Almost every girl has a problem: shopping. Face it, even the male species has tendencies to spend a little too much every now and then! Shopping is fun, stress relieving, and invigorating. However, shopping can either glorify or ruin you. If you do it right, you will strut confidently in your swag and feel good every day. Go overboard, you’ll forever be in debt.
I’ve personally always enjoyed dressing up a little bit for school, even though a sweatshirt over leggings tucked into Uggs is probably the comfiest route to go for a student. My perspective is that if I look good, I will feel good about how I am carrying myself regardless of what is happening to me throughout the day.
To be honest, I go through waves of shopping. There are months where I find myself nearly breaking the bank and then months where I don’t even go inside a store. The only reason why I haven’t gotten my cards cut up is because I have managed to break the bank wisely throughout the years. Coming from a shopaholic family, I’ve learned the art of war: consumer versus fashion.
There are seven terrifying sins to shopping. Luckily, there are seven beautiful solutions to avoiding them!
1) Lust for Designer Brands: Yeah, yeah, yeah. You think you’ve heard this one before, the whole materialistic speech about how you shouldn’t always shop according to the labels. But this is not exactly what you think it is. Everyone has that desire for hot Louboutins or bright Birkins or those hot Dior shades in the department store. There are reasons why designers made it to the top. Sometimes it is good to save up for a few quality pieces. However, don’t buy something because it seems like a signature brand item. For example, Tiffany & Co. is known for its diamonds. Save up for a quality jewelry item over time instead of rushing to get a classic Tiffany & Co. heart chain with the name stamped on it. If you want to buy designer items, pay attention to the style, the cut, the detail, and the material. Don’t buy something that will make you a walking advertisement for them. Why pay thousands to buy a Louis Vuitton bag with LV stamped all over it? Shouldn’t they be paying you to strut through life voluntarily holding their logo?
2) Gluttony of Certain Items: Reality is all of us have that one specific article of clothing or accessory or cosmetic item that we love to hoard. As much as I love looking at a bookcase of glorious heels and wedges and boots and flats of all different colors and textures and styles, how many of those shoes can you actually wear often with most of your outfits? Start being pickier with that one item you love. I made a rule to only buy another pair of shoes if a) I actually have a need for it b) if it is going on sale for an extremely good price c) if it’s actually comfortable d) if I can pair it with more than three outfits. For example, I recently bought a pair of Nine West leather wedges that were marked down all the way to $13.99. Although I didn’t really need a pair of summery wedges, they were comfortable, good quality, super affordable, and matched half my summer wardrobe. This type of purchase not only spreads that smile across your face but also lets you dress nicely on a budget. Remind yourself that you do not need one of each color and cut. Invest in a few select items that you will make the most use of!
3) Greed for Stuff: This sin is pretty short, sweet, and to the point. Don’t buy just to buy. Filling your life with stuff does nothing for you. The most you will have done is cluttered your space, broke your bank, and paid for many people’s salaries.
4) Sloth in Buying Necessities: For all the shoppers out there who hate shopping or are too lazy to go out and turn to online shopping, LISTEN UP! Laziness is not the solution when it comes to buying certain things you need, and this applies to everything: fashion related or not. Sure, online shopping is fun and easy. But, you need to physically try certain things on to make sure the fabric is of decent quality and suitable for you. Let’s say you broke some glasses and plates. Instead of paying full price and shipping, it would be wiser to physically go to stores and pick them out to ensure that the color and size are right. Chances are you would be able to find great deals in stores too! But let’s say you’ve already been dragged to the mall. Don’t just pick up the first thing you see and call it a day. You are viewed the way you portray yourself. If you don’t care and will put on any thread regardless of how big of a lumpy mess you may seem, some people will start to wonder if you respect yourself as well. By all means, dress your style and dress comfortably! Just be sure you still look neatly put together.
5) Wrath Filled Sprees: Whatever you do, and I cannot stress this enough, DO NOT EVER EVER EVER GO INTO ANY STORE WITH ANY FORM OF CASH OR CARD IF YOU ARE ANGRY. Buying new clothes to make your ex want your hot booty back is not a good idea, especially if this style is not particularly yours. Buying new thing room décor because a rude classmate told you that your apartment looks crappy is not a good idea, especially because why are you decorating to impress a rude b*tch? Buying things just to buy things and calm yourself down is not a good idea, especially because these bought things are never going to actually solve your problems!
6) Envy of Everyone Else: Sometimes we can fall victim to buying everything that’s super “in” or what everyone else is wearing. For example, sneaker wedges, harem pants, peplum tops, that good old Ugg fad… The list goes on. Fashion trends go in cycles. What we find to be trendy now was probably trendy a few decades back and will probably be in style again a few decades forward. It’s nice to have one or two nice items that are in style, but not necessary to spend half your semester’s paycheck on them. Furthermore, if you really want something but know it will be on sale in a month or two, wait. There is no rule saying that if you don’t buy it now you will be arrested by the fashion police. But the most important point I want to make for Envy is this: just because it suits other people does not mean it will flatter you the same way. I cannot stress that enough! Stop envying other people’s material goods and start seeing how YOU can make the most of what you have and what you can afford.
7) Pride of Stuff, When Buying Stuff, When Giving Away Stuff: Pride can kill a person. It can completely ruin a person’s image and reputation. It can close many doors and networking opportunities. First part of this sin is do not purposely dress to impress when you go shopping. Chances are, salespeople not only know how to spot a high quality item from a mile away, but they can also probably tell you the material and price point on the spot. While it’s nice to dress well, it’s unnecessary to deck yourself out in designer labels just to be “treated nicely.” The wealthiest and classiest shoppers either have a private shopping session or know how to dress their designer labels tastefully and subtly. By trying to show that you have a fat wallet when you walk into the store, you are basically asking for the sales person to push you the overpriced items they know other people can’t afford or be reluctant to tell you about special deals and offers. After all, you just tried to prove to them you can afford everything original price anyways, right? Second, don’t be prideful of the stuff you buy. If you can afford a closet full of Hermes scarves, go for it! But you do not need to parade it around all the time. Wearing one or two occasionally and tastefully is fashionable and chic. Tying ten of them together as a belt is tacky. Lastly don’t ever feel like you’re above all donors when giving away any of your belongings, clothes or not. It is such a privilege to be able to afford good quality items. Don’t try to act like your stuff is just so much superior to other donations and that the receiver of these goods should be fawning at your feet for these beautiful purses. Chances are, the people receiving these items have absolutely no use for your Ferragamo tote and Jimmy Choo pumps! Donating to the less fortunate is a wonderful and thoughtful act of kindness. It is focusing attention towards those who need these things. It does not need to be tainted with materialism, arrogance, and glowing pride of how great you and your stuff are.
There you have it! Be careful not to fall to these seven deadly shopping sins. Always remember quality over quantity and functionality over fashion. Happy saving and happy splurging, Tartans!