I am ridiculously over the top excited about a little trip I have coming up. I was thrilled to be invited to the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration in Orlando Florida and have been counting down the days until our departure like a little kid. As the date draws near my “To Do” list seems to be getting longer, but I keep ploughing through. Then this weekend, a shocking thought; I am running out of time! Not just time for that stupid list, but time to prepare and pack! My logical reaction, I began tearing through my closet like a crazy person. My realization: I must have the biggest closet in the suburbs that contains absolutely nothing to wear. Every single shirt I pull out, I hate. Every dress I own seems too dressy. All my shoes are uncomfortable and my shorts make me want to cry. Ugo. There is only one logical thing to do. Time to go shopping. Mind made up I grabbed my car keys and my credit card and march my very frustrated butt out the door.
This my friends is a very little list of the ways NOT to go shopping for a trip:
*Do not go shopping when you are already having a ridiculously frustrating day. In a not so fabulous mood? Trying shorts on those pasty white legs is not going to make your day any better.
*Do not shop when you have PMS. Sour mood and swollen everything? Not going to help you look any better in those dressing room mirrors.
* Do not go shopping in one of those stores where the sales ladies tell you every single thing you try on is “Perfect/Beautiful/Gorgeous” They are liars and you will go home with a bag of ugly.
*Do not shop without focus. “I just need something!” Is not going to help you! It might be a great way to spend procrastinate for two hours, but when you come home with a navy sweater, a black belt, an ill fitting T and a questionable pair of capris you really are back at square one.
*Do not shop when you are in a serious time crunch. Only 12o minutes to find the perfect sundress, a pair of capris, maybe a sweater, and that make-up I ran out of? This is never going to happen.
*Do not think every outfit you pick out is going to be Pinterest worthy. Oh the hours you have spent finding the perfect outfits, pinning, dreaming, planning! Too bad each “board” you created rang in just a hair under a thousand bucks. (give or take a few) No wonder you can’t replicate the damn thing at Target!
*Do not forget that you are a women in your 40’s. You can still look good, you just can’t look like the group of giggling 20 year olds picking up some glam for their night on the town. Sigh, Reality checks bite!
The moral of the story, breathe, give your self a break and don’t be a panic shopper. Panic shopping equals fashion disaster. Do yourself a favour and try these tips; Make a shopping date with a trusted girlfriend who will tell you, “Yes, you look fat in those pants”. Have a plan, figure out what you really need. Take your time, have some fun and hopefully score some deals while getting your glam on and getting ready to escape the suburbs.
May the shopping Gods be with you! Mwah!
Thanks for the advice,actually i should follow this daily
Who hasn’t done any of these things at least one :)? But you provide some pretty solid advice that should be heeded in times of “panic”.
I also have a closet full of stuff I don’t like or can’t fit into. What is up with that???
Good luck sister!
I have done it all, and can tell you that this is some pretty solid advice.
This line….”Too bad each “board” you created rang in just a hair under a thousand bucks. (give or take a few) No wonder you can’t replicate the damn thing at Target!” really hit home for me!
You’ve still got time. Take a deep breath and go again on a better day when you’ve got more time.
OH! And have lots of fun on your trip!
Shopping with PMS? Don’t do it!! OR when you are hungry or tired!
Excellent points and probably the reason I don’t shop very often. I do order things online pretty often with future trips in mind. For the record, I don’t like anything in my closet right now and I have some things coming from Coldwater Creek 🙂
Oh – sooooo true 🙂
Before my trip to Mexico spur of the momently, I decided I needed some new bathsuits.. long and short of it, I came home sobbing because everything looked horrible, if only in my mind..
I suggest taking a night when you are feeling a little more like yourself to go through your closet again and find your favorite items.. There are hidden in there, trust me 🙂
Great post and so true. Lena, last minute shopping with hhubby and kids is on my list of things never to do. lolIt never ends well.
Um, HELLO! You just described my weekend. Except I brought my husband and two young children with me. I have no idea what I’m wearing and at this point, will turn up in yoga pants and my husband’s t-shirt. T-MINUS 9 days to be FABULOUS!!!
Aww I hope you get to go for Round 2 soon, albeit when you’re in a better frame of mind. I can’t even count how many times I’ve had shopping trips that sound like that! Plus it’s wedding season now, so I’m sure I’m about to have many more.
smiles…enjoy your trip to orlando…used to live about 40 minutes from there….
shopping i can live without…i wear things til they wear out and i am forced to shop…lol
I hate shopping in a rush. It never goes well.
And you should see my Saturday post – it’s about that whole closet-packed-with-cloths issue!
LOL exactly why I hate shopping for clothes!