We are in 2016 and I really think that our main challenge in the world of fashion is to ally “making the difference” with “conscious consumption” or “saving money”. World crisis is here, undeniable, and this is a great reason why we shouldn’t spend our money with everything we see. 

So, in order to help you guys and myself – considering that I love to go shopping, after all -, I’ve made a 5-to-think-list for we to consider before running to the malls.

#1 DO I REALLY “NEED” THIS? 

I think this is the first question we should do every moment the will of shopping appears. It is normal marketing and capitalism universe make us think we need something, but here is the truth: in almost 99% of the times we don’t need anything. 

#2 CAN I SPEND?

Another great question for we to do before go shopping is this one. Which are my priorities? Have I paid all my bills, have I used my money with everything I really need? Can I really spend something with the amount left? 

#3 MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

Impulsive shopping are the worst ones, because we don’t think about the money we are spending with no need, plus we keep spending money with something superfluous that doesn’t make any difference in our closets. Nowadays, I try to buy only things that will really make the difference to me; something that identifies my personality to the world. I stop shopping only to be “one more person in the streets”. This is something that should be faced as an unnecessary thing. 

#4 SELF ESTEEM CAN’T BE BOUGHT; IT NEEDS TO BE CULTIVATED

Raise your hand if you never go shopping in order to increase your self esteem. Everyone has done it once in your life, at least – me included, I’ve done that several times. The point is: self esteem is something we need to increase by ourselves, inside us – it is not something we can buy in the mall. It is not come from outside. If we base our self esteem in shopping, the only thing we’ll get are: 1) frustration, once we realise that this well-being is brief and then is over and 2) loss of money, because once we realise this “self esteem” and “well-being” has already passed, soon we’ll feel the need of shopping again. It is a vicious circle, like a drug. So: let’s cultivate self esteem inside us, with what we have. You don’t need to have something material to be something. The “verb to be” is much more important than “have”. 

#5 CHANGE THE INSIDE TO CHANGE THE OUTSIDE

Another thing we should exercize in the inside, not to go shopping for it is to change ourselves. Which means: if you are not glad with who you are, that’s perfectly ok. Change it and start it right now. And to do it, you don’t need to buy anything, you need to change attitudes and thoughts first. Then, as a second plan, you might think about shopping, to change your outfit – once you’ve figured out your “new you”. You might think about buying one thing or another, but the most important thing you should care about is how to reuse what you have in your closet.

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After considering those 5 questions before you go to shopping, tell me if you could control your impulses. I’ll put in practice myself those tips, too. Wish good luck for all of us!

Xx 😉