There’s Clothing Out There for Everyone – Tip #28

Chris stated that she often goes shopping and finds there is nothing out there for her to wear. C’mon. Nothing out there. There is so much out there for women it’s incredible. In fact, there may be too much, if there can be such a thing.

Chris, there are a few things you must realize.

First, I’d bet the reason that you’re not finding anything is that what you’re looking for does not work for you, and therefore, when you try on the clothing it all looks bad. The color, the shape, the patterns.

The solution: start with the basics. Have your makeup touched up to fit a today’s you. Next, invest in a great a color chart to weed out what does not work. Next, focus on today’s basics. Pants that don’t hug the hips up high (think “Mom jeans”), straight-leg pants, cut tops and fashionable shoes. This goes for casual or for upscale.

Second, I’d bet that your eye is also looking for specific styles that you expect for your perceived age appropriateness, but what you think you should be wearing may not be currently available in stores. Here’s an analogy. When you start looking for a car, your mind learns a new shape and miraculously you start to see the car all over the place. The same with style. You need to train your eye to shapes and patterns that look like today’s women in your style.

The solution: find a body shape that mimics yours in magazines or in real life, and then start to watch what they wear. If they’re contemporary, you’ll start to create a new awareness and then the clothing will jump off the rack.

Third, just because you’re a “shopper,” does not mean you know how to shop efficiently enough to avoid frustration. Walking, perusing, and purchasing seem simple enough, but without a strategy, you can end up at the finish of the experience frustrated that all you did was walk, peruse, and maybe purchase. Remember, the best shoppers shop in preparation and not desperation and say no a lot as they have the mindset they are building a wardrobe and not building a closet.

Based upon our conversation, this will take some changes, however it’s achievable.

Making the Right Color Choices with Color Charts – Tip #10

I’d like you to pause for a moment to think about all the other shoppers you’ve ever witnessed clothing shopping during your life time. Now, I’d like you to try to count the number of times you’ve seen someone walk around with a color chart in their hands.

Can you give me a number? Bet you could count the number of times you’ve seen this happen on just one hand.

Now let’s get personal. How about you? Do you carry a color chart when you’re shopping? If you’re like the rest of the world, you don’t. That’s because you fall into one of three categories: 1-You think you already know what’s good for you and don’t need a color chart, 2-You’ve never even thought about having one or have never heard of color chart for clothing, or 3-You’ve got one, but you leave it at home instead of storing it in your purse.

For those who haven’t seen a color chart before, it can range in size from a checkbook to an elongated deck of cards, and consists of fabric swatches in colors that suit the skin/hair/eyes of a person depending upon which color category they fall within.

Hey, “I look great in green and some blues.”

Yes, you may look great in green and a few blues, but what if I were to tell you you’d get that same fantastic look in 62 other colors. And, what if you knew which values of green and blue work the best with your skin, hair, and eyes. A color chart gives you a tool to follow when you walk into a store to shop and it can make all the difference in the world. If used properly, having the chart handy will:

• Make it easier when shopping, as you’ll avoid/turn away garment colors that don’t match.
• Force you to not purchase anything that does not fit within your color pallet.
• Help with color ranges, given that there are ranges that work best.

Here are the benefits.

• If you use the color chart properly, you can quite literally walk into a store and skip by any color that does not fit your color chart. This may seem insignificant and yet I’ve watched women walk a full store looking for items that might work for their body.
• If you eliminate color first, upwards of three quarters of the store may not work for you. If you’re going to spend a few hours shopping, the color chart could save you countless hours and a lot of walking.
• Your wardrobe will be more precise, given that the clothing you purchase will actually work with your look. If we used a quality color chart to organize your closet, we’d be chucking out several items, some you may even adore and yet, they are completely wrong for you.
• The chart will keep you not only on target with the right colors, it will give you limitations as to what will work and what is out of range. Again, we’re talking a quality color chart.

Yes, there are some people who are naturals at selecting the right colors, there are others who look good but not great, and there are those that have no clue. For everyone, a color chart is a great investment.

Top Five Necessities Needed When Shopping – Tip #7

Can you guess the five necessities you need to bring with you when you shop? I’ve asked countless woman what they believe these are and I’ve gotten some typical and also wierd suggestions. Here are a few most common:

• Credit card and Money – Yes, a biggie, but you’d not shop without this, so it’s not on the list.
• Water – Good idea, but you can pick this up along the way. (Plus, how many bathroom stops do you want to make?)
• Attitude – Yes, the type of attitude is important.
• Friend – This might actually be bad if they’ve not good taste or know what’s right for you.
• Sneakers – or comfortable shoes would be useful.
• Snacks (Nutritional bar) – I’d prefer to eat on the road, but make sure you have something healthful in you before you start so that you can think clearly and prevent delays.

All good but not the top 5.

Here they are:

1. A color chart of your best colors. This way you can insure that the colors you’re selecting fit your personal requirements. You would be surprised how helpful this is when looking at colors that are close in value. It also helps the sales staff to keep on target when advising you.
2. A backback or bag with an assortment of shoes and accessories. Women’s stores are set up with most shoes and accessories in different departments and often on different floors. If you have your particular size shoe and one in your style, you’re ahead of the game. The accessories are there to do the same.
3. Your made up face. – If you don’t wear your makeup as you wear it every day, you lose that little eye that tells you what your wearing really works for you.
4. A white/off while form fitting, collared, fitted shirt. This way you can try on anything your heart desires. If you’d like a scoop neck in your bag, that’s OK, too, but I’d shop with the shirt.
5. The right bra and undergarments. – The bra: to make sure the garments you try on fit you the way they should fit. The undergarments: so that your shape is the way you’d expect to wear the garment and so the color does not show through and become a distraction. (If you don’t often wear a bra, you can take it off to try on specific items.)

If this appears to be a lot of work, consider the time and energy invested in selecting an item; do you really want to have to return something because you get it home and it doesn’t work. The better prepared you are, the more complete becomes your wardrobe and the better you look.

With these five necessities taken care of, your entire shopping experience will be more enjoyable and productive.

I will cover more details about each of the 5 in the months to come.