In the process of shopping online and adding things to your cart, it’s so easy to click the add button on everything you see. Have you been there? Online shopping is making it way too easy for us to add unnecessary items into our homes and lives. The solution to this is honing in on a process to help you make more intentional shopping decisions. It’s a habit we all need to work on, especially now that we can get access to buying so easily.

This also applies to other things outside of clothes shopping. The other day I was online, about to buy a new printer that I totally didn’t need. I’ll be moving in with my boyfriend soon and he has a printer that we’ll be able to use in our home office. If I get one, it will add clutter when we move together. I like to keep things simple and having extra things in my home doesn’t fit with who I am. Plus, going to Kinkos isn’t a big deal for the time being. 

This is where taking a pause and getting in tune with what your ultimate goal is will help you shop more efficiently. 

Questioning yourself and getting curious about the purchases you are making will help you make better decisions in the moment. You can pause and use these questions as you:

• Add things to your cart

• Try pieces on at the store

• Or open up your box of newly ordered items

Grab a notebook and keep track of the purchases you make and how they impact your mood or style. Take notes on what you learn along the way about yourself of what works for you and what doesn’t. 

As you scroll online or order items, here are the top questions you should ask yourself before you commit to that purchase:

• IS IT PRACTICAL FOR MY LIFE?

FYI, not everything in your closet needs to be functional. In my own wardrobe, I have pieces I truly love and do often wear but they aren’t weather-proof or machine washable. I still wear those pieces often because they fit my life as a stylist and I enjoy what it looks like and how I feel in them. Practical means it fits the life you have. If you are a top executive, you probably don’t need a lot of low cut shirts and short skirts, you may need pieces that are powerful, that fit properly, and fit for work. If you are working from home, getting three pairs of blazers probably isn’t the best use of your money. Instead, you’ll want pieces you can easily throw on for a Zoom call and feel professional yet stylish.

• DOES IT FIT WITH WHO I AM OR WHO I ASPIRE TO BE?

It’s important to always keep in mind who you are and what you aspire to be. If in the past you were shopping for sale items you never even liked enough to wear but now you are ready to invest in yourself, make sure you aren’t just scouring the sale section. Look for items you love regardless of whether it’s on sale or not. Maybe you were wearing trendy items that worked well in your 20’s when you were single but now your life is dedicated to a 9-5 job and being with your kids. If you aspire to feel more put together in your life, you’ll choose items that help you step into that role. If you haven’t taken the time to evaluate who you are today and who you aspire to be, write out a statement for yourself. This is something you can look at when you need a reminder as you decide what pieces you are choosing to buy and wear.

• CAN I MIX AND MATCH THE NEW PIECE WITH THINGS IN MY CLOSET?

This is so important when it comes to shopping. Sometimes clients buy this crazy fun piece but it’s not practical and doesn’t fit with anything in their closet. There’s no reason to buy pieces you aren’t going to wear. Make sure you can imagine what to wear it with so you begin wearing it once you purchase it. If it’s been awhile since you’ve done any shopping, you may look into your closet and realize you need an extra refresh and do actually need more than one or two new pieces. If that’s the case, check out my online program Style Refresh. It’s designed to help you update your closet with the right pieces that easily mix and match to fit your lifestyle.

• DO I ALREADY HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR?

It can be so easy to get into the trap of buying another black shirt for your collection of black shirts. Not that there's anything wrong with wearing only one color but this is where you begin to get into the trap of feeling like you have nothing to wear. You open your closet and see all these black shirts and wonder “Which black shirt with which blue jeans will I wear today?” It gets boring. Then you realize that from that collection of black shirts you gravitate towards the same two all the time. If what you’re about to purchase is similar to something you already have in your closet, find something new.

Need some ideas on trends to try for spring? Check out my blog Top Spring Trends to Try in 2022

I hope this changes the way you shop for clothing and other things in your life. 

Which tip was most helpful for you? Be sure to share in the comments!

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