Shopping Tips

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How to Tell if a Garment is Well-Made

The following is a guest post from Dottie, a daily reader of this blog, who is sharing her insights on how to spot quality in fabric and construction of women’s clothing. Dottie learned to sew as a teenager and has used her knowledge of clothing construction to look for well-made clothing, preferably on sale. She lives in a 4-season climate, so some of her tips may resonate less with people in warm climates. Dottie welcomes feedback from “Recovering Shopaholic” readers, especially those of you who have additional tips for – or tales of – finding quality clothing.

You spot it from across the store – the perfect dress in “your” color, in the style that flatters your body, at a price that won’t bankrupt you. A quick dash into the fitting room – and you decide it’s perfect!

Or is it? Before you head to the sales desk, take a few minutes to really examine the dress (blouse, pants, jacket, sweater, etc.), preferably in good light. This may require you to leave the more dimly lit dressing room for natural light or even the more brightly lit check-out area.

Determining Clothing Quality

It’s the “perfect” dress, but is it well-made?

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Step Away from the Computer!

I’ve struggled with compulsive shopping for over thirty years. Ever since I started having disposable income, I’ve wanted to spend it on clothes, shoes, and accessories.  Some of you have questioned whether I am in serious debt.  While I do not carry any ongoing debt at present, I’ve battled financial insolvency on numerous occasions in the past.  I had to be bailed out of credit card debt three times and I used a debt consolidation service once.  For all of the other times when I was in debt up to my eyeballs, I stopped shopping “cold turkey” and “white-knuckled” it for as long as possible until I was able to claw my way back to solvency.

The Evolution of Shopping

That was then, back in the days before a shopaholic could indulge her addiction with a few mere mouse clicks at any time of the day or night.  These days, it’s not enough to stay away from the mall while you try to pay down your credit card debt or build up a nest-egg.  Temptation is virtually everywhere and it’s no longer possible to simply hole up in your house or apartment and not shop.

Online shopping

Online shopping has made it much easier for us to overshop.

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The Holidays and Shopping: The Not-So-Perfect Storm

We’ve entered into what is often the most difficult time of year for shopaholics, the holidays.  I probably should have done this post several weeks ago, as it seems the holiday shopping season begins earlier and earlier each year.  Even in mid-October, I saw glittering red and green decorations festooned among the displays at Macy’s.  Stores don’t even wait until Halloween has passed to start the holiday push.

If you’re anything like me, you have a long history of overshopping during the holiday season.   In many ways, this time of year creates a “perfect storm” of temptations for those of us who struggle with compulsive shopping.  In today’s post, I highlight some of the primary danger zones inherent in holiday shopping, along with some tips for dealing with them. Continue reading →

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Salespeople Are Not Your Friends!

Awhile back, I was shopping with a friend at Nordstrom.  We were in the shoe department when she pulled me over to introduce me to a friend.  This “friend” was one of the shoe salesmen and she actually introduced both of us to each other as her friends (as in “Debbie, this is my friend so-and-so” and “So-and-so, this is my friend Debbie”).  At first I wondered if she had a friend who just happened to work in the Nordstrom shoe department, but it soon became clear to me that she only knew him from their interactions while she was shopping for shoes.  She shopped so often that she had started to consider the salespeople her friends.

I Have a Confession to Make…

Lest you think I’m being overly judgmental toward my fellow shopaholic friend, I have a confession to make.  I have also come to view salespeople at various department stores, shops, and boutiques as my friends.  I’m not sure if I ever introduced them to others as my “friend so-and-so,” but I did consider them friends in my mind and, more importantly, my heart.

Salespeople are not our friends

Do you view store salespeople as your personal friends?

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A Different Kind of Shopping

Yesterday, I went to the mall.  It’s something I’ve done countless times before and it used to be something I did weekly, if not more often.  In fact, it was pretty much my “default activity.”  I shopped when I was happy, sad, anxious, frustrated, overwhelmed, bored, or whatever other emotion dominated my mindset.  I shopped regardless of whether or not I really needed anything new. Shopping was my favorite hobby and I didn’t need a reason, just a destination.

My trip to the mall yesterday was different in several significant ways.  In today’s post, I share what was different, how I felt, and what it all means in terms of my recovering shopaholic journey.  As with all of my posts, it’s my hope that you’ll learn from my experience, both from my past mistakes and from the knowledge I’ve gained as I worked to overcome my compulsive shopping problem. Continue reading →