One Day. Impulse Purchases

Ahh, it seemed like a good idea at the time... I’ve made dud purchases more times than I'd rather remember. You know what it’s like – you see a statement jacket complete with rainbow panels and leopard print trim and you think it's a no brainer - you just saw Katy Perry wearing one exactly like it and it will look amazing with your black skinny jeans and colbalt blue pumps. You're at the counter and there's a niggle in the back of your mind but you're assured by inner confidence that it's going to look fantastic so you hand over your credit card. But then you get it home, and looking at it in the cold, grey light of your bedroom alongside your modest jeans and tee shirts you realise you're actually not Katy Perry, you can't pull it off and you've wasted precious dollars that could have been spent on cocktails, shoes or holidays. Damn. Impulse purchase? Guilty as charged.

So if you’ve thought, “Why the eff did I buy this?” one too many times then you’ve come to the right place. I am now far wiser when it comes to resisting impulse purchases [just ignore that expensive ski gear I bought last week despite the fact that I've never been skiing - what can I say, I liked the colour!]. Here’s what I advise...

• Do your hair and makeup when you go shopping because if you’re not feeling good about your looks, you won’t be inspired by anything you try on and that leads to bad decisions.
• Shop alone. Too many times I've been with a friend and all their gushy "ooh's" and "aah's" have convinced me to buy something that really looks terrible... Bad friends.
• Use the five-second rule. What's your immediate thought when you first try something on? If it's an instant "wow, I feel a million bucks" then go for it but if it's a "hmmm, meh, not sure, I wonder, it's ok"; then walk away, it's not for you.
• When you find something you like, do a mental scan your wardrobe; if you can think of at least three items it will work with then it's a sure fire bet. If not pop it on hold and ponder your closet for a day or so.
• Be wary of sales. We all fall into the trap of thinking "it's so cheap". *Warning, warning!* Ask yourself if it was full-price would you still love it?

Good luck ladies.

Photo via Pinterest.