Three ways to feel great in the dressing room

It’s all too easy to get caught up in mindless shopping, the ‘grab and buy’ culture is rife. Go to the locker room to save time and money.

Get the shops prepared. This is the only way to avoid ‘what-was-I-thinking’ purchases, disastrous designer denim and clothes looming in the back of your wardrobe without seeing the light of day. Make your purchase consciously instead of running to the checkout. If you feel great in the dressing room, it will help you invest in durable garments that you will enjoy wearing again and again.

Before you go shopping, take a good look at the contents of your closet so that the contents are fresh in your mind to make sure you don’t duplicate existing items. Start by writing a list of what you need and how much you are willing to spend. To get the most out of your wardrobe, new clothes need to be matched and mixed and matched with what you already have. In addition to a well-defined plan, try to shop when you are relaxed and with enough time. Oh and always wear your best underwear!

Here are three ways to feel fabulous in the dressing room and love every outfit in your wardrobe:

1) Try it as an outfit

– To assess the true appearance of an item, pick up shoes and appropriate tops or bottoms that resemble things you already have in your closet at home.

– This will help you evaluate a piece as part of a complete outfit.

– You can then figure out how it could work with existing clothes and shoes.

– For example, trying on a chic evening dress with your comfy ballet pumps won’t give you a true representation of what you look like in your favorite heels.

2) Shop for your personal body size

– Clothing sizes vary in size from store to store and even between styles and brands. A size 10 in one brand may fit like a size 14 in another brand.

– Always take several of the same clothing brand and designs into a dressing room to find a good fit.

– A larger size can often provide a more appropriate length and width and whenever possible, always check your rear with a glance in a three-way mirror.

– Remember that dressing for your body shape is all that matters. The actual size of a garment really doesn’t matter as long as you find the fit that flatters your figure and feels great in the dressing room.

3) Move around

– Just posing in front of the mirror in the dressing room is not enough to understand the full fit, length and comfort of an item.

– Bend, squat, sit, dance and stand on tiptoe to see if anything digs in, restricts movement or feels too tight.

– It is surprising to see what suits you when you get up, but immediately becomes uncomfortable as soon as you sit down. These factors are crucial when it comes to buying a piece to add to your wardrobe.

I’d love for you to share your dressing room experiences in the comments below? Did any of these tips help you make a worthwhile purchase? And how do you find the different sizes between brands and stores?