Back-to-School

Well, it’s that time of year again. That’s right, I’m talking about back-to-school. As much as I dislike school, this is actually one of my favorite seasons because it means I get to go back-to-school shopping. I’m sure nearly everyone has experienced this before: you’ve spent nearly your whole morning wandering around the mall and all you have to show for it is a white tee. You’re frustrated because you had envisioned a whole new, fabulous wardrobe for fall. This drives you into the nearest store, to buy a skirt you don’t even particularly like, just because it’s on sale and it gives you one more bag to carry around, making you feel as if you’re closer to your goal of a new wardrobe. I know I have been a victim of this “gotta-have-it” syndrome many times. However, my New School Year resolution is to only buy items that I love and know I’ll wear, even if this means returning from my annual back-to-school shopping trip with only a few basic wardrobe pieces in hand. There are a few ways I plan to accomplish this and I’d like to share them with you:

1)Don’t be distracted by sales. Sometimes, a $5 top just seems so cheap that you feel like you simply HAVE to buy it. But think of it this way…eventually all these $5 items will add up and you’ll have a closet full of crappy, cheap clothes. Instead, try splurging on something that fits you beautifully, like the perfect pair of dark-washed jeans or a white button-up that fits your body like a glove.

2)Don’t torture yourself by going into stores and trying on things that you can’t afford. That only wastes time and makes you sad when you fall in love with something way out of your price range. Know your budget going in!

3)Be familiar with stores’ exchange policies. Most of the time, if you keep the tags on and save the receipt, you can return something. This comes in handy as you can try on an item of clothing you’re not sure about with other items you already own and bring it back to the store if you end up not liking it.

4)Finally, and most importantly, don’t get discouraged. It’s better to go home with just a few items that you love than a ton of items you don’t like (and, therefore, wasted money on).

Now, armed with these four easy tips, I urge you to go out and finally get that perfect wardrobe that you dream about every year!

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!