Today I’m off on a personal shopping expedition with one of my lovely clients. Me, I’m wearing comfortable flat shoes and a knit dress that’s easy to move in. I always carry a shoulder bag rather than one I need to hold with my hands.
One of the things people often don’t think about before hitting the shops, is what is the ideal outfit to wear.
1. Wear separates (not a dress like I’m wearing). Why? Because if you need to try on just a top or bottom, it’s good to have another garment on so that you can see the piece in context, rather than standing there in front of the change room mirror in your underwear trying to imagine the piece in context, or having to scour the store for a top or bottom to try the garment on with (which sometimes they may have nothing that you like or fits you).
2. Wear clothes that are easy to take off and put on. You’ll be getting in and out of them multiple times. Jeans are not the easiest garment to try on clothes with. I often find a knit skirt is ideal as a garment for your bottom half.
3. Wear your best nude underwear – you don’t want your bra color distracting you from the clothes you are assessing (learned this one when shopping for a wedding dress wearing a blue bra!).
4. Wear a white or black cami. It’s then easy to try lower cut garments over the top.
5. Wear comfortable, but easy to take off and put on, shoes (just like the clothes, you’ll be getting in and out of them, having to buck or lace things up gets tiring pretty quickly.
6. Make sure your jewelry doesn’t snag easily. Earrings and necklaces, bangles and bracelets can all get caught as you’re dressing. Often it’s easier to pop your accessories into your handbag as you shop so that you don’t have to worry about getting caught up or losing them.
7. A hands free handbag. When you’re picking up coathangers, carrying clothes and bags, having a bag that doesn’t require one hand makes it that much more pleasant an experience.
