The Easy Advice I Give All My Friends Who Hate Shopping

As someone who literally shops for a living—and loves it—I’ve always been confused by my friends, relatives, or even readers who complain about how much they hate it or how difficult they find it. While it’s hard for me to imagine, I’ve come to accept that it’s a real problem people face. And, while my go-to answer used to be, “Tell me what you’re looking for and I’ll help you find it,” recently I’ve taken up less of a give a man a fish approach and more of a teach a man to fish response.

So what do I do? It’s simple: I tell them to find a stylish celebrity whose body type feels similar to theirs, whose overall sense of style speaks to you, or even better, both, and buy either pieces you’ve seen them wear or ones inspired by their outfits. After all, armed with expert stylists and all the best brands vying to dress them, few people master both red carpet and street style quite like celebs.

If their next question is how to keep up with them and find out what they’re wearing, I go on to explain that this can be done a number of ways. You can follow them (or accounts dedicated to their style) on Instagram, regularly check fashion news sites such as Who What Wear (duh!), or even be your own editor and look at the same sites we do from time to time, like StarStyle and OutfitID for of-the-moment celebrity dressing updates.

Whichever avenue you choose, looking to a stylish star can change the way you shop forever and save you a lot of seemingly wasted time if shopping isn’t your favorite thing. To see what I mean, check out some It girls I’d like to steal some shopping tips from as of late, from a flattering shoe trend à la Rihanna or jumpsuit style that works for ladies on the shorter side inspired by Kourtney Kardashian.

Kourtney Kardashian

Coming in at 5 feet tall, Kourney Kardashian provides endless inspiration for how petite girls (like myself) can master the latest trends. 

Shop her jumpsuit:

Ashley Graham

For bustier girls wondering how to master the see-through top trend, look no further than Ashley Graham’s tucked in Beaufille moment complete with a full-coverage bra. 

Shop her top:

Kristen Bell

Also petite but with a straighter figure, Kristen Bell shows how a ruched one-shoulder dress can show off one’s natural shape. 

Shop her dress:

Sofia Vergara

Tall and curvy girls with an affinity for refined dressing and skinny jeans will find endless inspiration in Sofia Vergara. 

Shop her sweater:

Selena Gomez

Known for wearing a dress one day and going totally edgy the next, Selena Gomez’s constantly evolving style feel accessible for anyone, if you ask me. 

Shop her jacket:

Mindy Kaling

While our favorite thing is Mindy Kaling’s confidence and inspirational messages regarding body-positivity, our second favorite is her ability to kill it in a printed dress.

Shop her dress:

Reese Witherspoon

If you’re looking for the most flattering jean-and-blouse combos in the game, look no further than Reese. Like me, the woman knows that when you’re on the shorter side, tucking in is key.

Shop her jeans:

Lily-Rose Depp

She’s arguably the coolest 18 year old on the planet, so even I find myself turning to Lily-Rose for the latest in all-things-effortless. My favorite part about this look is definitely her Nikes. 

Shop similar shoes:

Margot Robbie

While Margot’s build is nothing like my 5’2” self, I can vouch for the fact that her style is always accessible. Her airport look of sweater, midi skirt, and flats is definitely going into my brunch outfit rotation.

Shop her skirt:

Priyanka Chopra

An hourglass girl with eclectic style, Priyanka’s another trove of interesting and flattering outfit ideas.

Shop her bodysuit:

Rihanna

Is there any trend Rihanna can’t pull off? While most people are probably drawn to the fact that she’s layered what looks like a denim miniskirt over a camisole, I can’t help but admire the fact that she makes boyfriend jeans look so flattering by pairing them with barely there PVC mules.

Shop her shoes:

Hailey Baldwin

Last but not least, if you’re looking to master the latest trends in streetwear, while striking the perfect balance between edgy and refined, try emulating some of Hailey Baldwin’s latest looks.

Shop similar pants: