Going shopping with a few close girlfriends may sound like the perfect bonding activity, but it can wreak havoc on your wallet and last for hours. With a group of women time seems to fly by: each one gravitates towards items of their own tastes, picks through, tries on, comments on each others’ picks, etc. It’s fine if you know you won’t get much accomplished in the span of 4 hours, but if you’re actually trying to shop productively the last thing you want is a group of wishy-washy “yes men.”

You need someone who is going to have the same intention as you: shopping to get specific items in mind. If your friend won’t:

• – be honest in the fitting room
• – offer constructive comments
• – encourage you to get something before at least asking, “what else will you wear it with?”

…she may be less helpful than you think. You should look to bring someone who will be brutally honest in the nicest way possible with no hidden intentions. I personally enjoy shopping alone. I used to shop with friends until I realized that some girls: say yes to something because they don’t have the heart to say no, say yes because it’s their taste and want to borrow it in the future, or they encourage you to buy so they can “live vicariously through you” (as odd as that sounds, it’s happened when girlfriends are on a low budget).

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My logic has come down to this:

While trying on, if you look in the mirror and legitimately need someone else’s opinion, you should not buy that item.

When you put a new garment or accessory on your body, if you do not feel adoration or if the item does not evoke some sort of emotion and make you feel good in a certain way then you should not buy it. No one else’s opinion is going to help you decide whether or not you will wear something. If I am not confident enough to know that I will definitely wear it or that I “need” it, I will not buy the shirt/shoes/bag/dress/whatever.

Shop smart, shop confidently 🙂

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