Shopping is hard

While I would like to call myself a bargain hunter, I freely admit that I am really bad at it. When big department stores have sales where there are a bunch of sale racks pushed together with many different types of clothing, often arranged by size rather than by style, I can’t cope. I try to pull out things to try on, and always end up getting frustrated and giving up.

Thanks to What Not to Wear (a guilty pleasure), I realize that I am not unique in this. I very much prefer stores that don’t have quite as much to offer. If I have fewer things to look at, and items are grouped together in terms of style rather than size, I function so much better. I think part of this is because I’m picky and part is because I’m hard to fit. I have clothing in at least three different sizes in my closet. And no, those aren’t “fat clothes” and “skinny clothes.” All those clothes fit me. So when I find something I like, I often take two different sizes to the dressing room to try them on. Group things by size and I have to hit multiple racks to try to find things. Yes, I realize that doesn’t seem like a big deal, but I just find it overwhelming.

I think this is part of the reason that I find shopping for clothes so difficult. I very quickly get frustrated and give up. And then I end up going elsewhere and paying full price for something when I could have very easily picked up something on sale.

In terms of my budget, it’s a good thing that I sort of hate the mall. Oh, I like going and looking at things, but actually going and trying to buy clothing? Torture. But in terms of my work wardrobe, this is a problem.

My goal over the next few months is to learn how to shop – not only how to bargain hunt but how to buy good quality pieces that fit me well, even if that means taking them to a tailor. I’m tired of opening my closet before work and realizing that I have very limited options of what to wear if I want to be professional and not wear the same thing I wore three days ago.