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What kind of Shopper are you?

BlondeAmbition

What's your shopping style? Do you scout things online or do you like to work the mall? Are you a general shopper or do you go out for specific items? Do you work with a budget or buy whatever tickles your fancy?

I'm a lone shopper, going with friends can be nice once in a while but I always get a headache afterwards because they want to see and try on so many things it makes me confused and dizzy. I also have tunnel vision when I shop. If I need a new pair of jeans I only look at jeans - all other clothes seem invisible to me.

I only shop in the mornings on a weekday. First because the stores are more quiet than on the weekends or the evenings and it must be morning because that's when I feel the skinniest. After I buy something cute for myself I treat myself to lunch - I love my solitary shopping & lunch sprees!

Shopping

33 replies

Latest reply was from Lena

Steffie

I am a lone shopper too. I have a list of items that I make up before the season begins and I don't want company to entice me to stray from that list. I get overwhelmed easily so I'll dedicate one day to finding the perfect top, and then the next weekend I look for the next thing on my list.

I don't work within a budget exactly-- but I know how much is reasonable to spend and my shopping is almost always at consignment shops anyway. Once each season I splurge on something brand new from Boden or Loft and that I have to save and save for.

Polly (thunalata)

Veteran

I scout online, I do lots of online buying (when there's a free postage and returns deal on!) and I am ruthless about returning things.

I am lucky to live in a city so can go out relatively often if necessary to try/buy/return very few things at a time. I don't have a budget but do have an idea of what I am happy to spend on an item. I have never been shopping successfully with anyone else - I find myself starting to feel tired and overwhelmed!

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

I love social and lone shopping for different reasons; I am more inspired to try new things when I am with friends, but by myself I can cover more ground and stock up on more basics.

Evening shopping after work is a lot of fun; it's pretty quiet in the stores, and it's a nice way to wind down after a long day. On the weekends I like to go in the early morning or not at all; if I am hitting the outlet for instance I am there as soon as it opens and gone before lunch.

I buy whatever tickles my fancy. When I am shopping online, I am like Thunalata, I buy only when shipping is free and I am ruthless about returning. Heck, it gets me in the store and I usually end up buying something else anyway. If they carried my size I wouldn't have to order online, so I don't feel guilty if things don't work out. It's just an extended dressing room visit, if you think about it.

Laura

(website)

Veteran

After not shopping for a while, I hope to change my shopping style once I'm back in the game. I want to shop less online, so that when I do shop, it's more of a tactile experience. And I want to be more picky and selective, and save money for bigger ticket items. Thanks for the thread, you've made me think!

Queen Mum

Veteran

I have some of the same thoughts as Laura. The SYC challenge has been a good way to bring my shopping habits (good and bad) to a halt and reassess what works and what doesn't.
I think I will always be a lone shopper. That won't change unless I find the right shopping partner.
After SYC, I want to set aside a whole day at a time to shop, rather than popping into stores while I am supposed to be out running other errands (TJ Maxx is strategically located in the same shopping center as Trader Joes, and my Target is at the mall)

I plan to shop with a list and not settle for "good enough" but truly hold out for the killer pieces. I plan to buy less items of better quality and think long and hard about how they fit into my lifestyle. My wardrobe should be 85% killer casual and the other 15% pieces that make me feel utterly fabulous when the dressier occasion comes up.

My "budget" will be based more on the quantity of each kind of item I need in my wardrobe. For instance... I want to have a selection of 10 summer tops in my closet. This next summer I will seek out to purchase 5 at most to replace those I want to weed out of my closet.

And finally, I hope that at the beginning of a new season I will refrain from feeling that I need to complete my new wardrobe within the week. I want to start by purchasing an accessory or 2 to play with, and then mull over what I really want to add before I run out and make the purchases.

Dawn

(website)

I am a lone shopper, it took me a long time to work this out, but it is best for my style and budget to shop on my own. I absorb other people's opinions about clothes way too easily instead of asking myself if I really need it and if it fits with my wardrobe.

I scout out shops online but I also am prepared to go to the shop and try on clothes which didn't appeal to me on the website.

I've turned into a big ticket shopper recently as well, e.g. I don't want to buy any more cheap jersey dresses and I would prefer a well-made versatile dress which cost me a bit more.

I don't hone in on one item during a shopping trip but am open to a variety of items. I do have a mental list of things I need which will take preference over all else if I find them during a shopping trip.

I only shop during weekdays as I find it too overwhelming during the weekends and that my size is frequently unavailable during the weekend due to low stock.

