Shopping Paralysis

Remember last week I took myself off to Meadowhall for a day of heavy duty shopping and came home with a mascara and a packet of painkillers? I'd like to say that's unusual for me but the fact is that it's not. It's fairly standard

I'm an all or nothing kind of gal I suppose. I've been the perpetrator of some pretty epic shopping trips in my time (including one that ran into four figures and involved my ex having his debit card refused at a fuel station on the way home because of 'suspicious activity'!!) but more often than not I come home empty handed or with some token purchase to make me feel better about having driven miles and wasted my time

I've always had a love-hate relationship with shopping for this very reason. And for some inexplicable reason, the more money I have to spend, the harder I find it to actually spend. Does anyone else get this? When I'm skint or trying to save money I can't move for things I want. When I have a bit of 'fun money' for myself I couldn't spend it if you put a gun to my head. Well I could but I already have enough painkillers and I'm good for mascara for the next few months ....

I tend to shop alone for this reason but that makes it worse - I need someone to give me some ideas of what I should be buying and a kick up the bum to make me actually buy it. Fashion is most definitely not my forte. I blame this on a childhood (and early adulthood) spent in jodhpurs, jeans and dirty t shirts - my love of my horses far outweighed any desire to look good and every spare minute I had was spent riding and happily pampering my equine babies and not caring how I looked (or smelled!) My horses may have had the best and most expensive kit but I didn't give a fig what I wore as long as I was warm, dry and comfy

Later on an expensive beauty habit emerged but I never really 'got' fashion. To me, clothes are just something to cover my body with and I own more slouchy jeans, hoodies and trainers than anything smart, although I try to keep a stock 'smart outfit' or two for those occasions when I HAVE to look groomed

Most women complain about the lack of choice when it comes to maternity clothes but I actually found it a blessed relief! Unfortunately I'm still carrying a lot of stubborn baby weight and I've been putting off buying clothes until I got back to my pre-pregnancy weight but now that the weather has warmed up I'm in desperate need of some summer clothes. I'm going to have to swallow my pride and buy some warm-weather clothes in my new, bigger size. Ugh.

So today I'm hitting the internet for some online shopping. I find this easier than 'real' shopping because I get to see the clothes on a person and as part of an outfit, which gives me a bit more of a clue of how to wear them. It also means I get to try them on at my leisure (often a week after they've arrived) rather than going to the faff of getting undressed and re-dressed in a cramped changing room in front of one of those god-awful mirrors. Luckily my sister works in a local boutique so if the situation gets desperate I can always visit her and be styled by someone who actually knows me and isn't afraid to tell me the truth eg 'this would really suit you but you'd never wear it so don't waste your money'

Am I alone in my shopping paralysis? Do you struggle when it comes to buying clothes? Do you have any tips to help me shop better?