What Kind of Clothes Shopper Are You?
Working with women on their color & style journey I have found myself in a lot of very different closets and I’m not talking about the physical space so much as seeing the contents of these closets. And what I have learned is there are basically 10 approaches women take when shopping for clothes. See if you recognize yourself in one or more of the these shopping personality types and then follow my advice tailor-made for you!
1. The Under-shopper: Oh yes, I see you there, cringing just a little as this title has you pegged before you even read on. I’ve seen your drawers with just a few pair of underwear that are hanging by a thread, shoes that have seen better days, and that stack of pants that would fit if you just lost 10 lbs hanging next to the one threadbare pair that you wear almost every single day. You don’t really love clothes shopping and you tend to put it off for as long as possible.
The closet of an under-shopper does not contain a well-curated minimalist capsule wardrobe. No, it contains a lot of stray garments that don’t really play well with others. A beautiful jacket that once-upon-a-time matched perfectly with a pair of pants that disappeared long ago and never got replaced. A cute dress but no shoe that really works with it. A fabulous skirt but no matching top. A great pair of boots that you love except you can no longer walk in those heels.
An under-shopper tends to shop at the 11th hour. The week before a wedding, the night before a major presentation, on a trip when she realizes she didn’t pack the right thing, enroute to a funeral. Because it’s in those moments of crunch time when she can’t talk herself out of buying something . But all too often those rash, last minute, panic-driven purchases turn to regret and thus feed the fear of making another disappointing purchase. Better to just not commit to buying anything at all. And yes, she really does need a new bra but wouldn’t it be more fun to spend that money on her latest hobby? She has to think a lot about what to wear because she spends so little time actually thinking about her wardrobe needs. Well, my under-shopper friend, It’s time for you to make a list of wardrobe gaps and shop your way through it.
2. The Over-shopper — Oh yes, I see you slipping that shopping bag behind your back. If the undershopper has a half-empty closet, the over-shopper has one that is completely filled to overflowing. No shortage of clothes here. There are duplicates and triplicates of everything and boxes and boxes of shoes and piles of accessories. An over-shopper thinks ahead. They worry about whether or not their favorite brands will stop producing their favorite jeans or tees or flip flops, so they buy multiples of everything. They think about what will happen if they go up or down in weight so they buy 3 sizes just to be sure. They shop often and they never leave the store empty handed. You would assume the over-shopper would always have the perfect outfit for every occasion but all too often, the over-shopper tends to buy the same things over and over again and she is no better off than the under-shopper when an unexpected event crops up on the calendar. You’ve heard the old adage, “A closet full of clothes and nothing to wear?” This is often a perfect description of the over-shopper. Time to reduce duplication and focus on those wardrobe gaps. You can still have an abundant supply but make sure that your supply is balanced and truly meets your needs.
3. The Bargain Shopper: I’ve seen you there in the thrift store on 50% off day. No harm in that — who doesn’t love a good bargain. Some of you are really savvy shoppers and savers. Unfortunately, many a bargain shopper is not so discerning. Yes, that sweater has a little stain but surely it will come out and look how cheap it is. Oh the pants may be a bit tight but you were planning to lose 5 lbs anyway and for $5.00 you can’t pass them up. That coat that’s not quite the right color/style/fit for you? Well hey, it’s a designer label and it will be so warm for winter so surely you can make it work And so the closet is filled with inexpensive misfits that are “just okay” at best and “not quite right” at worst. They join the other “on sale” clothes from your local department store, items you have bought based solely on price rather than thinking about whether or not they will work with other items in your wardrobe or serve you well. You too run the risk of a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear. But, you pride yourself in the fact that you got it all for next to nothing. But do you know that buying 10 items at $10.00 each that are not ideal (and rarely, if ever, get worn) costs you more than 1 great item you feel fabulous in at $80.00. Not every bargain is a bargain so make sure that price is not your only determining factor and shop for what you really need and what really works for you.
4. The Fantasy Wardrobe Shopper: Oh your closet is filled with so many beautiful things. Unfortunately those clothes have nothing to do with you or your actual lifestyle. Perhaps you have continued to purchase the kinds of clothes you wore to your office job even though you are now retired and rarely wear a matching suit. Or maybe you love to buy sandals even though you spend six months of the year in boots. Maybe your fantasy is purchasing colors you wish you could wear (like a closet full of black even though that’s not your best color) or maybe you’ve got a closet full of too-small clothes you are saving as in incentive to lose weight or a closet full of too-big clothes because you can’t quite believe you’ve lost that 40lbs and will keep it off. Or maybe you keep buying clothes that ultimately make you feel bad because they are designed to fit your fantasy figure rather than your current body shape. A fantasy wardrobe looks great but it doesn’t serve your current needs or lifestyle. It’s time for your wardrobe to get a reality check and see what you really need on your shopping list.
