The Ultimate Guide to Shopping with Your Girl
Anxious that your girl has dragged you on another shopping trip? Fear no more, because we've got a guide that will help you through the ordeal!
Going shopping with your girl may often be thought of as one of the trickiest relationship activities that you can do. It's fraught with trick questions, lots of waiting, and browsing through racks of stuff that all practically look the same. So to all the men out there who have been asked to accompany their wives and girlfriends as they go shopping, tread lightly.
Of course, there are a few things you can do to make shopping with your girl a lot easier. Just find the right words to say, the right suggestions, and add in a whole lot of patience to deal with the endless rows of clothing boutiques, beauty shops and shoe stores. If you find yourself getting asked if you want to go to the mall with your woman, here are a few things you can do.
Have the essentials with you
This isn't like camping where you need to bring a whole ton of stuff with you. What you need can fit in the palm of your hand and within your mind. Here's what you should have on you at all times at the mall:
#1 Entertainment. This can be a mobile gaming console, a book or even a Sudoku puzzle. Whatever can keep your mind occupied while you're waiting for your lady to browse should help you pull through. Trust us, you'll be thankful you have your entertainment on hand when she enters a huge store with infinite shopping options. Just don't let your entertainment engross your mind too much, as your woman may get mad when you're ignoring her completely.
#2 Comfortable footwear. It's common knowledge that when couples are at the mall, the woman gets a plus 10 on her stamina, while the man gets a minus 10. Make walking through shops a breeze with comfortable shoes. This will definitely help you out when the shop she enters doesn't conveniently have a chair.
#3 Hydration. This is completely optional, but it can help to have a bottle of water on hand so you can keep up. Waiting, walking around and defending your opinion about her choice of purchases can be thirsty work.
#4 An opinion. This is by far the most important thing you need to have with you. You can't just give monosyllabic answers and vague responses like, “It's cool” or “It's okay.” You'll need to elaborate on why the pink top looks nicer than the purple one.
Possible scenarios and the best ways to deal with them
Now let's talk about possible scenarios and things your woman might say to you as she's trying on a bunch of stuff. That opinion we talked about earlier will definitely come in handy when she starts asking the following:
#1 “Does this [article of clothing] make me look fat?” Never ever, under any circumstances, reply with a “yes” or a “no” without following it up with an explanation. If the item does indeed make her look fat, don't immediately nod. Instead, say something like, “I think the darker one looks nicer” or “The one you tried on before would look like it would flatter your curves better.” Avoid saying anything along the lines of “too tight,” “unflattering,” or “can't breathe in that.” She might know what you're implying, store it in her memory and use it as ammunition in arguments.
If the item makes her look svelte and slim, you can include a little compliment like, “Wow, your workout is doing wonders for your figure!” or “That really flatters your waist/arms/hips/legs.”
#2 “Do you prefer the red one or the blue one?” Colors matter a lot to women. Certain colors make them feel feminine and delicate, while other colors make her feel more confident and vibrant. To answer questions like this, you may need to know a little bit more about her dressing patterns.
When you've been dating for a while, you'd already know her favorite color, so you can say something like, “Red always looks great on you!” But if you feel like she hardly wears anything else, you can gently say something like, “Blue actually looks nice on you. Maybe you should try the blue one out for variety.”
On the other hand, if you haven't been dating for a while, you can do a little bit of research on what colors complement certain skin tones, hair colors or even eye colors. For instance, if your girl has gorgeous green eyes, tell her that greens really bring out their color. If she has a nice warm tan, gold and orange are two colors that are sure to complement her summer glow.
#3 “Does this lipstick look good on me?” Guys, we women may not always realize that you can't see the subtle difference between two seemingly identical lipstick shades. For all we know, unless you're an artist or designer, there are only four shades of lipstick: red, pink, orange and brown. But that doesn't mean we won't ask for your opinion anyway.
If a gentle reminder that she already has all possible colors for lip products doesn't work, indulge her anyway. Go for the one that genuinely looks nice on her. And if they all look nice, just base it on the one with the nice packaging. This usually helps speed up the process.
#4 You're starting to get tired. Under no circumstances must you pout, grunt or scowl when you're shopping with your girl. If she even catches a whiff of your displeasure, it will turn into her displeasure. She might ask you why you bothered coming, if you're going to be such a sourpuss. And then she might be too bummed out to continue shopping.
You have to realize that shopping can be extremely therapeutic for women. It can be a form of stress relief, which is why retail therapy is such a popular phrase. Don't take this moment away from your girl. Just imagine if she starts pouting and scowling while you're watching the NBA finals!
#5 Final Pro Tip: A schedule can be a lifesaver. You can get caught off guard when your lady suddenly wants to head out to the mall, with no idea what she wants to buy. Chances are she'll end up scouring through every shop. And in order to justify spending so much time looking for something she's not even sure of, she'll just end up buying something to make her feel like her endeavor wasn't a waste.
What you can do to keep her from dragging you into the mall for hours on end is having a schedule to keep in mind. For example, you can get a dinner reservation or movie tickets for 8 pm, and you can arrive at the mall at around 6:30. This gives her ample time to do her shopping, but not so much that you'll end up exhausted.
You can also do your own shopping while she does hers. And since most women spend more time trying things on, you can make a deal with her. For instance, you'll go with her to look for shoes, but afterwards you'll need to go to the hardware store to buy something. Or you can agree to go shopping with her, but that means you're exempted from doing chores once you get home. It's compromises like this that can leave you both satisfied and happy.
An invitation to go shopping with your girl is not meant to be a punishment. Some girls just really want to have someone there to help them decide what to buy. And of course, since you're the significant other, your opinion matters a lot.
