I hate shopping, my wardrobe is in a serious need of an update but I just can't face the crowds – do you have any tips on making it more bearable?

OK my top tips for shopping are ... Decide what you need to buy before you leave the house. Terribly sensible perhaps, but this will ensure you buy something to go with what you already have, or something you actually need. Know how much you can spend - a top tip for keeping post-shopping guilt at bay and will make you more ingenious with your purchases.

If you choose to go to department stores just pick one (if it's a biggie like Selfridges) or two (if you want to include a House of Fraser or Debenhams). It's easy to forget that most department stores stock the same labels. Why wear yourself out looking at the same clothes over and over again!


Go early in the morning when they open, about 10am usually, to avoid the rush. Shops in people’s lunch breaks and after work are full of manic people rushing around, grabbing all they can in the shortest amount of time. It can be chaos, not pretty and best avoided, especially in the sales.

ALWAYS, always, always try both shoes on. Most people’s feet are slightly different sizes so you need to make sure they both fit perfectly. Never buy a pair of shoes that don’t feel comfortable in the shop. With high heels you can usually tell with a quick turn around the shop if they will start to hurt or irritate you after a few hours of wear. It's heartbreaking to discover THE dream shoes and discovering on getting them home that they're a nightmare to walk in.

If you really can’t face leaving the comfort of your home then I highly recommend the following sites:

www.topshop.com
www.asos.com
www.my-wardrobe.com
www.net-a-porter.co.uk