Barbara

Veteran

I shop alone and NEVER without my tape measure! I do enjoy browsing but know exactly what color, shape and fabric to look for. I keep a list AND my measurements in my head. Anything not fitting my specifics is ignored. I usually shop with coupons in hand and rarely pay full price for anything.

Also, if I find one great tee or pair of jeans in a store, and it is available online, I will buy multiples in different colors and washes. I shop on days off, typically Fridays, arrive at opening time and sometimes leave empty-handed. If I don't LOVE it and it doesn't fit into my wardrobe and lifestyle, I leave it on the rack.

Where I shop: TJM, Marshalls, Target, Steinmart, JCP, Dillards, Belks, Macys. Sometimes Walmart (where I scored some fabulous fitting Sasoon jeans recently). My favorite browsing and inspiration store: Saks!

Sarah

(website)

Veteran

I used to buy everything I liked on sight.
Then I scoured online and checked things out in store that interested me.
Now, I do the bulk of my shopping every few months with my personal shopper at Nordstrom. I've started this after NAS because it worked so well for me and where I'm at in life right now. I had to start over from scratch for fall, so it's been helpful to get things at once so I know they work together. I have fewer pieces, but everything is so versatile.
As of last week I was still picking up summer sale items on my own, but I think fall is on its way finally!

BlondeAmbition

That's so interesting Barbara. What do you do with the tape measure?

When it comes to budget I don't have one. I know that I'm willing to spend good money on important things like pants, dresses, coats, purses, shoes, etc. But when it comes to undies, tanks, t-shirts, workout clothes, hosiery, and certainly layering pieces I'm pretty thrifty.

I don't do sales!! I don't know why but the thought of diligently searching through racks and racks of clearance items makes my head spin. I'm a size 14 so I know that if I walk up to a clearance rack there will hardly be anything there in my size anyway which is frustrating on its own. I prefer to shop in more organized sections of the store.

Once in a while I'll bite the bullet and go to TJMaxx but never for more than an hour at a time. I find the best puses and accessories there, along with great deals on cookware.

biscuitsmom

Veteran

I really prefer shopping alone too....if I want to spend 10 minutes or an hour in a store I dont need someone waiting for me....unfortunately, on weekends, DH almost always wants to go with me...so if I need *major* shopping time I go alone during the week while he's at work. I also shop online TOO MUCH and am finding Im returning a lot more than I keep, so Im going to start doing most of my shopping at the malls. Now that Im getting a little more strength back I can hopefully shop at least 2 stores before I get exhausted....

Barbara

Veteran

BA, I use the tape measure to check the inseam of jeans or pants BEFORE I try them on! It MUST be 33 inches to fit my long legs. I also check the seam from underarm to hem for any tuck-in issues when buying shirts for hubbie. He likes slightly fitted shirts that have a 'tuck-in' length of AT LEAST 17 inches. I reference his shoulder and chest measurements so I don't bring home something too snug in the shoulders! I do ALL of his shopping, except for his shoes and refer to myself as his personal stylist! LOL.

Using the tape measure saves me tons of aggravation later. I DO get some funny looks when measuring things, but I've had more than one person ask me if I was a tailor!

catgirl

Veteran

Because of where I live, unless I can find it at Nordstrom and am willing to pay the price, I mostly shop online. We do have Gap, BR, and ON for basics but that's what I'm trying to branch away from at this point..

However, I will not buy from places that give free shipping everywhere but Alaska. I tend to try more shoes than clothes because the shoe sites offer free shipping, and go on clothing sprees when I have the chance to shop outside the state.

Maya

Veteran

I prefer doing most things alone,shopping being no exception. Other people don't always have the best judgment, and even when they do, I don't like being pressured into or out of anything. Shopping with YLFers is clearly an exception.

Also as is typical for me, I prefer to zip through and be in and out quickly. I don't browse. I go when I want/need something, and if the store I'm in doesn't have what I came there for, I leave.

Shopping online can't be beat. I'll gladly pay shipping and potentially return shipping if I'm scoring a deal and getting a good selection. When I think about all the things I found online that I couldn't find anywhere else, it's clearly worth it. I can't understand how others still manage to do all their shopping in store. I also like the privacy when browsing for things like bras and undies. If there is one thing I despise, it's when women bring their husbands/boyfriends into the lingerie department and especially the fitting room. I'm a frigid prude and I know it, but seriously, I wish they'd leave the boys at home.

