I love new clothes. I love the feeling I have when I am wearing something new, hip, and on trend. I look at the mannequins in the windows of the stores, dressed head to toe in the latest fashions and I want it all; outfit, shoes, bag, and accessories. I watch the style shows and click on the internet links that tout their list for “must haves” for the season. I wish I could take most of last year’s clothes out and bring all new clothes into the closet. What fun! What a fantasy!

Now for the reality; I can’t afford to do that.

So, what is a girl to do? I want to look new and fresh this summer, but I want to do it to fit my budget. Here is my list of do’s and don’ts:

Do: Shop your closet first

Before you set foot in the mall or your favorite store, even before you start loading up your online shopping cart, go through your entire closet, and make sure you try on your clothes that are in question.

Keep: Those items that you truly love
Donate/Give away/Sell: The items that are good, but not right for you
Toss: Items that are truly not good for anyone

Once you have a whittled down closet, it is time for the next “Do.”

Do: Shop with a list

Truly look at what you need first. A new crisp white T-Shirt can make any outfit look new again. You don’t have to go designer, look for a good fit and quality material. Make sure you think about your lifestyle when you are making your list; what types of clothes do you really need. Often the biggest clutter offenders are impulse purchases. Sure there will be times when you need to waver from the list, but having a list is just a small insurance policy to help keep you on track.

Do: Use a budget

Some find it easier to use cash, and some can find the same restraint when using a debit/credit card. My only concrete suggestion is to know exactly what you have to spend before stepping foot in the store, and sticking to that budget! Need help? Ask a good friend to help you, and I said “GOOD” friend to “HELP” you. Your favorite shopping buddy may not have what it takes to help you show restraint!

Do: Balance out need versus want

Oh, the vast difference that lies between our desires and our needs. Often times our “wants” today will come at the cost of our “needs” for tomorrow. Shop with a plan and know the cause and effects of your purchases. Gain control over your spending and you will notice a feeling of control over your life and your future!

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Don’t: Get caught up in designer everything

The general rule of thumb is to buy inexpensive those trendy items that are just that… a trend. Buy classics that are good quality. Regardless, stick to your budget.

Don’t: Stockpile

If it’s on sale, stock up on it, right? It sounds innocent enough. You know you are going to use it eventually, so why not spend a little extra now, to save a lot down the road. Here’s the problem. I have discovered some people have turned stocking-up into an obsession. Filling cabinets, closets, attics, basements, and even entire rooms with “just in case I need it” items. Now, this is not to say that I think buying ahead of time is a bad idea, I just encourage a plan.

Don’t: Buy without trying

Just because it is in your size, does not mean that it will look good on you. Seriously, take a few moments and visit the dressing room. If you are online shopping make sure you check the return policy first. There are quite a few retailers that offer online shopping with in-store returns. I cannot even begin to tell you the tally of all the clothes with tags I have seen hanging while organizing clients’ closets.

Don’t: Don’t just shop the back of the store

Ah, yes… the back of the store, the penny pincher’s nirvana… This is the area where all the clearance items have found themselves. Now, I am not going to lie to you and say that I never step foot in the back of the store, because I do. But as I said before, if you have a plan or a list, you will be looking for something particular, not just a bargain. I have seen my share of “good deals” hanging unworn in closets, and stuffed in client’s cabinets! It is a waste of valuable real estate to store a retailer’s unwanted merchandise in your closet, regardless of the savings off of retail, if you never wear/use it!! A real eye-opener is when I tally up some of these “bargains” and clients’ see how much they spent while “bargain shopping.”

Don’t: Wishful hope purchase

Two years ago I was given the greatest pair of khaki pants. I loved looking at them in my closet, touching them, and dreaming about when I could zip them up without belly muffin top. After a few months of careful eating finally one day I took them out of the closet and they zipped, and looked brilliant, until I looked in the full length mirror. These pants that I had been holding onto for inspiration to drop 7 pounds were about 2 inches too short. I was so focused on where they didn’t fit, that I really didn’t look to see if they would ever fit in other areas. And I was one of the lucky ones; I actually got those pants to fit where they once hadn’t. I cannot even tell you how many “positive thinking” clothes I have seen in people’s closets. Only purchase clothes that actually fit, not might fit if you weren’t bloated or hadn’t gained those extra 5/10/20 pounds. Don’t purchase clothes as an incentive to reach your weight loss goal. Instead, tear a picture out of a magazine of an outfit you want to purchase once you lose the weight or better yet, buy yourself a gift card that is to be used once you hit goal. That is a much better incentive.

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Just remember, nothing feels better than contentment and joy. These new clothes make some pretty big claims; that you will be better if you look better. Clothes, shoes, bags, and accessories are just the shell. Trying to live a life that you are not (buying items that you cannot afford) will not transform you. New things, better things, are not a replacement for a happy soul. If you don’t have the money for an updated wardrobe, update your life with friends, family, and laughter.

Betsy

Friends from their college days, Elise Nappi and Eileen Schneidman worked in television production and marketing until the lure of motherhood called, resulting in five children between the pair. Sharing woes one night about neverending piles of laundry and minivans designating them as officially ‘off the market’ and partly inspired by Eileen’s need for kitchen renovation funds and Elise’s shopping addiction, they got to talking, and to laughing, and the idea of starting a business was born. The premise: moms like to laugh; moms like nice clothing — why not combine the two? With the tagline, ‘Apparel with an inside joke and you’re in on it’ Planet Mom delivers on both fronts.

