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How to Survive Clothes Shopping With Psoriasis

It's normal to approach the clothing store changing room with fear when living with psoriasis. After all, if watching the flakes flutter down onto the dark flooring of the tiny cubicle with terrible lighting doesn't feel humiliating enough, looking at yourself in slightly grey mismatching underwear with spots glaring at you is like cats eyes on a nighttime highway is.

These are my strategies for shopping at home and in-store for avoiding those horror film replays of momentary full-length mirror self-loathing sessions and for acquiring a wardrobe that makes you feel great, look great, and save loads of cash.

Online shopping is your friend.

Shopping from your phone or computer at your favorite stores can certainly take off the pressure. It allows you to think through your purchases,

My love of online shopping has many reasons. You get excited about your chosen product and don't feel as much pressure when you try things on at home. You can do it when you're in the right mindset and not when you know your arms are full of 15 sale items, and there are 17 women tutting outside the dressing room door.

At home try-onsWhen your clothing products arrive, go ahead and put yourself in that right mindset. You deserve it. Put on soft lighting, light a candle. Play your favorite music and make a non-alcoholic drink. This is your time. Time for you to play. Yes, play! I suffer from fatigue - and trying on clothes when my energy levels are right also helps me make much better decisions.Check it with the rest of your clothesGo ahead and check the garment with the rest of your wardrobe. If you have bought loads of clothes, sometimes the friction of taking things on and off can make the skin sore. This technique is a quick win for identifying whether you should bother to try it on right then or not. If the color complements other colors in your wardrobe then you are likely to have a winner! If you are buying the right colors for your skin tone, all of the colors in your wardrobe should complement each other. My closet, for example, is full of greens, reds, yellows, greys, creams. While they are all wildly different colors, they all share the same warm yellow undertone.Wear the items for half an hour.When you have the final pile of items that you think you want to keep go ahead and pack the rest away for returns. Put on each of the 'keeper' items own for 30 minutes. This is such a great consequence of online shopping and direct home delivery. This is where you find that the ribbed green top rides up when you walk around the house, or the vest seam rubs on the psoriasis patch on your abdomen. Or actually, the slightly scratchy wool is really scratchy when you bend repeatedly to empty the dishwasher.Just remember to be respectful, don't eat in it and if you dirty it - you have to keep it. Only return in the same condition you got it in. Last month, I accidentally dipped the straps of the maternity dungarees I was trying out in the toilet - needless to say, they ended up as keepers!In-person shopping tipsShopping certainly looks different within post-pandemic life but if you find yourself shopping in a store or a mall again, there might be a few things you want to consider or keep in mind, especially if you're shopping with friends!Go ahead and audit your wardrobe before you go.What colors and items are missing from your wardrobe? Color is a great way to liven up your style when you're wearing high coverage. It's easy to see when you open your wardrobe what you are hoarding and what you need more of. For me last year I had loads of coral-colored sweatshirts, but only a few t-shirts and only one item in green - a color which in its brighter form, looks great on me.So now when shopping, it's not an exhausting drag around town, having to strip down several times in several places. Now, I only take what I need to the changing room (if they are available), which means full shops where I can look at jewelry, headscarves, and handbags.What do you not need more of?Stay away from your comfort zone! No more white shirts, grey cardigans, and black trousers, ok? Unless yours are shabby and need replacing - in this case, you have to be prepared to trash or donate the ones in your wardrobe when you get home.Don't compare yourself to other people or thingsYes, the mannequin looked fab in the matching floral two-piece, but she has no head, and the clothes have been pinned to fit the shape perfectly. It will never look that fabulous on anyone who isn't Kate Moss so give yourself a break.Sometimes, I see other people who are changing in the dressing rooms come out and look awful in something too. We all have different shapes, colors, and personal styles. If you look fabulous in everything you try on, I challenge you're not experimenting enough or you have made the wise decision to employ a stylist to teach you what works.Always remember to take care of yourselfAt the end of the day, shopping should be fun or at the minimum - productively functional. If you find yourself getting upset in a shop, then abandon the shopping. Take yourself for a coffee or hot chocolate with marshmallows and read a magazine. Nothing is so important that you need to force yourself back out there that day. Try again later, maybe using the tips for online shopping or with the help of a personal shopper or close friend.

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This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The PlaquePsoriasis.com team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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