my guide to male clothes shopping
I don't pay a lot for anything. I probably take too much pride in this, but you know what? I've got it down to a science. While talking to some friends the other day, I realized this would be a great idea for a blog entry. Women are much more patient, seasoned shoppers than men, so some of the following doesn't apply to them. Anyways, here we go:
1. Have a solid rotation of stores - preferably those with good sale racks like Macy's, the Gap, Urban Outfitters and Banana Republic. Try to visit a Marshalls at least once a month, even if you have to travel by plane or train - just get there. Target has a lot of surprisingly good clothes for cheap. DSW makes me feel warm and fuzzy.
2. Visit your stores regularly. If you have five minutes to kill, do a sales rack drive-by. You'll be surprised what you might find. Shopping spontaneously is important, because it trains you to...
3. Be willing to walk away. Just let it go. Maybe it's not your day. Like a seasoned mugger or a veteran NBA player, you've got to learn not to force things. There is no shame in leaving a store empty-handed. In fact, the more you do it, the better it feels.
4. Try to limit the number of times you head out looking for something specific at the last minute, otherwise known as deadline-shopping. If you need clothes for a formal occasion, start casually looking well ahead of time. Otherwise you'll end up paying way too much for something you don't even really like.
5. Shop out of season. At the end of every season, stores will often mark down stock drastically. In March the Gap will mark winter coats down to $30 - the only problem is you can't wear your new coat for eight months. Suck it up.
6. Set limits. I try to never pay more than $20 for a sweater, $15 for a T-shirt or $40 for shoes. If you find something over your limit, try coming back in a couple of weeks to see if it's been marked down. Will yourself out of the store - paying full-price is just wrong. When someone gives you a gift certificate somewhere, you can shop as irresponsibly as you want.
7. If someone complements you on something you're wearing, always let them know how little you paid for it. This is not to rub it in their faces, but for your own sake. You will quickly get a reputation as a great bargain hunter, one you will have to work hard to maintain. The next time you're in a store looking at something that's well over one of your pre-determined limits, you'll realize that you have a reputation to uphold. What if someone complements you on it? Everything you've worked so hard to achieve will crumble. Self-imposed guilt is a powerful thing.
1. Have a solid rotation of stores - preferably those with good sale racks like Macy's, the Gap, Urban Outfitters and Banana Republic. Try to visit a Marshalls at least once a month, even if you have to travel by plane or train - just get there. Target has a lot of surprisingly good clothes for cheap. DSW makes me feel warm and fuzzy.
2. Visit your stores regularly. If you have five minutes to kill, do a sales rack drive-by. You'll be surprised what you might find. Shopping spontaneously is important, because it trains you to...
3. Be willing to walk away. Just let it go. Maybe it's not your day. Like a seasoned mugger or a veteran NBA player, you've got to learn not to force things. There is no shame in leaving a store empty-handed. In fact, the more you do it, the better it feels.
4. Try to limit the number of times you head out looking for something specific at the last minute, otherwise known as deadline-shopping. If you need clothes for a formal occasion, start casually looking well ahead of time. Otherwise you'll end up paying way too much for something you don't even really like.
5. Shop out of season. At the end of every season, stores will often mark down stock drastically. In March the Gap will mark winter coats down to $30 - the only problem is you can't wear your new coat for eight months. Suck it up.
6. Set limits. I try to never pay more than $20 for a sweater, $15 for a T-shirt or $40 for shoes. If you find something over your limit, try coming back in a couple of weeks to see if it's been marked down. Will yourself out of the store - paying full-price is just wrong. When someone gives you a gift certificate somewhere, you can shop as irresponsibly as you want.
7. If someone complements you on something you're wearing, always let them know how little you paid for it. This is not to rub it in their faces, but for your own sake. You will quickly get a reputation as a great bargain hunter, one you will have to work hard to maintain. The next time you're in a store looking at something that's well over one of your pre-determined limits, you'll realize that you have a reputation to uphold. What if someone complements you on it? Everything you've worked so hard to achieve will crumble. Self-imposed guilt is a powerful thing.
posted by Justin at 8:17 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home