Sarah

(website)

Veteran

I'm with you, Maya. I do my serious shopping alone. It allows me to focus on me and not let other opinions sway my initial judgement.
I always go in-store for bra shopping and it annoys me when girls bring their guys along.
I for one can't shop with my husband because there are a million other places he'd be - whether I'm shopping for shoes or lingerie. And it isn't fair to drag him around all the time. And I try to hurry even if he tells me not to, so it just doesn't work.

Auburn

Veteran

This is a good thread.
I've spent some time lately trying to evaluate my shopping style, particularly in the wake of a few credit card bills that left me breathless (and not in the good way).
Due to some unwelcome stress and heartache at the end of last year, I quickly and unintentionally dropped about 20 lbs. My weight had been steady for years but this drop meant that NONE of my pants and skirts fit. Certain this was a fleeting phenomenon, I bought just a few things (some BR Martin skinnys and 2 black skirts) to get me through. Months later I was still at the same weight and quickly found myself buying things (and more things) simply because they fit. And, of course, looked good on my newly svelte figure.
My weight is starting to normalize and it has hit me like a ton of bricks that buying something because it fits is NOT sufficient. I've tried to focus more on the holes in my closet and to use a combo of online shopping (when shipping and returns are free as I do return a LOT) and in store shopping to fill those holes.
Starting about a year ago, I have also committed to buying nothing unless it's on sale, with just one or two exceptions. With this economic downturn, it seems that every store is having a sale of one kind or another at any given time. Plus, with those mailer coupons at a lot of big stores (Bloomies, BR, Nordstrom, Macy's, etc) good deals are to be had! Just having that blanket rule has helped reduce spending, I think. I don't even let myself look at full price items because I know they'll come down in price sooner rather than later. This helps me justify buying higher end brands and more items.
Finally, I am making an effort to buy less online. It's just SO easy. Too easy! And, therefore, far less deliberate. I see something cute, within a few clicks, it's on its way. This gets particularly exacerbated by a sale or deal of some sort and I hate when I know I've bought something simply because it's a great price. Again, another (usually) insufficient reason to purchase.
My goal for the fall is to really dig deep in shopping my own closet which I'll brighten with a few key carefully chosen items to give it a bit more of an updated 2010 look. Wish me luck--I'll need it!!

Srujana

Veteran

I find it amazing that YLF is almost unanimously a lone shopping club

I prefer shopping alone when I intend to spend money. Shopping with friends is fun, but I generally come out empty handed. My bf and I do love shopping together, though only for shoes and clothes, not intimates. He usually wanders off on his own to an Apple store when I walk into a girl-only store like Anthro...but he'll come back eagerly to give me his opinion on the items I'm trying on.

Maya, Sarah, I have never ever seen a man in the women's lingerie department, especially not in the fitting room. I would feel incredibly uncomfortable with that as well (though I have no qualms about sitting in the men's fitting room when my guy is trying on shirts or jeans)

NK

I think Barbara and I might be shopping twins, though I still haven't tried her tape measure technique.

My favorite places to shop are Target, TJ Maxx, Macy's, Dillard's, DSW, and Kohl's. I usually don't need a sales clerk to help me find what I need or convince me to buy something, but I might need one to get something down from a high shelf or rack.

I like the thrill of the deal and very rarely pay full price for anything. There are far too many sales, discount codes, and coupons out there to do that. It's taken me a while, but I've trained myself NOT to go straight to the clearance rack anymore, because I don't settle. I'm learning more about how the sale cycles work at stores too.

I prefer shopping alone so I don't feel bad if I want to spend 5 minutes or 5 hours in a store. (I've done that before.) And I shop 'til I drop. I've been gone all day long shopping and when I get home my husband will ask where I had lunch, and I'll realize I haven't eaten for 10 hours.

I'm still trying to break my multiples habit. I once owned 11 of the exact same v-neck t-shirts, just in various colors. If I find a pair of jeans that fit, I eventually end up with duplicates.

I love 'window shopping' online, but I'm a difficult fit and really need to try things, so most of my online shopping is for shoes I know will work, or places with easy, free returns.

Oh, and if I can't afford it, I don't buy it. I think some of my friends think I spend a lot of money on clothes, but I really don't. I'm actually quite a cheapskate.

Queen Mum

Veteran

to the bringing the men along bra shopping.....
My husband and I were in Kohl's one evening and I wanted to try on a few bras. (this was clearly before I was reformed to the YLF ways) As I stood there pulling bras off of the racks to try, I was handing them to him to hold. I had wandered over to another rack when I hear a familiar voice... "hey (DH's name).. those are some nice bras you have there" I think that was the last time he will ever stand in the lingere department and agree to be my holding rack.

