My husband and I went to Canada a few years ago and visited Niagara Falls. As well as super impressive it was very touristy. We made the mistake of leaving the hotel super hungry without the plan on where and what we were going to eat. I especially get super cranky and get into reptile mode when I’m hungry, so I forced Sam into “Rainforest Cafe”. Have you been to one of those? Here is a picture below so you get the idea. We paid about $100 for a very poor meal!
Picture @ Niagara Frontier Publications
Why am I telling you this? As a personal stylist, in the past few weeks I’ve been hearing a lot of anticipation and excitement in my clients’ voices for the shops reopening on April 12th. And just as it’s not advisable to go food shopping when you’re hungry, it’s just as important to avoid the high street when you’re hungry for a new look. This sounds counter intuitive, I know- why else would you go shopping?
Ok, ok, I hear you, we’ve all been waiting for this moment for a LOOOONG time!
And I know we're all gonna do it, but we can be mindful about it😉.
Here are my 3 tips on how:
1. Make a list.
Look through what you’ve got already and decide if there is anything new in particular you need. Years of personal styling has taught me to think beyond just your outfit ideas and instead about your whole wardrobe. You can make a list in the notes on your phone - call it something like: “Clothes to get” and keep adding everything you need in there.
2. Remember about your wardrobe basics.
When we shop, our eye naturally gravitates towards something interesting, bright, exciting.
Shopping for basics is very boring and it’s probably not how you envisioned your first trip to the shops following the shops reopening on April 12th. In fact, basics are not what you’d naturally pick out on the shop floor. But, as a personal stylist I know that even though they are boring, you need them to build every outfit.
What are the wardrobe basics? It’s the most plain t-shirt or a shirt without any pockets, logos or frills, plain black or navy trousers, and a pair of straight navy jeans, without any washout effect or embellishment. Also a very important basic is a black/white/skin tone camisole, which can go under jumpers, low cut/transparent shirts or dresses.
The basics will support the accent piece of your outfit - something which catches your eye, like a bold print, unusual asymmetric collar, or a bag with a big clasp. As a rule of thumb, an outfit needs one accent piece and the rest should be the supporting basics.
What happens when your outfit is full of accents, without the supporting team of basics? The person next to you can’t concentrate on what you are saying, their eyes keep jumping from one thing to another. Either consciously or subconsciously, they keep getting distracted. So it’s important to remember, it’s not just your outfit that matters here, it’s you.
Picture @ gazetauzao.ru
3. Pause.
Before paying at the till, pause for a minute, take a deep breath, and ask yourself questions:
Do I already have something similar⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Is this going to be comfortable
Will it work on me⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Is this a good price⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Is it going to be easy to clean⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Is this going to work with the rest of my clothes
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