How To Shop For Clothes.

As if anyone out there needs a tutorial on how to shop for clothes, right? Perhaps. I'm not going to sit here and blog to you about HOW to shop, exactly. I do have some advice for when you do go shopping.

Try everything you pick up on!

I have a hard time following my own advice on this one. If I've only picked up one piece and I'm feeling tired or lazy, I have a tendency to tell myself "It's my size, it should fit, and I like it. I don't need to try it on right now." Every time I do that, the piece I picked up ends up looking not quite how I imagined it would. I don't care how much you like the pattern, cut, detail, style, save yourself the trouble later (and the money in some instances) and try it on!

While we're talking about trying stuff on...

Try on stuff you don't think you'll like.

If something on the rack cathes your eye with it's color, pattern, style... whatever, pick it up! It's happened to us all, after we pick that piece up, we see something about it we don't like, something that changes our minds. It could be anything that makes your mind go, "Whoa... nevermind." I say to you, try it on anyway! It might end up looking great on you anyway. And the part that made your mind do a mental-slamming-on-the-brakes act could end up being a quirk you can learn to love.

Dress the body you have now, don't wait for the body you plan on having or wish you had.

I was guilty of this in the past. I kept telling myself that I was going to lose the weight I'd gained. If I was planning on doing that, there was really no point in buying new clothes. Not until I reached that ideal size. I also hung onto clothes much too small because I had it in my head that I would fit into those pieces again. Trust me, the only thing that kind of thinking does is make you think that your body is not right. The only thing that thought will do is bring you down! If you really are planning on dropping some pounds (or gaining some... or any kind of change) and have clothes you want to hang onto just in case, take them out of your closet and your drawers and store them away in a box that's out of sight, out of mind. Don't pull them out until you can fit into them. Trust me, I'm all for saving money anyway you can. Also, dress the body you have now. Drape yourself in clothes and accessories that you love and make you feel great. This will make you feel much better about yourself. When your mood is uplifted, you can better take youself to anywhere you want to go... even that body you've been dreaming of.

Size really and truly is just a number.

Another mistake I made in the past was when I was trying on jeans. I picked up the size I'd thought I was and went to try them on. Could not get them on. Picked up the next size up, could not get those on. Picked up the next size up, could not get those on! The next size of the jeans scared me so I put them away and quit trying them on even when I desperately needed a new pair of jeans. I didn't try any more pants on at all that day and I felt so defeated! But, I have since learned that the size is only there to help you cut your search time down. That's it. No one is going to reach into your pants and make remarks about what number is on the tag. Not to mention, when your clothes fit you right, the shape of your body (no matter what shape it is) will look fabulous! When you look fabulous, you'll feel fabulous! Only use the size number as a shopping tool to save yourself some time. If the size wasn't there, can you imagine how many different pairs you'd have to eyeball, pick out and eliminate by trial and error every single time you're looking for new clothes?!

Wear what you really like.

Don't base your fashion off of what other people like. Wear what makes you happy no matter what. When you wear what makes you happy, you rock a confident look. Confidence is the sexiest look, period. If you wear things because they're trendy, or it's what all of your friends are wearing, or whatever, when in reality, you really aren't into it, your face will show it. I have a pair of GIGANTIC, perfectly round, white glasses. Everyone I know has a smart comment to say every time I wear them. My boyfriend jokes that he hopes I break them on accident. He tells me I look like a bug. His mom tells me I look like an alien. My friends laugh at them. Note: All this joking and laughing is in good nature, these people in my life would never hurt me... it's just these glasses I have are pretty outrageous. But I love them, so I wear them anyway. When these people make jokes I laugh right along with them. When I get strange looks as I'm out and about wearing them, I flash a big smile. I feel great when I wear those glasses! Note #2: I was the maid of honor in my boyfriend's sister's wedding. I went with her as she was having her bridal portraits done. The photographer (also a friend of mine) ended up taking a picture of me in my glasses because they attracted so much attention from everyone else. But, I was rocking them with a smile on my face. Even with them being a little on the outrageous side, they bring a smile to everyone else's face, too. I like that about those glasses and I'm proud I have the balls to wear them.

Push your boundaries.

With makeup and clothes. I used to avoid practically anything but an extremely reserved lip color because I would think that being in this tiny town of mine, I'd get weird looks wearing something bright like I wanted to. Don't let that stop you! Something clicked in me one day and I started wearing anything I wanted (makeup, clothes, accessories) and I always feel great about it. It's the confidence thing again. Confidence is super sexy, so is individuality and uniqueness. So what if you're the only person in your zip code wearing a hot pink lipstick?! If you love the color, wear it with confidence and I promise you will look great!