FashBlog.com

By Christina VanGinkel

How does one figure out, what is in fashion, and fashionable enough to wear, when it comes to purchasing clothing for their teenagers, especially when their teens are not along? Good luck! No, really, it is possible to shop for your teenager even when they are not with you, and still purchase things they will gladly wear. The advantage to this shopping scenario is that if you come across a sale or clearance, you can shop with the satisfaction of knowing that they will most likely wear your clothing picks. Nothing is worse than thinking you are saving money and then finding your buy of the century on the bottom of their closet floor hid beneath a pile of shoes or stuffed beneath their bed.

Figuring out what they like and dislike is not that hard. Follow the ideas I did, and you can rest assured that saving money on your teens clothing bills is a possibility.

Begin by simply asking your teens what styles they like. If there are certain name brands that they prefer over others, make a list. Ask for second and third choices. If they do not have certain brands they prefer, but more a style, ask them to show you things from their closet that they already own that fit the description of their current clothing choices.

Magazines are another good outlet for teenagers to pinpoint exactly what they would willingly wear. If they have a desired size other than what you term as a best fit, be sure to make note of this also. Different clothing items may also be more desirable in specific sizes. For example, a girl may prefer a small size t-shirt, but want any team logo sweatshirts in a medium or even a large.

Measure them every so often too, especially inseams for length of pants, and arm length for long sleeved shirts. This is especially important for very short or tall teens.

Once you go to the trouble of establishing your teens likes and dislikes on the clothing front, be sure to remind them that you have the list and that they should update you every time they feel that their clothing choices have changed. Even something as basic as your daughter suddenly deciding that she does not look good in yellow, and therefore does not want another single yellow top is something that she needs to keep you updated on. You must also take note yourself of any major changes you notice. Remind them occasionally that an organized list can mean the difference between you bringing home a pair of jeans they are sure to love and you leaving them hanging on the store rack for the next mother who comes along.

While creating a shopping checklist will not guarantee a perfect hit with every item purchased, it will greatly reduce your need to return things you were sure were budget savers. In addition, it sure beats constantly tripping over things that are tumbling out from their unwanted clothing pile they stuffed beneath their beds.