, and energy. Shop for the brands you have been pleased with in the past, but be open to new options. Finding the best bargain for your clothing dollar is a game of sorts, and you come out the winner. This is going to be a one time process, if done , you can relax every time you go for shopping.

Be a smart Shopper by following all these tips as end of the day you want your wardrobe to look attractive, affordable, appropriate and authentic.

This post is part of#BlogchatterA2Z challenge.

To read my previous posts checkout here A ,B ,C ,D ,E, F, G, I, J, K,L,M,N,O, P, Q, R, S, T , U , V, W

@ Swati Mathur