How to Shop (Part 1)

I learned how to shop mostly by watching other people--my mom, friends, Sandra Bullock's advice in a random movie: "if you don't love it in the store, you won't wear it."--and through a lot of trial and error. And I'm still learning how to shop! It's torturous--as in, being pinched over and over again by someone with long fingernails torturous--especially if you're shopping for an item like jeans or a dress and you're between sizes. But it's not all bad! In fact, once you figure out how to shop (or at least, better ways to shop), it's actually a lot of fun!

So, how to shop? Let's start at home. Back in my fashion show days (that makes me sound much older than I actually am), I would tell the show's models to arrive at the store for Shopping Day comfortably dressed in clothes you can easily change into/out of. It's tempting to show up decked out in hairspray, hoop earrings, and lace-up boots, but it's a nightmare! You lose so much time unlacing your boots to try on a pair of shorts and then relacing them to go look for the same shorts in a smaller size.

Think comfy (t-shirt, pants, slip-on shoes, wrist scrunchi, crossbody purse to keep your hands free and hold your sunglasses while you try on shirts. Camisoles are super because you can try some items on over the top. Also, if you plan to try on any shirts, wear shorts under dresses.) but DON'T leave frumpy. I noticed even as a middle-schooler that store staff can be rude and condescending, but sometimes dressing nicely can make a positive impact. And you'll be a much more confident shopper knowing you look like a total boss. That makes a big difference! I always try to remember that some of the staff I'll meet haven't had a good day, so I try to be very polite (smile, say, "Hi," make eye contact when entering the boutique/department). That's much easier when I'm not in baggy sweats and a camp t-shirt.

DON'T go shopping unless you know what you want. "I need new clothes" translates to "I have no idea what I want, so I'm going to unintentionally buy a lot of things I don't need, then have to go shopping again next week because I still need new clothes," That was my entire tweenhood. *tears*

Instead, make a list of things that will make your wardrobe awesome--the more detailed the better!

• lightweight jeans in a pale color that won't be too hot for summer
• plain t-shirt long enough I can lift my arms without baring my abdomen
• two tank tops for layering
• hoodie for the beach
• cute earrings for the beach

DON'T go shopping if you or the person you're shopping with is hungry, tired, or feeling sick. Talk your mom and fashion sister into sitting down and eating beforehand, or rescheduling the shopping trip for later. And always bring water with you to stay hydrated.

Plan your shopping trip for a weekend, day off, or evening when you have plenty of time to take your time.

Know your seasonal skin tone, the color beneath your skin color. Knowing what hue of red I look best in has saved me from buying dresses I'll never feel confident in, even though the color looked pretty in the store's lighting. Lots of websites and blogs talk about this, so I'll redirect you to one here. Once you find your season, just Google for color pallet images. Don't get too caught up in whether you're a soft summer or a cool summer: you're a summer (like me!), you can wear summer colors. Besides, you--and your fashion sister--know what you like and, together, will figure out what looks best.

--Side story: I once read a book where the author said summers absolutely cannot wear any black, but black comes in more than a handful of different tones, and I know without any doubt I can rock the blueish one. So don't take advice from rule-crazy fashion people too seriously.--

Wow, that's weird; this post is supposed to be about how to shop, but all we've covered is how to get ready to go shopping! That's because this is only how to shop part one. That's right! Learning how to shop is going to take more than one post, so stay tuned for part two!

Tween Shoes for Success

Your shoes should never hold you back!

I've got some really sad news and I'm not sure how to break it. This might be one of the last few years of cute, sparkly, brightly colored, and bedazzled shoes being readily available in your size. I don't understand it either, it's like shoe manufacturers don't think teenagers or adults can have fun, which is especially heartbreaking if, like I was, you're a foot-size bigger than other tweens.

My advice: wear those shoes! Don't worry about whether they'll match everything in your closet. One of my biggest regrets is not wearing glittery, hot pink sneakers when I had the chance. That, and wearing shoes that were uncomfortable. That's why I think the concept of shoes for success is brilliantly awesome. We wear shoes almost everywhere, they should never hold us back, never stop us from our goals, and especially never keep us from having fun.

Here are some tricks for making sure you're wearing shoes for success:

• Shoe sizes vary from brand to brand, so don't hesitate to go up or down a few sizes until you find a comfortable fit.
  
  
• You'll notice that shoes (like feet!) come in a variety of shapes: narrow, wide, round toed, different round toe. Before shopping, trace an outline of your foot on paper. You want to find a shoe whose sole is as close to that shape as possible.
  
  
• Stand up. Your big toe or second toe (whichever is longest) shouldn't touch the end of the shoe. There should actually be enough room for you to squeeze a finger between that toe and the end of the shoe (since you can't actually put your finger there, you'll need to guess a little).
  
