Lots of the women I talk to really dislike shopping.

Not only that, but they tend to feel like they SHOULD like shopping, and so feel like they are lacking in some way.

Shopping can be very overwhelming, so I totally get the feeling of dislike.  In my experience, there are a few reasons for not enjoying shopping for clothes:

1. It Can Be Overwhelming

It can be very overwhelming if you are not 100% confident with what you are looking for. 

The stores are full of an array of colours, styles and shapes of clothing and unless you know exactly what you are looking for, it can be incredibly stressful to try to find the one or two things that are right for you in amongst the hundreds of garments on offer.

2. Decision Fatigue

Our brains do not have an infinite capacity for decision-making.

It takes a lot of energy to make a decision, and going out shopping involves making lots of small decisions.  Eventually, you just run out of the ability to make a decision.

At that point, we either just give up and go home, or buy something, anything, just so that it is not a completely wasted trip.

3. Shopping Malls

Shopping malls can be draining places to be, especially if it’s a busy day or time of day.  There will be:

• Lots of people to manoeuvre around
• Visually it can be quite exhausting to see all the colours and different products on sale.  It can be very hard work on our eyes and our brains.
• They can be very noisy, echoey places, which again can be quite tiring.
• They can be hot and stuffy, or cold and draughty.

If that all sounds quite exhausting, don’t worry I’m going to make it a little easier for you!

The key to making shopping easier is to reduce the options available to you.  This does two things:  it means there are fewer decisions to make, which in turn reduces the overwhelm.

Know Your Colours

Without knowing your colour palette, walking into a store can be dating, as you have the whole array of colours on display to choose from.

When you know your best colours, you can immediately disregard at least 75% of the garments in front of you.  Once you know your colours, your brain will automatically filter out the colours that are not in your palette and focus on only the right colours.  This significantly reduces your risk of decision fatigue.

It might even mean that you can stand in the entrance to a store, have a quick scan and if you see that there is nothing in your palette, you don’t even need to go in!

Know Your Styles

Understanding your body shape and knowing the shapes of clothes that will flatter you, will further reduce the options available to you.

There are various ways of finding out which styles will work best for you.  One way is to download my Ultimate guide to finding your body shape.  You can find the guide here:

You may already know your body shape, in which case you will already know how helpful it is.

Whichever way you find your body shape, you will then be able to narrow down the options available to you even further, as again you can dismiss a good proportion of the store as just not right for you.

Do A Little Research

Before you go shopping, have a think about exactly what type of look you’re going for.

This will depend on the occasion you’re buying for, whether it’s business or leisure, and whether you’re after. a classic look, something feminine, a casual outfit, or maybe something a bit colourful and creative.

Once you know what you’re after, you can do some research online to find the brands that might have something suitable and go straight to those stores rather than search a number of stores.  

Again, you are just narrowing down your options and making the whole experience much easier on yourself.

Check Your Wardrobe

It makes shopping a whole lot easier if you know exactly what is in your wardrobe before you set off for any shopping malls.

I’m sure you can relate to being in a store, seeing a garment, and wondering if you already have something similar?

Or buying something you like and then getting it home to find your new purchase doesn’t go with anything in your current wardrobe.

To avoid either of these happening, make sure you know what’s in your wardrobe already.  It can also be a great help to know what gaps you have in your wardrobe and go shopping with a list of items that you need to make it all work together.

Going out with a list will really help reduce the overwhelm because you will be so much more focused.  And being focused will make the whole experience much more pleasant.

Go Shopping On Your Own

I know this might seem like a crazy idea!  Surely you’re better off having somebody with you?

Firstly your shopping buddy will need to be very comfortable with being completely honest with you.  The last thing you need is somebody telling you something looks good just because they don’t want to hurt your feelings!

Secondly, your friend will be telling you what they like, not necessarily what’s right for you.  

So trust your gut, go on your own, and I’m sure you will have a much better overall experience.

Go At A Quieter Time

There is nothing worse than when you’ve made the effort to get to the shops, and you find yourself wrestling with too many other people because the shops are crazy busy!

If it’s at all possible, go at a quieter time of the week and the day.  Weekends, school holidays, and late evening shopping events can tend to be quite busy and will be harder to focus on and achieve your mission!

Make It Fun!

Shopping doesn’t have to be a chore.  If you go shopping knowing yourself, your colours and styles, what you’re looking for, and what you already have, the whole experience can be a lot easier and more productive than perhaps you’ve experienced in the past.

My last tip is to make it a fun experience.  There are a number of ways to do this, but you could treat yourself to a refreshment break, either in the middle of your time or at the end.  Or maybe take advantage of getting out, and meet a friend after you have finished shopping for a meal or even a movie!

So What’s Next?

If you still feel completely daunted by the idea of going out shopping, but you need some new pieces, book a call with me to chat about how I can help to make the experience much more manageable.  You can book a time in my diary here: