You’re not the only one who has popped out to the shops to pick up a few groceries, and then ended up in Zara trying on a dress or trouser suit.
But if your goal this season is to whip your shopping into shape and quit impulse buys for good, then there are simple things you can do to stop shopping.
Personal shopper, Alarna Hope, recently shared some of her top tips with FEMAIL.
‘It’s amazing how many people shop in a rush, or in the moment, and don’t consider if they will actually get the chance to wear the item,’ Alarna explained.
Personal shopper, Alarna Hope (pictured), recently shared her top tips for how you can quit impulse shopping for good with FEMAIL
The first thing she said you should do is make a list of your weekly routine – if you are someone who doesn’t go out at night much, you shouldn’t waste too much cash on going out clothes
1. Make a list
The first thing you need to do to quit impulse shopping is make a list.
‘The first thing I do is ask clients for a list of what they do each week and what their routine is,’ Alarna told FEMAIL.
‘This is so that there is nothing that will get put in our shopping bags that won’t get regular use.’
Often, the personal shopper added, while that evening dress might be beautiful, in fact you will not wear it very much.
‘What I see a lot is that women over-compensate in certain areas of their wardrobes, despite not having the places to go in these clothes,’ Alarna (pictured) said
‘What I see a lot is that women over-compensate in certain areas of their wardrobes, despite not having the places to go in these clothes,’ she said.
‘We may tend to have a lot of “going out” clothing, but actually rarely go out. On the other hand, we might have too much work clothing but only work five days a week and so have no casual clothing for the weekend, meaning we have to rely on gym clothes.’
Once you’ve made a list, she added, you’re ‘far more likely to invest in quality everyday pieces you’ll actually wear, rather than splurging on something that will rarely get worn’.
Alarna also explained that you need to realise it’s possible to not spend too much and update your wardrobe – you don’t need thousands of dollars (stock image)
2. You don’t need to spend much
If you’re looking to update your wardrobe for the new season, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and as if you need thousands.
But, according to Alarna, in fact you don’t need that much money to make your wardrobe new and fresh:
‘My average client spends between $1200 and $2000 on updating their wardrobe, very rarely do my clients spend upwards of $6000 on an entire update,’ Alarna wrote on her blog.
Instead, think about the smaller things that go a long way in mixing up your style – whether it’s a pair of antique earrings, a new statement blouse or skirt.
Knowing that you don’t need to spend a lot brings us to Alarna’s (pictured) third point – being realistic with what you spend – she recommends setting a budget for each item in your closet
3. Be realistic
Knowing that you don’t need to spend a lot brings us to Alarna’s third point – being realistic with what you spend:
‘Once you know what style you’re going for and what you need, set a budget,’ she said, adding that the best budgets are set by going online and looking at the average price of items from brands you love.
‘Make a list for each category like tops, jackets, skirts and dresses and list the average price for each. This will become a quick reference for you in the future,’ she said.
Try not to go over your budget, and automatically disregard something if it’s too pricey.
4. Sleep on it
Lastly, Alarna revealed that ‘if you aren’t so excited about the item you’ve tried on that you want to wear it first thing tomorrow then it’s a good idea to sleep on it’.
She said go home, give it a day or two and if you find yourself thinking about it, then and only then go back for it.
‘If you can see that it will work well with your wardrobe, then it’s worth investing,’ she said.
To read more from Alarna Hope, you can visit her website here.