5 Ways to Learn to Love Clothes Shopping
It’s no secret – a lot of men simply don’t like shopping for clothes. This can lead to some boring or even unfortunate style choices, like buying a pair of jeans on clearance and a three-pack of plain cotton t-shirts and wearing them over and over until they have holes in them. If you know you could step up your game but can’t seem to bring yourself around to the idea that shopping might be interesting, here are some tips to help you get started.
1. Go into it with an open mind. Maybe you decided a long time ago that shopping is for women, or that it’s tedious, or that it’s pointless because shops never have anything you like anyway. Over time we believe the stories we repeat to ourselves, but that doesn’t make them true. Lots of guys have a great time shopping, and you can, too! If you challenge your preconceived notions and remain open to the idea that shopping might not be the worst thing ever, you might discover that it can actually be pretty enjoyable if you go about it the right way.
2. Start paying attention to styles that you like. Did you see someone on the street who was wearing a shirt that caught your eye? Start keeping mental notes (or even actual notes) about what types of things you think look good, and make it your goal to find something along those lines for your own wardrobe. Being able to clearly articulate what you like and don’t like will help give your shopping a sense of direction, instead of just aimlessly wandering around looking at endless racks of clothes (which can be frustrating).
3. Step outside the box. Humans are creatures of habit. If you tend to go to the same retailer over and over because they have the items you’ve adopted as your personal uniform, challenge yourself to try some other (and maybe nicer!) places. Not only will you expand your style horizons, you might also find that shopping becomes more interesting when you’re presented with options you wouldn’t normally encounter.
4. Find out how to dress for your body shape. One common reason you may be averse to shopping is if you feel like everything you try on looks awful on you. This is a fairly simple issue to fix, and the problem isn’t with your body – it could be that you don’t have a clear understanding of the types of styles that flatter your body type. There is no bad or wrong body shape; you just have to learn a little about which styles and cuts are going to make you look your best.
5. Ask for help. Worried that you have no clue what your body type even is? Ask! It’s normal to shy away or even develop negative feelings about things we don’t understand, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you feel like your knowledge of men’s fashion is lacking and you don’t know where to begin, remember that this is why style experts exist. We’re here for this exact reason – to help you have a positive shopping experience, make the right decisions, and walk away looking and feeling great about yourself.