Starting out with t-shirts for moms, Elise and Eileen have since branched out to offer hats, yoga pants and hoodies, plus robes and hats for dads. All with an irreverant, fun edge. Enjoy the reaction from friends and complete strangers when you wear a fitted, cute long sleeve tee embroidered with the phrase “Whine? No. Wine? Yes.”, “PTA Reject” or “Because I said so.” All guaranteed to bring a smile to just about anyone’s face. Or cute yoga style pants emblazoned with “Kids are my workout.” or “Made you look.” on the rear. Dads can join in the fun, too, not only can they enjoy seeing mom in an “Unwrap me.” nightie, they can play the game, too, with skivvies embroidered with “Heartthrob” or “Property of (insert your name here).”

What sort of funny stories have customers shared? One was wearing her “Seeking Tall, Dark, Rich cup of coffee” tee in an airport, and a man approached her with a Starbucks cup in hand, and said, “You may not want me, but I know by your shirt that you’ll want this coffee.” Elise says, “Eileen and I are kind of workaholics, but we were adamant that our business still allow us to devote most of our time to our kids. Having an at-home business has turned out to be the best of both worlds for us.”

Perfect for a birthday gift for a friend, a fun holiday present or something for yourself to wear and enjoy. Learn more about Planet Mom apparel at www.PlanetMomTshirts.com

See the Clever Parents vidcast featuring Planet Mom tees.

Totshop.com pick: Julep Junior Striped Hoody $78
Grab one of these Julep cozy cover-ups for your little one and enjoy endless wear. The striped hoody is just the thing for end-of-summer nights and will fit right in with back-to-school duds. Julep uses it’s trademarked Kashwere yarn—a luxuriously soft Chenille Synthetic microfiber that’s machine washable and dryable, stain resistant and non-wrinkling. Fleece seems so ordinary!

Girlshop.com pick: Candela Sweater Jacket $322
Itching to invest in something deliciously cute yet practical for Fall? I can’t say enough about Candela’s super chunky, casually sophisticated sweater jacket. It’s perhaps the perfect wrap with a longer length, dramatic oversized collar and a bit or Lurex for subtle glitz. Throw this on over jeans and a tee and you’re instantly chic… and plenty warm.

Guyshop.com pick: Hummel Zip Front Track Jacket $90
Meet a track jacket that’s fashionable beyond the runner’s path. Yes, Hummel’s jacket is 100% polyester. Yes, it has a think ribbed hem, collar and cuffs with yes, multi stripes. But wear this with a polo, dark jeans and a pair of Toms and you’ll be sporting retro-inspired fashion right from the pages of GQ.

Totshop.com: Jenerations Baby Hair Gel
When I first learned of Jenerations Baby Hair Gel, it made me giggle. I had funny visions of ultra styled newborn locks in spiked mohawks. But then I thought: this is actually the most brilliant product! Little ones have flyaways too, especially when hair cleansing involves a simple lathering of multi-duty head-to-toe body wash. Jennifer Reilly, NYC hair stylist and the mother of two, uses salon quality ingredients that are baby friendly for her hair and body care. All her products have a gentle scent and the hair gel is light and non-sticky. I’m glad someone addressed this too-vain-to-mention issue.

Girlshop.com: DRU Peep Toe Flats $121
Fashion meets comfort, finally! Leggings, skirts, skinnies and trousers will all look chic with these low-to-the-ground kitten heels. Perfect for the mom about town, there’s no need to pull a nonchalant footwear change from sneakers to cute shoes after you drop the little one off at pre-school. Subtly spiced with a bit of toe cleavage and patent details, these are comfortable enough to wear to wiz the Stokie cross town and continue on to a breakfast pitch meeting. Ditto for DRU’s scarf-print slingback flats.

Guyshop.com: Drifter Tees $59
More cool t-shirts from Guyshop. Drifter tees are made from a double layer of tissue fine cotton and involve intricate silk screens from the artists/design team. Recently seen on Entourage, the David Letterman Show and just the other week, Shayenne (the country western singer with an MTV reality show) came in to the Drifter showroom to pick out some clothes! Also available for women on www.girlshop.com.

Totshop.com Pick: Dirty Laundry Onesie and Hat Set $46

When you’re gifting for newcomers, I think it’s so important to be original. Dirty Laundry, known for their hip layered appliqués t-shirt designs and hand cut style, introduces this uber soft onesie and hat set. Each sleeping-style cap blurts words like “bling”, “burp” and “kiss me”, offering baby-speak insight into its paired onesie character. Makes me smile.

Girlshop.com Pick: AKA New York Shirt Dress $355

I’m a complete sucker for shirt dresses. They’re easy and versatile, sophisticated yet comfortable. They’re in the look-great-in-5-minutes section of my closet right next to my DVF wrap dresses – A key piece of wardrobe for a busy (no nanny on the payroll) mom. AKA’s version makes this staple foolproof stylish. The fabric is silk with slight stretch and is available in several vintage inspired fabric designs. There’s hardly a need to accessorize with this head turner. Wear with boots, sandals, leggings… no thinking involved.

Guyshop.com Pick: Kara Janx Men’s Blueprint T-Shirt $55

I love Kara Kanx’s women’s line on Girlshop.com (Her Wrap Kimono Dress fits perfectly into my thoughts for Girlshop pick this week). Now men also get the chance to sport one of the Project Runway star’s designs as well. This nice looking t-shirt has a panel of a blueprint running down one side making a definite style statement. A simple blue X (Kara’s logo for the men’s line) stamps the back. Jeans, an optional long sleeve tee underneath and I say the guy is good to go. Thanks Kara!