What is your shopping style?

May 8, 2006
as seen in MissusSmartyPants Chatter
by Leslie aka MissusSmartyPants

If you do not know what styles work for you, or what styles are even popular right now…you have come to the right place!

MissusSmartyPants will do the shopping for you! I love to shop and keep up on the latest fashions and tweak them to work for me. I can help you regardless to how you feel about shopping. Some women love to shop and others dread it! It doesn’t matter what kind of shopper you are, I am here to help you get the most for your money and keep you looking up-to-date!

I recently took FlyLady and Leanne on a shopping trip to help them and found out what type of shoppers they are. But first, what kind of shopper are you?

Do you love shopping for clothes and the thrill of a great sale at your department store; or would you rather get a root canal? The way you answer this question will determine the big question: what type of shopper are you?

Most women do shop for recreation, or so-called “retail therapy” because it feels good. It is rooted deep in women’s psyche that they need to find something to make them look or feel better. Women being who they are of course are never quite satisfied. Often it’s a Saturday afternoon with the gals or daughter--a social get-together. Then there are women who shop to relieve office stress, or spend time alone, or are looking to fill that elusive “something” missing in their lives.

And there is the rare breed of woman, an alien mind set of women (albeit not as many) that any kind of shopping equals stress! They believe clothes shopping is utilitarian; a necessary thing to do when you need something (like a guy). Sometimes this attitude is because they don’t feel good about themselves. The clothes they select never fit right; the stores Only add to their stress because in their minds, they are a maze of confusion and a sea of clothing racks that never end. They throw their hands in the air and give up.

I believe that there can be a happy middle-ground to these two extremes. By getting in touch with your body shape and your lifestyle you will know your clothing needs. This will give you a plan of wardrobe basics on which you can build. Then you can add some fun items and accessories to express who you really are! Clothing is definitely a form of self-expression and you can have fun doing it!

At MissusSmartyPants.com we have a plan to help you look and feel your best--that’s what we’re all about! So, don’t stress and give up! Realize that style isn’t about label or size; it’s about self-expression and loving who you are. Care enough each day to get dressed to the shoes, (just like FlyLady says) and while you are at it, look good!

Let me tell you about one of my recent shopping experiences when FlyLady (Marla) came to town!  Leanne and I and her DF, Alice (aka “FlyLady wrangler”) all met at our local mall. Marla stated that she doesn’t really like to shop, that she isn’t comfortable trying on clothes and that she does not consider shopping “fun”. I was surprised that such a confident woman who helps so many people just doesn’t feel good about shopping.  I could sense that she was not used to looking at clothes objectively and what they can do for her body type. Marla stated she needed to build a nice travel trousseau to eliminate the hassle of deciding what to wear each day. She had done her homework and what she hoped to purchase to coordinate with them. She had a wardrobe plan.

I took her to Chico’s where I had pre-selected pants, shells, shirts, tunics, skirts and jewelry -- all based on her body type. Knowing that she looks dynamic in jewel tones, I chose vibrant shades to highlight her pretty face. She was a champ and tried on everything! We laughed when she tried on a bolero wrap that didn’t do such a sweet person justice! It didn’t work for her, but worked against her. I even talked her into trying on a monochromatic white outfit, against her better judgment! She was right-it didn’t work.

The point is, you need to try on lots of styles and take a few chances to see what works for your body type and what doesn’t!  We all had fun and laughed while realizing that some of the clothes didn’t work because of style or fit were wrong and didn’t pass the required measurements for her body. I could see that Marla had a bit of an “ah-ha” moment when she realized that clothes must fit certain proportions-for her!  She told me that was the first time that she didn’t feel uptight when clothes shopping!

FlyLady ended up with some great travel basics and interchangeable pieces that she will be comfortable and confident in! We carried on so long that we ended up closing down the store and the mall! At least the salespeople were nice enough to tell us how to get out!

I know we all learned something that day--you wear the clothes, not the clothes wear you! Clothes are a form of self-expression and should make you feel good. You too, can get that “million bucks feeling” by taking a chance, trying on different suggestions and taking a little time to make your own wardrobe plan!

Leslie MSP

		Tiffany Inspired Floating Heart Necklace		Don't like your body shape? Fling that Body Clutter
		Jewelry Store		The Book Nook
		Large Circle of Life Necklace		Tiffany Inspired Teardrop Earrings
		Jewelry Store		Jewelry Store