Woman will try on more than 21,000 items of clothing in a lifetime – but will only actually buy half of them, a study revealed today.
On average, women hit the shops four times a month and disappear into the changing rooms with ten tops, pairs of jeans, dresses or shoes on each trip.
That’s a total of 40 different items of clothing tried on each month – or a staggering 480 a year.
However, only five of those items make it into to the tills during each shopping trip.
That’s just 240 garments a year or 10,560 over a typical shopping lifespan of 45 years.
It also emerged one in two women regularly try clothes on at stores – with absolutely no intention of buying them.
Sue Beck of Lambrini, which carried out the research, said: ”For many women, trying on different clothes is often the best part of a shopping trip.
”Hours are spent in changing rooms with friends trying on weird and wonderful outfits you wouldn’t ever dare wear out in public.
”It’s also an excuse for some of us to try on clothes that are designer and beyond our budget.”
Celebrity stylist Patrick Swan added: ”Take an entire outfit, right down to footwear into the changing room so you can see and understand how it is meant to work together.
”There is nothing worse than spending money on an item of clothing and it ending up in the back of your wardrobe unworn because you never got round to finding something to wear it with.
”Prints can confuse the eye so try wearing a print on the part of your body you don’t want to draw attention to and remember small prints for smaller frame body shapes and larger prints for larger body shapes.
”A great jacket or cardigan can really pull an outfit, if not your wardrobe, together, so think of these as investment pieces and purchase those that will stand the test of time.”
The study of 3,000 women was carried out to launch Lambrini’s ‘Refresh your Wardrobe’ campaign, where women can win a £2,000 personal shopping spree with celebrity stylist Patrick Swan.
It revealed 84 per cent admit going out ‘only to window shop’ – but end up buying something anyway.
The study also revealed on average one item bought on each shopping trip will never be worn and another item will be returned using the ‘it didn’t fit properly’ excuse.
Another 40 per cent of women admitted deciding they didn’t like the item as soon as they arrived home.
It also emerged 85 per cent of women often regret buying something when they go shopping.
And the same number admitted they also regretted NOT buying something.
TOP TEN REASONS FOR RETURNING ITEMS
1. it didn’t fit properly
2. I didn’t really like it
3. I changed my mind
4. I felt guilty
5. I found something similar / cheaper elsewhere
6. My partner / friend didn’t think it suited me
7. It didn’t go with something I was to wear it with
8. Bum looked big in it
9. Hips looked too big in it
10. Boobs looked too big in it
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