There are those who are born to shop. Then there are those who absolutely despise stepping foot into a mall for many reasons: they don’t know how to pair things together, they have low self esteem, and they hate crowds of people. I am sure you all know where I fall into place. Yep, that’s right, I was born a shopper, and that’s why when my mom asked me if I could go along with her to find some good summer pieces, I was more than happy to tag along. Okay, okay, I will admit that I wasn’t only tagging along to help my mom, but because I knew I would be in for some new things too… bought by mom! When it comes to patience, I tend to not have a lot of it, but with this type of stuff, I have more patience than many people combined. After being at the mall for 7 hours (no joke) with my mom, and watching her from the beginning of our shopping extravaganza to the end of it, I came up with a few helpful tips to those who find shopping to be more of a chore, rather than something fun.

1. Patience, Patience, Patience

I knew from the second I met my mom by the escalators that she had already had it. There were loads of people, and I will even I will  say it was a little overwhelming. The key to shopping at stores peak hours is to have patience. If you find that you feel like you are about to burst, take a deep breath, maybe sit down for a few, and regain some confidence. Nothing comes easy in this world, clothes included, so you need to allow yourself to have as much patience as possible in order to be successful.

2. Give Yourself  A Break

I am going to be completely honest, nobody (including me), likes trying clothes on in an undersized room, with hot bright lights shinging down in all of the wrong places. This can get anyone down, and can instantly ruin your day. Again, you have to take a deep breath, and remind yourself that nobody is perfect, and there will always be something that isn’t right on your body. You can think that if you were 10 pounds lighter you would be happier, but let me tell you, if you lost those 10 pounds, you would still think if you were another 5 pounds lighter, you would feel better. It’s a viscious cycle that will sadly never end, so you might as well become your own best friend, and be happy with who you are and what you look like.

3. Have An Open Mind

People who only go shopping a few times a year tend to stay within their comfort zone, meaning, they stick to the same designers, cuts, and colors. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few things in my closet that I will always rebuy because I know I feel confident in them and they are comfortable. But, one of the best parts of going shopping and buying new clothes is trying different items that you’ve never tried before.

4. Have Fun

Lastly, and one of the most important things, is have fun. As much as you might hate shopping, you can still turn the day into a fun hang out sesh. As the day went on, I noticed that my mom was not only more patient (I have never, ever seen her last 7 hours at a mall), and open minded, but it seemed like she was having some fun. We made some jokes, had a few laughs, and had a very successful day.

I hope that these 4 tips help, or motivate any of you to hit the mall for some new much needed items. I know it can be scary and intimidating, but if you have someone who you are close with accompany you, you maybe surprised at how much stuff (and fun) you can have.

Inspiration of the day: “I always say shopping is cheaper than a psychiatrist.”-  Tammy Faye Bakker

Goodnight, CB