Yesterday I had the great pleasure of shopping with the vibrant and lovely Ariadne. Not only was it fun but it was also successful. In large part, I attribute that to Ariadne herself. Why? Because she's an excellent shopper.

As someone who needs all the shopping lessons she can get, you'd better believe I was grateful for the instruction. Here are a few of the tips I picked up from watching and listening to her.

Number One: You learned it first here from Angie. Be patient, picky, and practical.

Practical: Naturally, in stores full of the holiday collections, we both saw MANY lovely items that either of us would have chosen for a fantasy life. But Ariadne quickly put them down after perhaps a loving pat or two. "Fantasy life!" she said. And we moved on.

Picky: Occasionally a lovely item comes along and it is a great price and looks fantastic...but something is "off" about it. When that happens, leave it alone, as Ariadne left the super cool lurex thread sweater from the sale rack that had a noticeable flaw.

Patient: Ariadne has been looking for a jacket to wear casually for four years. Four years, and no luck. Yesterday we hit pay dirt with not one, but TWO lovely jackets. Her patience paid off! Now she has one pop of colour jacket and one neutral.

A few more suggestions I gleaned from watching her in action:

Don't be afraid to ask questions or request assistance. That's what the SA are there for!

Know the merchandise. That allows you to ask more intelligent questions. Browse online or via catalogue first.

If you aren't sure, put it on hold and ask a friend for advice.

Try the item against the colours you hope to wear it with.

If the choice is a tough one (two items that are both good) go with your gut. Pick the one you were initially most drawn towards.

What other qualities make a great shopper, do you think? Besides stamina and comfortable footwear, that is?