5. The Self-Sacrificing Shopper: You shop for clothes all the time, gosh, you hate to admit how much you spend on clothes every year. But the clothes are rarely, if ever, for you. You shop for your partner, your children, your grandchildren, your mother, your mother-in-law. You buy clothes and accessories to gift to other family and friends. You have a keen eye for what will look great on others and you are always thinking of their wardrobe needs. One day you are picking up those back-to-school clothes, the next day the matching Christmas pajamas. Then it’s the summer vacation hat and shorts…but always you buy for others and rarely do you shop for yourself. In fact, you probably wish that someone else would figure out how to gift you with the clothing and accessory items you need. Instead, you return yet another gifted-to-you item that is the wrong color/size/style and spend that gift card on somebody else’s wardrobe needs instead. Your closet never has the clothing you really need but everyone else in the family looks amazing. It’s time for you to put yourself first for a change and shop for your own wardrobe needs.
6. The Social Shopper: Shopping for you is a social event. You rarely shop for clothing alone but you frequently shop with friends. You can easily get caught up in the thrill of the hunt and find yourself purchasing shoes or accessories you don’t really need just because everyone else is buying and you don’t want to be left out of the fun. You may also be easily talked into buying clothing that isn’t quite right because all your friends just want you to make a purchase. Or maybe you cave in to social pressure from overly complimentary sales clerks who are great at upselling you on items you never planned to buy in the first place. The social shopper often has a closet full of clothes & accessories that were hand-picked for them by others but that they don’t really feel so passionate about themselves. You need to start shopping from a list of your true needs and budget and just buy yourself a coffee when social shopping with friends. If YOU don’t love it or need it, don’t buy it even if everyone else thinks you should.
7. The Status Shopper: Like the Social shopper you also shop with the approval of others in mind. But you may not even know who “they” are. You are shopping for status by purchasing whatever brands are the most popular or whatever styles or colors are currently trending. These may be looks you can or cannot pull off authentically but your concern is simply to stand out by blending in. You spend thousands of dollars every season without developing a style and look of your own. You are at the mercy of marketers, fashion magazines and style influencers. You too will have an overflowing closet but it may leave you feeling very disconnected from yourself. It’s time for you to discover what colors and styles work best for you regardless of what is being marketed to you.
8. The Perfectionist Shopper: You too are shopping ALL the time but you may retain very few of your actual purchases. There is always a little something that is “not quite right” once you’ve gotten a garment home. It may be the feel of the fabric or the way it hangs or a slightly crooked seam or the fear it will wrinkle. Perhaps the pockets aren’t quite as deep as you’d like or the collar seems a bit asymetrical. You buy and return and buy and return. Which also leaves you without a fully functioning wardrobe. Time to let go of perfectionism and embrace clothing with a quality that is adequate for your needs for now — when you do find that “perfect “ garment you can add it in to your functioning wardrobe.
9. The Impatient Shopper: WAIT, before you dash off let’s talk about you. You have every intention of shopping for your best colors & styles but you really don’t have the time. You know you need a new pair of pants. The first store you went to didn’t have anything but black so you grabbed what you thought was your size and sailed home, job done. You just remembered those pants and tried to wear them this morning only to discover the pants don’t fit quite right and oh gee, it’s past the return date. Another shopping mishap to join the heap. You need to slow down and only buy after you try things on and confirm they are a good match for color and fit. A little patience will pay off in money saved and a wardrobe you love.
Have I missed anyone? Oh yes, the savvy shopper.
10. The Savvy Shopper: I rarely get a glimpse inside your closet because most of you don’t need me. You know what styles work best for your body type, you are confident in your style aesthetic and your chosen color palette and you have carefully curated a functional wardrobe. You replace items on a regular basis when needed. You are up-to-date with visits to the drycleaner, tailor and cobbler. If you put on a bit of weight you replace a too-tight garment with the next size up and bin or donate the size that no longer fits. If a garment is worn and beyond repair you immediately replace that too. You always look and feel good in your clothes. Getting dressed is a breeze and you have “special occasion” garments you can draw from whenever an unexpected event arises — you shopped for those items at end of season sales or purchased them from the thrift store and you feel good about not spending too much for rarely worn outfits. The money you saved was splurged on some higher priced items that make you look and feel amazing and that you wear often. You may not have an over-abundance of clothing, but every item has earned it’s keep in your closet. Shopping for clothes is something you work into your schedule much like grocery shopping. You do it often enough that you always have what you need on hand in your current size, you take advantage of the sales, and you feel great about what you put on your body.
Want to be that Savvy shopper too? Print off the above description and hang it by your closet or tuck it into your wallet as a reminder. Because great wardrobes don’t create themselves. And if you need a little help knowing how to put together a wardrobe that supports both you and your lifestyle, I have a great series I’ve just started called Wardrobe Foundations. These bite-sized mini courses are designed to be consumed quickly with easy to follow steps to create your own great wardrobe. You can check out the first one. Need a little help shopping for those wardrobe pieces on a budget? We’ve got a great course for that too. Not sure how to shop with your color palette or what style is right for you? Gosh, we have online courses to help you there too. Check them all out at The Color and Style Academy.