Exercise and Shopping: How You Sweat May Tell You Something About How You Shop
When explaining what I do for work, I often describe myself as a personal trainer for people’s style. Like a personal trainer who uses strength and fitness as a means of improving how their clients look and feel, I use fashion and styling to help my clients feel more confident in their outward appearance, which in turn, bolsters their self-esteem and results in stronger personal presentation and carriage. While my props may be more delicate and attractive than the dumbbells and machines used by fitness trainers, our goal is the same: To help private clients reach their personal best and do so in a highly individualized and attentive way.
Hearing myself draw this comparison to personal training enough times now, I am struck by another analogy linking fitness to fashion. Group exercise concepts like SoulCycle, Barry’s Bootcamp and CrossFit have changed the way people approach working out. These fitness classes rely on group energy, mutual accountability and community building to help motivate and sustain individuals throughout their workout (and keep them coming back, even at seemingly exorbitant prices). Devotees of these exercise outlets are drawn not only to the proffered health and fitness benefits, but also to the spiritual and relational connections they make by regularly attending their favorite spin or circuit class.
In contrast, group exercise like yoga and even the revolutionary spin concept, Peloton, provide individuals with the opportunity to internally focus while they sweat. It is rare (and for me, distracting) to attend a chatty yoga class. Peloton currently has only one group exercise studio in Manhattan. While the studio offers over a dozen “live” classes a day, the lion’s share of Peleton’s business comes from the over 500,000 in-home riders who, as of June 2017, had purchased over 110,000 of Peloton’s proprietary stationary bikes (GeekWire). As described on their website, Peloton uses “technology to bring group exercise—benefits and energy included—right to your home,” and according to one’s own schedule, which makes classes very accessible and flexible.
So, what does all of this talk about exercise have to do with fashion?! Exercising regularly can certainly help you fit into your clothes with more confidence, but beyond that, how you choose to exercise actually may say something about how you like to shop. In other words, do people who prefer or even need to exercise with a group prefer to shop in a group? Do those who train on their own prefer to shop on their own? If you are looking to spin, would you choose Soulcycle or Peloton? There’s value to both and each is very personal and can be deeply gratifying. Let’s explore some helpful ways to navigate through your preferred shopping style.
Photo Credit: Bauer-Griffin via Zimbio
The More the Merrier Shopper
Shopping is best for you when shared with friends. You like a little push toward purchases and need the voices of encouraging friends to help you get out of your comfort zone. Social shopping is a terrific way to spend time with friends, but maintaining one’s individuality can sometimes be challenging when operating in a group. Below are some things to keep in mind when shopping in a pack.
Don’t fall prey to “groupthink,” that is, the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group in a way that discourages creativity or individual expression. Your good friends are not out to peer pressure you into a purchase decision. However, it is hard to say “no” to those $1,000 platform sandals if all your friends are telling you how amazing they look on you. We have all made decisions we regret because we have not listened to our inner voices. If your gut (or wallet) is clenching as you hand over your credit card—or you find yourself shifting nervously in front of the 3-way dressing room mirror, even if your most trusted girlfriends are urging you to, your best bet is to wait or pass on the actual purchase. If that inner check is not available to you at the time, don’t fret—you can always return pieces you do not need or want for full refunds or at least store credits.
Know when to cut yourself off. We all know what wearing beer goggles can lead to. Well, how about champagne sunglasses? Sure, a glass of bubbly can add festivity to any shopping experience, but if you and your friends are going to drink while shopping, avoid the drunken purchase! Inevitably, the more you drink, the more likely it is you will be waking up next to a shopping bag containing expensive pieces that you probably don’t need.
Set time limits. Shopping has a shelf life, no matter how fun your group is. The euphoria of shopping usually peaks around Hour Two. After that, your ability to make sharp purchase decisions begins to wane. If you are feeling shopper’s fatigue, respectfully buck the temptation to buy, no matter how enthusiastic your friends are or how much they may be buying for themselves.
Photo Credit: Michelle Drewes | Top Left Cuff: Wendy Nichol | Shoes: Maria Cornejo | Silver Cuff: Sidney Garber | Gold Spike Cuff: K/LLER COLLECTION | Black Bag: Stella McCartney
The Solitary Shopper
You’re an individual and prefer to explore, gather inspiration and try clothes on your own. You may love the hunt of online shopping and the thrill of a FedEx delivery. You usually know what you want and how to find it, but even the most savvy of solitary shoppers needs direction and validation from time to time. Here are some suggestions for how you can get what you need from social shopping while still maintaining your ultimate independence.
Work with stylists at your favorite stores. These retail professionals can not only help you source that coveted trench coat in your size, but the good ones can often proxy as a trusted friend, candidly providing feedback on what looks best on you and helping you prioritize your purchase decisions. (Wardrobe consultants and personal stylists can also serve in this role.)
Make a physical or mental shopping list before you head out or boot up to shop. Having specific needs in mind will help you limit distractions and avoid over-buying. Without friends alongside to keep you in check, these lists are vital!
Subscribe to select marketing emails. There are some excellent fashion and lifestyle bloggers out there who can bring their editorial voice directly to your inbox. From there, you can choose what tips you want to adopt into your shopping strategy. Likewise, some retailers like Barneys New York, Net-A-Porter and Bergdorf Goodman have superb email marketing programs that offer subscribers inside access to exclusive collections, unique “how to wear it” advice and advanced notice of sales and other promotions. I have found some of my favorite pieces like this Wendy Nichol cuff from an email.
Think globally, act locally. The emergence of aggregate e-retailers like Matches Fashion, Moda Operandi, Farfetch and others literally provide home shoppers with worldwide access to the most current fashion and accessories from boutiques across the globe. Not only are these sites simple to shop, delivery and returns to and from your home are seamless.
Whatever motivates you to workout harder or splurge on that new bomber jacket, it’s always good to have options. Just as you might have to rely on a friend to push you into that sweaty spin studio, if you are a group shopper, you may want to lean on that same friend to keep your purchases on point and in check. Likewise, the lone exercise wolf who needs earbuds and a high-charging playlist to get her running legs moving faster may also need some extra “coaching” from select retail experts online, in stores or for hire. Ultimately, it shouldn’t matter what or who got your through your workout or shopping day, what matters most is that you come away from those experiences feeling significantly better than you did going into them.