Shopping tips for fashionable items

Now I must confess, shopping is not one of my strong suits but that doesn’t mean every now and then I don’t indulge in a little splurge. The most popular reasons to shop for fashionable items is the need to feel a sense of pride, dignity and have ‘effizy’ among one’s peers. It’s a symbol of our financial status, to let everyone know “we’ve arrived”. For some people, the desire to overindulge comes from a need to cheer themselves up after having a bad day. For others, it’s simply to give themselves a treat; a little something for ‘me only’. Or it could be to celebrate ourselves as a consolation after a job well done when we’ve achieved a great feat in our careers.

But mainly in Nigeria, it is done to show that one has control of money and not the other way round especially after struggling with being ‘broke’ for so long. Plus, there is a need to feel a little bit irresponsible after being too careful about money.

There are different ways to shop; you can either go on a spree, for a steal, or shop comparatively.

STEAL
By steal I don’t mean going to raid a boutique. I’m simply referring to buying things – clothes, accessories, shoes etc – of high quality at cheaper prices. Getting great items at steal may a bit of hard work because if everyone knew how to, then most of us would be out of luck. So if you decide to go cross-country while looking for that item at a steal, well, good luck to you! It’s always better to be informed before you step out in your quest for a steal, that way you don’t expend too much energy and feel too exhausted to enjoy yourself. So it’s important to plan to:

Pamper your body with a little refreshment after your purchase. Even if you decide to go to a shopping mall, you’d still feel tired after checking out a few stores because the task of wondering from shop to shop can leave you mentally and physically exhausted as it is time consuming.

Make sure when you go shopping you take a friend along. It may seem financially burdensome but it’s necessary. It’s tons of fun to have someone ‘trip’ over your purchase. For you are looking for a great price for that quality stuff you need, go with a friend who can take you to where you can get great quality stuff at very low prices and praise you for your bargaining strength. This street-wise shopper knows when a purchase at a discount is a disadvantage to go for because another brand of that product of equal quality is cheaper... la, la, la. Bottom line, shopping is no fun when you are alone. If you doubt it then ask yourself why you need to run your purchase by the first person you see when you get back from shopping alone.

The Internet is also a good place to shop. You can use comparison search engines to check out prices and brands.

Now this leads me to another form of shopping.

COMPARATIVE SHOPPING
It involves not only comparing prices but also different brands of the same product like a Nike or All Stars sneaker. Here you can sample a variety of products by different manufacturers to determine which best suits your budget. I think the reasons for engaging in comparative shopping are pretty obvious and they act as guidelines for practicing this type of shopping.

Endeavour to get value for your money. This shopping allows you to buy only that which is necessary because the shopper is well within his/her financial capability. This enables the shopper to get value for his/her money’s worth and also to save a few extras for other expenses. Plus, the more the merrier, right? So you can say comparative shopping allows for variety of possessions with the illusion of abundance in the midst of little.

Bargain till the price is right. Sometimes comparative shopping is just as exciting a form of shopping as spree because your bargaining power is what allows you to feel on top of the world when you get stuff cheap or very cheated when you don’t.

SPREE
This is simply a carefree wanton spending or a pleasant outing in pursuit of enviable items. With a lot of cash to throw around, this form of shopping can be exceedingly fun-filled. In a case where cash inflow isn’t a limitation, most people are inclined to spree. So I think it is safe to say that a true shopping spree isn’t about one’s bargain power but about buying that ‘treasure’ for keeps. It’s the fact that you could get that TM Lewin or Thomas Pink shirt that you’ve been eye-ing or that Gucci or Louis Vuitton bag that you saw in Vogue magazine that makes spree very exciting. In which case, it is important that you:

Keep up with the trends. There’s nothing worse than spending a fortune on an outdated fashion item. Trends can be seen in fashion shows, articles/blogs or by following different fashion icons (TV presenters, movie/music stars) or designers’ lines. Even if your item is no longer in vogue, listening to fashion reporters can enable you learn how to combine your expensive piece with other items to enable you stay on trend.

Beyond the availability of cash, it’s a wonder what makes people choose one form of shopping over the other. Whatever form of shopping you decide to indulge in a spree, steal or comparative shopping, remember the main aim is to look good, so be satisfied with your purchase. This is coming from a convenience shopper. Over and out!