Nashville Series – The 6 Rules of Mall Shopping (Greenhills Mall)

Personally speaking, nothing gets the blood pumping faster than walking into a high-end mall with top-notch anchor stores such as Saks, Nordstroms or Neiman Marcus. For me fashion shopping is akin to competing in a sport and like most good competitors, experience has taught me to be more discerning and disciplined on how to win the game. The mall at Greenhills in Nashville certainly had me in its clutches the moment I walked through the entrance of the nicest Nordstrom’s I have seen……let the game begin!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rule 1. Take stock – have a firm idea of what you actually need.

A sure fire way to prevent the curse of shoppers remorse is to have a clear idea of what you are actually seeking. For example – shoes were top of my list and the main reason I headed to the new Tory Burch store.  As much as I love TB footwear, ordering over the internet is nye on an impossibility due to sizing irregularities hence the reason I purchased 2 pairs of sandals and a classic pair of TB ballerina’s, all in hues of camel.  Why 3 pairs of the same color? I  took a leaf out of Kate Middletons book who has shown a propensity for neutral tone shoes – camel pairs easily with other colors and frankly does not date unlike bolder options.

Rule 2. Stick to the game plan – you can always revisit.

It is very easy to get carried away while mall shopping indeed every store is set up to entice you to buy more than you need which is why I stuck to my golden rule of taking a day to consider if in doubt.  One such example was the beautifully cut Theory ‘Gabe b’ black blazer – a real no brainer except it did not have the leather features I was seeking. After a few days of consideration and reading the many  5 star reviews on retailer websites I succumbed and placed the order.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rule 3. Recognize your weakness

We often veer to garments similar to those we already have – ask yourself, “do I need this?”  I held off on the ‘tiered dot tank’ and ‘maritime blazer’ at J Crew because I realize I’m obsessed with blazers and own far too many. I did love the casualness of this jacket though, which is made of a jersey type fabric and has the potential for much versatility. The tank has a slight vintage feel to it but, I felt, a little over priced.  I show it above in green and will be ordering it in navy when it inevitably goes on sale.

Rule 4 – Always shop for purses in stores.

I am always on the look out for a fabulous purse and of late the clutch has been the style I have been seeking. I never shop online for purses – no matter how much detail is given on retailer websites, a purse is one of those items that you really need to physically examine and try on in person.

The Tory Burch ’bombe’ style was most certainly the best option I found at a reasonable price point. It has a neat strap, which tucks away, should you prefer to carry it on the shoulder plus the ‘bombe’ receives rave reviews on retailer websites. Ironically I would not have given this purse another look had I seen it online which is case and point to the number 4 rule. At $325 what was there to think about? Camel, brown or black…hmmmm!

Rule 5 –  Recognize when it is time to leave!

Research has shown that 4 hours is the longest one should shop for. After that time frame you are more likely to become disheartened and make mistakes. I found these Cole Haan gladiators right at the end of an 8 hour day of shopping……or was it 10 hours…..the point is that you lose focus.

This Marcella sandal was subject to a second mark down of $92. I dithered over them as I knew I had gone past my time for making good decisions. In the end it was the patience and good service of Brian, the Cole Haan associate that paid off.  I wore my new gladiators the next day and ended up sending Brian another customer after she spotted me wearing them in a boutique…..so happily no buyers remorse this time.

Rule 6. Enjoy the experience.

What I love about Greenhills Mall is the diversity of stores and the ability to browse in salubrious surroundings at leisure. I did discover some really great buys other than those mentioned above, such as a fabulous military inspired Burberry jacket on sale and a gorgeous pair of Stuart Weitzman heels which I reluctantly left for others to drool over. For once, I stuck to my own rules and – like the most practiced of sportsman – had fun in the process. Happy Shopping!