I often joke that the five words I use the most on the shop floor are “Try it on, trust me!” Actually I don’t joke, I’m deadly serious! So many things (for so many reasons) don’t look good hanging on the racks. You might not like the look of the fabric, the colour might not be one you normally wear, it might not be black (seriously people, black is NOT always the best option), this list goes on.
The racks of clothes out there nowadays are endless!! Shop after shop has jam-packed everything from jocks to frocks into 2 square metres of space and sometimes it can just get a little (or a lot) confusing – so how do you know what to try and what to leave alone?
Trust the people you are shopping with – your sister, your mum, your best friend, or if you are one of the lucky ones, your partner, are all good resources to use! So if sis pics up something that is a little left of centre from your normal jeans and t-shirt, give it a go, you never know til you try.
Go shopping with the girls - and suggest clothes for each other to try
Option number 2 – maybe, just maybe, the person working in the shop will know what they are talking about (although I will admit this does depend entirely where you shop!) There is nothing better than changing someones perception of clothes; yes, jersey can be your friend when it’s cut correctly. No, mid-calf in NOT the most flattering length on ANYONE (even if it does cover your knees), and yes, that beautiful bright colour makes you look 10 years younger compared yet ANOTHER BLACK SHIRT!! Some of us have been in the industry a while and know a thing or two about how clothes fit.
A well-cut jersey dress is a girls best friend. Try something like this wrap dress by Issa worn by Kate Middleton to announce her engagement to Prince William
One of my clearest shopping memories from high school was going shopping with a girlfriend and her suggesting I try on a top that I had walked straight past myself. That top turned out to be the perfect shape, colour and fit (not to mention price) for me, and I would have walked straight past it if my friend hadn’t practically forced me into the change-room.
The moral of this short story? TRY IT ON. TRUST ME!!
Have you ever tried something (clothes, food, an experience) that you thought was a little out of your comfort zone but in the end loved it?