  
• If you look at the bottom of your foot, you'll notice the widest part of it looks like several circles mashed together. This area is the "ball of your foot;" it should fit comfortably in the shoe's widest part, bonus shoes for success points if the shoe has extra padding here!
  
  
• Fun fact, most people have one foot that is larger than the other! Make sure you try on both shoes. It's better for a shoe to be a little too big on one foot than too small on the other.
  
  
• Another fun fact: feet are bigger at the end of the day than in the mornings, mostly because gravity causes feet to swell throughout the day (they shrink again after a night of horizontal sleeping). Many celebrities attend red-carpet events in high heels that are too big, so after a night of standing and foot swelling, their shoes aren't uncomfortable. Celebrities are a little extreme, but if you're going shoes for success shopping, go after school or in the evenings.
  
  
• Don't buy tight shoes, hoping they'll stretch out. Don't buy shoes that are too big planning to "grow into them." It's bad for your foot and you'll feel clumsy wearing them. Buy shoes in your size, if you outgrow them, that's okay! Treat them well and someone else can have them when they stop fitting.
  
  
• Get active! You'll be living in these shoes: walk laps around the store, jump rope, bust a move, climb steps--if they're church shoes, take a knee! Make sure your heel isn't sliding around, sandal straps aren't rubbing uncomfortably, and the back of the shoe isn't biting into your achilles. Don't be shy about it! You are young and vibrant, if anyone's bothered by dancing in the shoe aisle, shame on them, they don't know skill when they see it. Keep dancing!
  
  
• Lastly, don't ever sacrifice comfort for fashion. You don't just need shoes for success, you need shoes that make you feel unstoppable.

If you're looking for fun ways to show off or highlight your shoes, try wearing them with a similarly colored belt or purse! I once found sunglasses with the same glittery zebra print as my tennis shoes...though I don't think anyone else noticed. *SMH*

And in case you are also one of those awesome people who enjoy browsing photos of shoes, here's a quick sampling of fabulous, tween-approved shoes for success.

Happy Sunday!

Tween Handbags and Purses

Now that we've covered the spring shell wardrobe, let's talk about tween handbags and purses. One of the first things I noticed as a tween, slowly graduating from kids to juniors clothing, is that jacket pockets began to shrink and some jean pockets were façades! Sadly, nothing's really changed, leaving all of us with a necessity for portable pockets. But don't worry! It's not all bad, in fact, having a purse can actually be both practical and glamorous--a mini suitcase that's also a statement piece!

If you are new to the tween handbags and purses scene you're about to encounter three common problems:

1) Boring adult purses

2) Handbags constantly slipping off the shoulder

3) Low quality.

Let's address quality first! Unless you plan on only owning one, you don't need a $100 or even $30 purse. You're still experimenting with styles! But you don't want to buy one so cheaply made that it breaks on the first day! Here are a few things to consider when purchasing tween handbags and purses:

When buying a large handbag (perfect for carrying a water bottle or mini umbrella), check for studs on the bottom, they prevent the bag from getting scuffed on surfaces--scuffing that often leads to torn corners. An equally common problem with large handbags is lining that's not tacked in. This can lead to items getting lost at the bottom of your bag.

A super common problem with not only tween handbags and purses, but all purses (even expensive ones) are straps that break. You can limit the likelihood of this by not overstuffing your bag (that's a lot of weight on those seams!), and getting a bag with a wide shoulder strap should also reduce breakage as the weight is then a little more evenly distributed. Speaking of shoulder straps, that leads us to problem two!

Purses usually fit into three categories: crossbody, handbag, clutch. If you're having trouble with straps slipping off your shoulder, crossbody purses are a solution, but it's hard to find a crossbody large enough to hold both of the books you brought to read in the waiting room. Look for a handbag (aka "shoulder bag") with a strap/straps of a material like synthetic/faux leather (much less slippery than shiny plastic).

 

Wait! What about clutches? Often these treasures have a very thin, attachable strap, but clutches are really meant to be held and they're sized for only essential items (phone, $5-$7, lip balm, mini pen, hair glitter touch-up, and other emergency products). Clutches are beautiful accessories for formal dinners, theater, and ballets, but for costume balls, quinceñaras, and weddings, don't bring anything too valuable as you will probably leave it unattended while you dance.

Now about those boring adult purses! The trick is knowing where to shop. Most of the tween handbags and purses photographed are from Charming Charlie, which offers a lot of glittery options--and penny-pinching sales! You'll find colorful purses at Claire's, but not many handbags. If you're interested in novelty styles, Think Geek, while expensive, is a lot of fun. And probably the best store for shopping tween handbags? Justice! They have a wide variety of styles--and no boring adult purses!

I would love to know about your experiences with tween handbags and purses! What other problems do you encounter a lot--and what are some horror stories you've had as a result?? Leave a comment below!

See you next week!