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It’s THAT time of the year again, and by THAT, I mean back-to-school season. Going back-to-school can sometimes be a dread but hey, there’s always the shopping (aka the FUN part), right? However, with so many choices and things to buy, it can also be overwhelming. Here are some of my tips to you, that will hopefully make the shopping process a lot easier! Here we go:

10 Tips for Back-to-School Shopping

1. Buy Basics

Basics are your best friend this season. They’re usually cheaper and are interchangeable, meaning that you can piece together a million and one outfits without a million and one items of clothing. Try to stick with colors you wear often and spend a little more on pieces that fit well. That crazy floral print may not be “in” next season but classic colors such as black and white will always be, so this is the time to stock up on camis, plain tees, staple dresses, and more.

2. Know the Dress Code

Those shorty shorts that you wear almost everyday in the summer? Yeah those, the ones that show off nearly your entire leg; they may not be school appropriate, just so you know. Check the school dress code before you go shopping, so that you don’t end up buying items that you can’t even wear. Most dress codes include skirts at knee length, shorts at fingertips, no bare midriff, and straps being at least 1″ wide.

3. Check Your Closet

Hmmm….you’re at the mall and you’ve seen that super cute skater dress before, you just don’t know where. Err-ing on the safe side, you decide to skip the dress and come back another time in case you find a better deal on it. Once you get home, you discover that you already have a dress super similar in fit and exact in color, it’s just sitting in your closet. What?! See, if you checked your closet before, you would know that you already have a skater dress, and you could have spent that time shopping for things that you actually need. Lesson learned: check your closet before you go shopping to get a better look on what you have already and what you need.

4. Separate Wants from Needs

We all have a problem on this, trust me. Nevertheless, separate what you want from what you really need. Then of course, go shopping for what you need, and if there’s a great deal on something you want, we-lllll, I think you already know the answer….

5. Do Your Research

This isn’t history class where you’d need to write a research paper but do look around and see what stores offer what. Know what store is having a sale, or what shop has the closest style to yours. Sign up for their newsletter to get notified when they have new items in, a great deal, or to receive coupons to help you save money on purchases. And obviously, if you know which days have sales, go shopping on those days! Otherwise, what’s the point?

6. Set a Budget

You only have so much money, so set a budget to prevent yourself from over-spending! Plan out your money, say $50 at Forever 21 (anyone obsessed as I am?) and the other $50 at Target; I don’t know what you shop at! Tips #1, 4, and 5 will help you a lot when on a tight budget so implant those when planning. Also remember you’ll need school supplies such as notebooks and binders, so make sure you set aside money for those as well.

7. Shop for Items, Not a New Wardrobe

This is basically stressing tip #1 but you are shopping for new pieces, not a whole new outfit that you can only wear once. The money you have has an end so buy clothing that can easily be worn multiple times for different outfits, and clothing that you will wear often and absolutely love.

8. Know Your Size

Because of all the sales and need for new clothes, chances are that store will be very busy and crowded. Therefore, know your size when shopping to cut down on the time you spend on trying items and get through your shopping faster. Who likes crowds anyways?

9. Check the Store Return Policy

Although you should try on items and inspect for any imperfections in the store, always check the return policy just in case you decide to return something. I don’t know, maybe that cardigan didn’t look as good on you as it did in the fitting room or you realized that that skirt is a little too tight for your taste. Remember to leave the original tags on and save the receipt for easy returns!

10. Shop Online/ Try-on at home for Free!

Shopping online is probably the quickest way to shop without having to drive to the store, find what you’re looking for (and in the right size!), try it out, and go through long lines. You don’t really know what to expect until it arrives at your house and you have to wait for shipping, but sometimes it’s totally worth it. There are so many more options and sizes to choose from, and with sites like Try.com, you can try on items from your favorite stores like Urban Outfitters and ASOS (my favorites) at home before paying!

11. Skin Care/ Lifestyle Products Are Also Important

This doesn’t apply to clothing but girl, you need to have clean skin for school! I’m not saying that you have to get rid of all of your problems and use every single beauty product, I’m just saying that you need to take care of your body and skin also. If you’re happy with your current cleansers and moisturizers, then stock up for the school year. If not, try something new and experiment with it. I’m talking facial cleansers, lotions, scrubs, and also soaps, shampoos, and conditioners.

Hope these tips helped!

XX,