This week,
we are celebrating Mother’s Day here on Mommy Café. I’ve
invited a friend from the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI), Melissa Chor, to share some fashion shopping tips
for moms.
In
my many years as an expert shopper and style consultant, I have come to one
conclusion: ALL women (no matter what they say) LOVE to shop. It’s in our
DNA. Women are also emotional beings and shopping meets our emotional needs to a
certain extent. Hence, we shop when we are happy or when we are sad. When
making shopping decisions, we are often ruled by our hearts more than our
heads. This explains why some of us make shopping mistakes over and over again.
Whatever
your shopping challenges are, apply these three principles and you will soon
find that you can shop more effectively and still have fun!
1. Spring-clean
your wardrobe
You
need to get rid of the old before putting in the new. Do this once every two
years or annually if you shop very often. Discard or donate stuff that you have
not worn for more than a year. Get rid of clothes that are worn out and faded
or remind you of unhappy memories! You want a wardrobe that you can cherish and
feel happy about every time you see it.
Once
you have done that, reorganise your clothes by occasion such as work, leisure and home. Then organise your
individual wardrobe by colour, type (dresses together, pants together etc…) and
design (printed ones together, long sleeve tops together etc...).
This
will give you a clear idea of what you now have at a glance. You may find
that you have too many clothes in the same boring hues, so add instant style
into your wardrobe with a dash of colours. Or you have too many tops and not
enough bottoms to match, so you need to get more bottoms on your next
shopping trip. With regular spring-cleaning and proper organisation, you will
be able to identify what you really need to make your wardrobe work for you.
2. Stick to
the basics
Whether
you are revamping your wardrobe or developing a brand new one, always start
with the basics first. Now, what do I mean by that?
Basics
refer to the foundation of your wardrobe. You need to have a basic set of
wardrobe which never goes out of style and is easy to coordinate with just
about everything in your wardrobe currently or new purchases. Items such as a
classic white shirt, a slim skirt, tank tops, a well-tailored jacket and a pair
of straight cut pants will help you to maximise your entire wardrobe. If you
are a stay-at-home mom, you should invest in several plain coloured tops, a
pair of bootleg cut jeans, an A-line skirt and a few pairs of casual
pants/shorts.
You
can start with a five, seven, nine etc… basic pieces. Keep the colours neutrals
(e.g. black, blue, gray, white and beige) and the style simple and plain. Then
you can add on new pieces in different styles, colours and prints to jazz up
your wardrobe. It is much easier to build on a basic set of clothing than a
variety of styles. (Refer to images below)
3. Plan for
a shopping day
As
a busy mom juggling multiple roles and tasks daily, I can imagine what little
energy you will have left for shopping! While family, work and commitments are
your priorities, you need to always set aside some “Me” time. I am sure you can
find some hours to set aside for a little shopping if you so desire.
Don’t
shop in between rushing from one appointment or task to another. You may end up
not trying out the outfit or grabbing the same old stuff. Then when you reach
home, you realise that the outfit is not that great after all or it is the same
boring style as what you already have by the dozens in your wardrobe!
Some
of my clients dislike shopping because they found it unproductive i.e. they
return empty-handed or didn’t like what they bought. Upon my probing, they
eventually confessed that they either did not try on the clothes or went for
their comfort style due to lack of time to shop properly. So, do plan a time
and date for your shopping where you will not be distracted by a thousand and
one tasks.
Melissa Chor is a certified image professional (CIP) with the
AICI, one of only a handful of
CIP members in Singapore.
Passionate about helping clients to
look fabulous and confident, Melissa has transformed many individuals’ personal
styles to reflect their capabilities, potentials and personalities. Melissa founded
Image Harmony, in 2007 and offers a wide spectrum of image services such as
colour analysis, style personality assessment, make-up tutorial, wardrobe
revamp and personal shopping in local and overseas countries.
She currently serves as Secretary and Chair of Philanthropy on the AICI
Singapore Chapter Board of Directors, 2011-2013.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Thank
you, Melissa for the wonderful tips! She has many more principles on how to shop effectively. To find out more, get a copy of her book ‘Born to Shop – Guide to
Making Your Shopping Fun and Fabulous!’. It’s available for purchase on her
website.
As
Mother’s Day is approaching, Melissa has generously offered to give away TWO copies of her book, and personally autographed too!
This
is how to take part:
1.
Like Image Harmony’s Facebook page.
2.
Like Mommy Café’s Facebook page.
3.
Leave a comment on this post or on Mommy Café’s Facebook page, sharing with us
the main style/fashion challenges you face. Melissa will address some of
your style issues in the next blog post (so keep a look out for it!).
4. The contest will end on 12 May 2012, 11:59pm.
5. The two winners will be randomly picked, results will be announced on this blog and on Mommy Cafe's Facebook page.
6. Please note that this giveaway is open to readers residing in Singapore... and internationally!
6. Please note that this giveaway is open to readers residing in Singapore... and internationally!
All the best everyone!
