Even armed with your Colour Swatch, knowledge of your body proportions, your Capsule Plan and the best of intentions, it is still too easy to bring home a new purchase that hangs in the cupboard, UNWORN and UNLOVED - a waste of time, space and money.
How can we shop smarter and avoid buyer's regret? Here are two of the rules that I apply when shopping to ensure that I minimise shopping mistakes and keep my wardrobe concise and coherent, with every item in it sparking joy instead of shame.
RULE 1: One item at a time.
It is so easy to get caught up in a shopping "spree", especially when the shop has such a beautiful display in the window (or the models look so good on the webpage!)
I find that if I can't decide between two items in the shop, I tend to want to buy both. This is even worse with online shopping, because you can often get free shipping if you spend a certain amount, and that tempts you to buy two or three items, because "it's money saved".
Before you rush to the checkout point with all those lovely things, apply this rule: ONE ITEM ONLY. (Even if it means paying more for shippng!)
If you can't decide which item to keep and which to leave, it means you have already fallen into the mind trap. You are about to make two shopping mistakes instead of just one.
Why? Because in our silly brains, it is so easy to equate two or three "almost perfect" or even "adequate" items with perfection. Perfection is rare enough: it is unlikely (not impossible, but highly unlikely) that you have just found two or three Perfect items in the same shop.
If you can't make a decision, leave both items and go look for something better.
Even if you have fallen in love with one item, it is essential that you apply Rule number 2
RULE 2: Put it on hold.
No matter how in love you are, you need to play hard to get.
It is essential that you LEAVE the shop - without the item. Ask the nice ladies to keep it on hold for you. Save the webpage and close your browser. Do anything you can to put some DISTANCE and TIME between you and that beautiful lush green faux fur jacket that you just tried on and couldn't keep your hands off. Even if you just go and get a coffee and then go back to the store, it will cool down the feelings and give sanity a chance to prevail. You may even remember that you already have a very similar item in your closet! It's amazing how we can completely forget what we have, if we desire something new.
This may sound silly, but I only buy on Fridays.
I can browse on the other days, but the credit card only comes out on a Friday. This means I have a whole week to sort out my priorities before I make a purchase. It also means I don't just buy for the dopamine hit, or because I'm having a bad week, or because the item is on sale and I let the fear of losing out take over.
Do I still make mistakes? You bet! But they're the exception rather than the rule, and my wardrobe is so much more Zen because of it.
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