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!

The Fashion Sister

         

          
 

Having a fashion sister is amazing! It's like being a celebrity with a professional stylist, while at the same time getting to be a stylist for a famous celebrity (her) every time the two of you go shopping together! A fashion sister is basically that one person in your life who always just knows what dress or color of fuzzy sweater will look amazing on you. She's also been friends with you long enough to recognize your style right when she sees it--even if it's still on the rack! Awesome galaxy leggings?  She's going to make sure she shows them to you! Sassy t-shirt in her size? No way are you not going to have her try it on!

A fashion sister can be anyone, an older friend, a younger friend, a really cool cousin, even an actual sister! What makes her special is that she's always there for those moments when you try on a pair of jeans or earrings and just aren't sure if they look good on you. She's someone who can be really honest if those jeans look too tight or too baggy on you, or if maybe another pair of earrings might look better with your face shape.

The Tween Style Hotspot is a blog where you can find all kinds of fun facts about fashion, DIY style hacks, clothing fit guides, tricks to shopping for particularly tough to find items, and even how to manage your wardrobe budget; but having a fashion sister is something much more special! It's sometimes difficult to read about a new trend and know how to experiment with it yourself, but chances are you can read about a fun trend and then style an outfit for your friend based off of it! That's because when we help others pick out an outfit we often feel more creative than with our own wardrobe, so reading this blog with a friend and then trying out the techniques together is going to be absolutely awesome for both of you!

But what if I don't have a fashion sister?? Well, finding one is actually a lot easier than you might imagine! Just think through all of your friends: which friend has an amazing sense of style and has maybe helped you make a fashion-related decision before? --"definitely wear that skirt with those leggings, it will make the colors stand out!"-- Who's a friend that really admires your personal sense of style? --"I like your backpack! I think it's neat that you like flowery patterns!"-- All you need to do is start small. Ask that friend to help you pick out an outfit for school or a party the next day. Ask them to tag along the next time you and your mom go clothing shopping because you can always use a second opinion when picking out dresses! Or even just ask her if she wants to be your fashion sister and then show her this post!

P.S. Thank you so much to our two, very talented and beautiful models who picked out their own outfits (aren't their outfits so chic and snazzy?!) and took their time to draw the colorful butterflies in the background of the first photo. We went through a lot of chalk (and everyone had it all over their hands and sleeves!) but the butterflies turned out gorgeously, and no one would be on this blog, reading this post, if it weren’t for them! So, a huge thank you to both of you! Working with you was truly an honor and I am so appreciative of all your help!