3 Clothes Shopping Dilemmas (and 3 Solutions!)

Have you ever sat in the fitting room on the floor crying? Bashing your body and promising yourself that you will start a diet tomorrow and be “really good this time”?

I feel your pain. I’ve been there. And so have most of my clients.

For the chronic dieter whose weight goes up and down, clothes shopping can be painful. This is usually because:

1. They are stuck on a size number and refuse to buy a size that might be bigger than they normally wear, or used to wear?
2. The styles they like don’t look good on their body and this is depressing to them.
3. They take a pile of clothes into the fitting room, and nothing fits.

These experiences are common. The inconsistency in sizing across stores and brands only adds to the frustration. A size that fits in one store may be completely different in another, making the whole process feel like a guessing game.

What some refer to as “retail therapy” can feel more like a nightmare for you. But here’s the good news—there are solutions! Let me share three ways to make your next shopping trip easier.

1. Get Unstuck from the Size

I remember as a young girl shopping with my mom, she would always tell me that the size means nothing. Different manufacturers cut their garments differently and you can be one size in one designer dress, and a different size in another. Even though she told me this, it didn’t matter. I was still stuck on a size.

But mom knows best. She is absolutely right. Some brand labels run small, and others run larger.

Diet mentality shows up when you really like a dress but refuse to buy it in a size bigger than you usually wear or would like to wear.

Here’s your solution: Take several sizes of the dress (pants, shirt etc…) into the fitting room. Turn your back to the mirror and without looking at the label, try each one on. Move, bend, and sit with the item on, see how it feels. If it feels comfortable, turn around and look in the mirror to see if you like the style. If you do, buy it. The size does not matter.

Your worth is not dictated by a number. Not a number on a scale nor a number on a label.

2. Know that Certain Styles Are Not for Every Body Type

Your friend is wearing a cute crop top and skirt. You’d love to wear that too. Your friend is a short, petite girl, while you are taller and larger.

You try on the crop top and skirt. But it doesn’t look right on you. Guess what? That’s okay. It has nothing to do with you! It has everything to do with the fact that there are different cuts of clothes for different body types. Not all clothes will look good on all shapes.

Here’s your solution: Type into the Google search bar: “the best dress style for my body type” and you’ll get some great ideas. I did just that before I went shopping last weekend and was very successful (I bought 5 dresses!).

3. Don’t Shop for Your Past Dieting Body

Picture this: you are carrying piles of clothes over your arms and into the dressing room. You are excited because there is so much to choose from. You try on the first item, nope, doesn’t fit. You try on the second item, nope, doesn’t fit. You try on the third item, nope, doesn’t fit. You fall to the floor crying. With so many options, nothing fits.

This is because you took all the clothes in the size that you “used to” wear, you “wish” you wear or you “swear you’ll never buy a size higher than this”.

When you do this, you are not treating your body with respect. Part of body respect is dressing comfortably without regard to a size.

I know this may be a tough pill to swallow, but consider this: when you are comfortable in the clothes you are wearing and you like the style, how does this make you feel? Confident, empowered, and you can focus on the activities you are doing or the party you are socializing at. You carry yourself differently.

Here’s your solution: Tell yourself “The clothing size doesn’t matter. I am worthy and deserve to feel confident and beautiful in what I wear no matter the size.”

With these three solutions, you can transform your shopping experience from stressful to empowering, helping you feel more confident and comfortable in your own skin.