The Ups and Downs of Shopping

            Shopping is an adventure. The new styles, the outfit ideas, the sales, the clinking of hangers as you search for the perfect article of clothing... Numerous books, magazines, and TV shows make shopping seem so effortless; just pick out what goes together and looks great on you! However, when you want to find a staple in your wardrobe such as a suit, special occasion dress, or comfortable pair of shoes, shopping becomes a daunting task. A staple means that you intend to wear it often because it goes with everything. It has to be the perfect fit, cut, and colour that’s right for you. You have to try on the same item over and over again and compare prices, styles, and fits at different stores. Then you have to make a decision. The blue or the black? Sale or new arrival? What if you just cannot find what you’re looking for? Questions like these can add up to one thing: stress.
             Shopping can be stressful. My usual shopping trips consist of browsing through my favourite stores to see what's new. Recently, I had to look for a new pair of dress pants. I went into store after store and tried on what seemed to be over 50 pairs of pants before buying one. Some stores had a variety of styles while others did not (“Do you have dress pants?” “Umm…we have some yoga pants and leggings that just came in…” NOT the same). In the end, I found what I was looking for, but instead of feeling pleased that my search for dress pants had ended, I found myself exhausted and relieved. 
             My best advice to you is don’t give up. It may seem like you’ve been trying on the same article of clothing forever and that you’ll never find anything, but you will. It’s out there; you just have to keep looking. Prom season is in full swing, and so far dresses are the number one topic of conversation. Everyone’s getting their dress and shoes ahead of time to be ready for the big night. I was lucky enough to find my dress back in January so it could take its three months to be ordered (I know. I have to remind myself that I have one.); but I know a few people who have been looking and looking and haven’t found one yet. Keep going.            
            Not finding what you were looking for after a day of shopping is discouraging. Many people begin to believe that maybe there is something wrong with them, not the clothes. The self-hatred kicks in: my arms are flabby, my hips are too wide, my thighs are huge, the list goes on. Stop. There is nothing wrong with you. The clothes are the problem. The pants are cut differently. The print on the t-shirt is crazy. The heel of the shoe is too high. The clothes don’t do justice for you. The perfect article of clothing should make you look and more importantly feel great about yourself.
            So don’t give up on shopping and look on the positive side. If worse comes to worst, give yourself a break and try on something you know you like before getting back to what you were looking for.
            Good luck and have fun!