Louise

Veteran

I'm a social shopper I hate going on my own. My heart rules my head everytime! The only place I stalk is ebay if I'm looking for something in particular I can mooch around for ages looking for it x

Elly

Veteran

A bad one!

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Solo, impulsive and emotional. Both online and off.

MNsara

Veteran

I love lone shopping! I love wandering at my own pace.

I usually have a thing or two in mind to be specifically looking for, but also am easily distracted by 'pretty things' I just run across - that's why I like moving at my own pace. . .

I shop primarily in person and am usually not pleased with online purchases. If I go into a dressing room and have 10% luck, then the odds of any online purchase being successful are slim to none . . .

Marley

Veteran

I am the worst kind of shopper. I buy any and everything based on my mood. I have absoloutely no plan, no thoughts of whether or not it will work for me or with my current wardrobe. I usually shop alone because I don't like having any time constraints. The only people I ever shop with are my sisters - but we live so far away from each other, that we only get to shop together a couple of times a year. The sales clerks all know me - so I sort of feel like I'm shopping with friends (and they're never going to tell me to hurry up because they've got to go!) I usually shop in small, locally owned boutiques - not a fan of malls or the big box discount stores. Do not like shopping on-line - I want to FEEL what I am going to buy! And, I'm terrible about returning things that don't work out - sometimes I procrastinate for months! Its bad!

Lisa

Veteran

I have no shopping style, I like to shop alone and I like to shop with friends. I find which I prefer depends solely on my mood for that day.

Goldie

Pre-YLF, I would just buy whatever kind of fit, and I wasn't very picky at all. I almost never went shopping unless I really had to, and then my goal was to get as much as possible so I wouldn't have to do it again for a long time. I was SYCing for months at a time without even knowing it!

Now, I feel like I'm shopping all the time (probably once or twice a week), but I've gotten much pickier about everything, and I often leave empty-handed. I actually have been feeling lately that I need to loosen up a little bit on my standards, and get things that aren't perfect, since the holes I have to fill are so huge, and the seasons are changing so fast. I just don't have the time to spend stalking the perfect whatever. But I was almost at the point of compromising on a not-perfectly-fitting denim jacket when a perfect one showed up in my consignment store, and now I'm so glad I didn't. Oh well. Just like everything else, shopping takes practice, and I'm certainly getting better!

And I tend to shop alone -- my bf often wants to come, but then he just sits there reading and waiting, and I feel guilty and rushed. I know approximately what I'll pay for most items, and I don't mind paying full price as long as it's in my limits -- if it's reasonable when I see it, I don't wait for it to go on sale. I also check my consignment store regularly, since I don't have the patience for thrifting, but the hit rate and quality at the consignment are good.

Lena

I prefer to shop alone (YLF and Angie being an exception!). I research beforehand online if possible, and usually go with goals in mind, but I'm also open to unexpected surprises. I keep a budget, but it's also flexible (last year I saved a lot because I didn't need a lot) and I make exceptions for basics like quality shoes, coats, undergarments. Online shopping is a life saver because I don't have certain stores in my town (we have Macys, BR and GAP, the Loft and WHBM, but no Ann Taylor, H&M, Nordies, etc). If I can, I prefer to shop early in the day because it energizes me.

As much as I like the convenience and access of online shopping, I also find it less satisfying. I like to browse through accessories, for example, and pictures often don't do them justice. I need the tactile in person experience. Even with books: I know I can (and do) get them cheaper online, but nothing beats going to a physical bookstore.

Louise

Veteran

Goldie I get that too wih BF he moans about never being asked then looks bored sitting around or his favourite trick is to 'pop' into the electrical store, when I go to find him he's gone and I spend an hour trawling all the computer and electrical stores and waste clothes shopping time x

Laura

(website)

Veteran

My favorite shopping partner is my mom. She has a great eye, good stamina and knows better than I do what looks good on me. Plus, afterward, we have the best time complimenting each other on our purchases over coffee.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Laura, when am I meeting your Mum?

I LOVE to shop with everyone! I am a very social shopper. Love shopping with Greg (during his 2 hr window which only happens twice a year), with sis in law Keri, with my late Mum, with all YLF'ers, with my friends, with clients. I actually am not an online shopper at all - with the exception of Zappos.

Thanks, Lena! I loved shopping with you too.

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