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Do you hate to shop for clothes? According to a recent report by WGSN (Worth Global StyleNetwork), 28% of women HATE to shop for clothes. To them,its a four-letter word that produces stress and anxietyany time they think about hitting the mall. Now for the 26% of women who absolutely LOVE to shop andfrequently ease their woes with retail therapy, this may beinconceivable. How can anyone NOT enjoy the thrill of thehunt or the big bargain score? Who doesnt love modelingnew clothes in front of the mirror or being askedincessantly, Great outfit! Is it new? The answer? Plenty of people. And for many women who hate to shop, the problem has littleto do with money. In fact, according to WGSN, when thesewomen actually force themselves to go buy clothes, theyrarely look for bargains. Instead, they tend to avoid the mall because: 1.They dont know what kinds of clothes look best on them. 2.They dont follow fashion and dont want to lookridiculous or dated in their purchases. 3.Theyre easily flustered when they cant find whattheyre looking for quickly. 4.They feel uncomfortable trying on clothes in dressingrooms. 5.They may have put on a lot of weight and either cantfind clothes that fit or dont want to face the fact thatthey need a larger size. 6.They hate crowds. Does any of this sound familiar? If you can really relate to this list, here are some tipsto make shopping easier, less expensive, and far lessfrustrating than you may have experienced in the past: 1. Determine Your Body Shape Start by taking a good look at your birthday suit in themirror the next time you change clothes or step out of thebath. Are your hips bigger than your chest? Your chestbigger than your hips? Is your waist the same size as yourchest and hips? Does your body resemble an hourglass? Make a note. Look for clothes shaped the same way you arewhen you hit the stores. This will lead to fast successand minimal frustration. 2. Determine Your Lifestyle What kinds of clothes work best in your current situation? Do you need business wear? Jeans? Ball gowns? If yourlifestyle is 60% work, 20% social, and 20% leisure, forexample, or 90% work and 5% social and 5% leisure, thenyour wardrobe should reflect as much. Otherwise, you maybe hard pressed to find something to wear for thoseactivities where you spend the least amount of time. 3. Assess Your Needs and Make a List Once you know your shape and your lifestyle, its time togo through your closet and see what you need. If youreshort on tops, put them on the list. Feel fabulous in acoatdress? Add a few more. Love your black A-line skirt? Buy another one in dark blue. Remember: if you start with a list, you can immediatelyhone in on those pieces in the store. When you only lookfor what you need, youre a lot less likely to getdistracted - or confused. 4. Go When its Quiet and You Have Some Time This may not always be possible, depending on yoursituation, but try to go when the stores are nearly emptyand you have a little time to look, like a weekday morning. Not only will the store clerks be more available to help,youll have plenty of time to go through the storeinventory. If you hate crowds or have to constantly monitor your watchas you shop, youre more likely to give up quickly or buyunsatisfactory pieces just to get it over with. Simple solution: shop online. 5. Leave The Kids At Home This may not always be possible, but if you can shop whentheyre at school, leave them with a sitter, or swapsitting duties with another mom so you each have free time,do. 6. Buy and Return If you dont have the time or inclination to try on clothesbefore you buy them, go to a mirror, hold the clothes up infront of you and see how they look. If it looks likesomething you might like, test the size in the places itsmost likely to give you trouble, like the shoulders, bustor hips, by grabbing the edge of the garment and seeingwhere it hits on the side of your body. If it goes halfway, chances are, you have a close fit. If it doesnt orif it goes beyond the halfway point, go up or down a size,respectively. Buy it, take it home, and try it on there. If it fits, keep it. If it doesnt, take it back. 7. Hire Help If you truly dont want to attempt any of this on your own,or if youre after a certain look but dont have the timeto track it down, hire a personal shopper. Many betterdepartment stores and boutiques have one on staff; justask. Or, check online, in the newspaper, or in the phonebook for freelance personal shoppers in your area. TheAssociation of Image Consultants International http://www.aici.org might also be able to recommend someone locally. While the fee for department or boutique staff shoppers isusually free (they receive a commission on the clothes youbuy from their store), most freelance shoppers will chargeeither an hourly or flat fee for their services, plus thecost of clothes. If thats what it takes to get you outthe door, looking your best, with a minimum of stress, payit. It will pay you back many times in increasedconfidence, reduced stress, and a workable, wearablewardrobe. Shopping for new clothes should be an enjoyable event youparticipate in at least twice a year, to refurbish yourcloset for the new season. If you hate to shop or alwayswind up with stuff you dont need, try these tips to getyour closet in order. Who knows? You may actually startto enjoy yourself!

About the Author

Have designer tastes but a discount budget?Diana Pemberton-Sikes has helped thousands of womencreate a stunning style on limited funds with herfun, fresh approach to fashion. Sign up for her popular weekly ezine at www.FashionSavvy.com.