1.       Don't talk yourself into an outfit that isn't flattering to your frame. There are only two kinds of clothes in this world. Clothes that flatter you and clothes that don't. Avoid the latter regardless of how popular and trendy they are.

2.       When you go out shopping have the right shoes on or with you. This will give you the “right” line with the item.

3.       Nothing good will come from buying uncomfortable shoes regardless of how fabulous they are. Take a few turns around the shoe store and see how they feel. If they hurt inspect the shoe and figure out if this is going to be a case of the shoe needing to stretch or if it’s a lost cause. I have a pair of flats that I bought because I was deeply in love and they gave me terrible blisters the first time I wore them and after that they fit perfect. I knew this would happen and before I wore them for the first time I conditioned them and placed petroleum jelly on my heels to soften the leather

4.       Don't buy on impulse. Don’t buy something just because it’s an awesome sale price. Ask yourself the following questions when deciding if to buy. Do I need this? Does it fit with my lifestyle or wardrobe? Where am I going to wear this? If you are still undecided then put it on hold and if you are still thinking about it at the end of the day -buy it.

5.       Buy items that fit your lifestyle. If you live in jeans than its okay to splurge on a pair that fits perfect and makes you feel great. Same goes for a great suit or perfect dress. I am typically a big fan of discount shopping and rarely pay full price but sometimes if I really love something I will splurge out.

6.       Invest in undergarments – now this doesn’t mean you have to buy $80 bras and underwear but look for appropriate fit and when you find something that works buy one in black and nude. The right bra will make you look thinner.

7.       Always protect your leather goods, always! Before the start of every season I take a Saturday and pull out all of my shoes and get to work. I rub down my leather with mink oil in order to protect them from the elements. Suede or fabric shoes get sprayed with an all-weather protectant. I will also spray down my fabric bags and rub down my leather bags. If you spent the money you might as well protect your investment. I WISH that someone had told me this when I was younger because so many shoes would have been saved.

8.       When you find the perfect jean, t-shirt, sweater, whatever buy multiples. A few years ago I found the perfect fitting pair of jeans and I bought three pairs and I am so glad I did. The very next year they hanged the cut and fit of the jeans and the new cut looked terrible. If I hadn’t bought those “backup” pairs I would have been heartbroken. I really believe when you find clothes you love you have to expect the worst. Expect that they will immediately discontinue that style or cut or color and prepare for that situation.

9.       Speaking of finding the right jeans…when you find a pair you love like I said before buy several BUT have one tailored for heels and one for flats. That way you won’t have to worry about the bottoms of your jeans getting frayed from rubbing against the ground.

10.   Now most people tell you to spend money on items like shoes, bags, black sweaters, trousers – you know the basics. I’m telling you to spend time looking for good quality at the lowest price possible. Every pair of shoes I own are a mid-priced ($100-$150) designer brand but you can bet your bottom dollar that I have NEVER paid that much. I skulk online to find the best prices and it is totally worth the work. I have found $300 shoes for $50 all it takes is a little searching The same goes for your other basics there are plenty of stores that have great sale racks where you can find basic items at the fraction of the cost. When it comes to handbags you don’t have to buy a high-end designer bag just look for good details and leathers that feels good to the touch.

11.   Avoid knock-offs at all cost. All these are going to do is break down and look even worse. It’s a total waste of money. If you simply must have a designer looking bag open your eyes and look around. I bought a bag at Kohl’s about three years ago it was a beautiful dark gold, felt like butter and it looked really similar to a Bottega Veneta bag so much so that the girls in my office who worshipped designer items thought my bag WAS a Bottega Veneta. If you want a designer look avoid the bags with the designer name scrawled all over the bag because anyone who knows designers will see that it’s a fake its better to do what I did buy a bag that looks similar but is not a knock off. The only way to do this is to study up on designers and get to know what their bags look like.

12.   Don’t bother buying clothes that are poor quality it’s a waste of money in the long run. When you purchase poor quality items you will just end up having to replace them and in the end it will cost you more. If I had paid attention to the quality of my clothing early on in life I could have saved a lot of money. Bear in mind that quality does not always equal expense. You have to weigh the quality versus cost. Items like t-shirts are probably going to get messed up long before they begin to wear out is one item I feel requires no splurge.