The rules of the game

If you haven't guessed by now I can be slightly dogmatic.  I love a saying and have one sloshing around my head, somewhere for most situations.  I know a little about a lot but a lot about very little, however what I do know is how to make shopping less of a trial.

So hear are the rules:

1. I like it but...

I just wish it....

It's a shame that...

Any of these sentences said in or around a fitting room, mean the same thing as I love you said in or around the bedroom - it's not for real.  It also means there is something better out there for you.  I feel I can be quite safe in saying if you don't buy anything on your next shopping trip, you have other options before nudity, so why settle for ok?

2. If you have to fiddle, find a blues band

This isn't an absolute truth but a fairly safe bet, if you spend longer that 30seconds trying to get the fabric of a piece to sit right - take it off and hand it back to the nice Sales Advisor.  When I'm getting ready to go out I don't have time to be trying to get a dress to 'sit right', I then don't have time after I get out of a car or come out of the loo.  These are the people you see fiddling with their clothes, I don't care who or where you are fidgeting makes you look nervous and uncomfortable, as from a distance people can't tell that if that fold is 1 inch further over, its more flattering to your waist.  You should have bigger fish to fry.

3. Stop using clothes as sticks to beat yourself with.

You know all those items you bought to 'slim into', throw them out, sell them, give them to charity.  When you lose weight you are going to want to go on a massive shopping trip, take a strole down memory lane - don't move in.

4.  I love this, if I just had an ***** to go with it

If you can't see the ***** or don't know where to find one, don't buy it.  With any item if you can't already see yourself wearing it, unless you are embarking on a total image transformation, it's going to become one of those items that you use as a stick to beat yourself with.  "I never wore, that - look it's still got the tags on." You were never going to wear it, so next time, don't waste your money on it.

5. Try on one thing that draws you in but makes you nervous.

Wondering what I mean?  You know that item you touched the sleeve of, or brushed your hand surrupticiously over the fabric so no one would notice? Yeah the one you picked up and longingly said, "Isn't this lovely?" - That's the one to try.  As it'll either be as lovely as you think or it won't and you can stop thinking about it.

6. Shoulda, woulda, coulda

Just stop beating yourself up.  Next time you are in a fitting room, just don't say anything to yourself you shouldn't, couldn't or wouldn't say to someone else.