Styling Saturdays: Love what you buy or leave it on the rack.

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Oh the joys of shopping . . .

There's nothing better than a little retail therapy to make life a little more happier. As I was reading an article on Spring cleaning by the lovely Lola from Bee. You. Tiful. You I came across an all too familiar problem most women face;

We have things in our closets we haven't worn in months, 

or worse years!

Since I've already written about editing your closet, I won't do it again but I want to get to the root of the evil. 

Buying things you don't love!

I think Rachel Zoe puts it perfectly, 

"Buy something because you love it, you need it, and you will use it."

I couldn't agree more Rachel!

So many times we as women go into a store without a plan. We don't know what we need, the look we're going for, or anything else for that matter. All we know is that there's a burning desire to buy something . . . anything!

That my darling is problem number one. 

When going shopping, you must have a plan. Are you looking for a new clutch, accessories, a great pair of pumps? If so what color and how much are you willing to spend? Sometimes spending a little more on one item will do the trick instead of picking up a bunch or random items you may not be happy with.

Which leads to the next problem,

buying things simply because they're on clearance. We all love a good clearance rack, believe me I know, but don't get sucked into it. While there's nothing wrong with shopping clearance, (I do it all the time) be sure not to pick something up simply because it's a good deal. Think about how you will wear it first. What do you already own that can be paired with it? Is it worthy of being worn more than once? Are there any snags or other damaged areas? Can it transcend the test of time? Do you absolutely have to have it?

 I feel this is the biggest mistake we women make while shopping, 

it's the root of all evil.

We see something in a store that's cute or okay and we purchase it right away. Any good style savvy person knows that you only buy the things you absolutely have to have! 

I mean the pieces you know if you leave the store without, you might just utterly die. These items hands down are the only ones you should be leaving the store with. There the ones you'll wear for months, seasons, and years to come. 

Every time I go shopping I do this simple test. If I like something I'll keep it in the back of my mind as I browse the store. I never pick up something I simply "like." 

Anything in the like category is already making its way into the black hole of your closet.

As I continue to search the store, if I see something that I love. I pick it up and take it with me on my journey. That way, I have time to examine it. 

Do I like the material? 

Does it appear cheap? 

Is the design really as great as I thought it was at first glance? 

What's the price? 

Is it an item I can wait to go on sale or is it worth the full "right now" price? 

 Will I be thinking about this piece when I get home?

And finally, will my heart be shattered into a million pieces if I come back and it's gone?

That right there is the key to purchasing any item! Will your heart be broken if you come back and it's gone? 

That's when you know you're shopping out of love and not out of impulse.

Happy shopping!