Tantric Shopping in Los Angeles

Dress Up

I can tell you from experience that the shopgirls at a place like Barney’s, while they act perfectly nice towards someone in Gap jeans and flip flops, aren’t nearly as nice to you as they would be if you show up in a dress and heels.  They don’t have to know that you bought it at Goodwill.  Successful window shopping requires some modicum of looking like you might actually buy something so as you’re getting ready for a day of spending no money, take a second to try to look nice.  I’m sure you already do this, but you know.

Go to an Expensive Boutique

If you make the mistake of window shopping at your favorite stores where you actually shop it is much easier to fall into the trap of actually buying things and that defeats the whole purpose.  Instead, I recommend going to stores and boutiques that are so far out of your price range that even if you decided to max out all of your credit cards, you wouldn’t be able to buy anything there.  You know the kind of shops I’m talking about.  You’ll find them in Beverly Hills or in Brentwood.  They’re sparsely buy stylishly decorated.  Instead of racks upon racks of clothes, there are three shirts folded on a table in the middle of the store and 7 dresses hanging 12 feet above the floor.  You can tell by the angle at which the salespeople hold their heads (so that everything they look at is positioned directly down their nose) that you cannot afford ANYTHING in here and you can’t help buy wonder who exactly can. 

Careful with Your Makeup

This is good advice for any kind of shopping, but when you’re going into the day not planning on buying anything, it’s even more important to not smear makeup or deodorant all over the clothes you try on.  Embarrassing!

Bring a Friend

I kind of have a complex about shopping and I like to do it by myself.  However, I realize that this puts me in the minority and for most people, shopping is just that much more fun with a friend and tantric shopping is even more so.  This way you’ll be able to have a shared memory of how great you looked in that dress that you’ll never be able to afford and reminisce about it over some box wine once the shops close.

Act Confident

I know better than any of you that being broke can wreak havoc on your everyday confidence.  Tantric shopping can be a perfect cure for this.  So even if you’re feeling insecure and unhappy about your maxed out credit cards and lapsed gym membership, you must act confident.  Strut into the store like you own the place.  Look down your nose at the people who work there even though they probably make more money than you.  Don’t for an instant let on that you don’t belong there and won’t be purchasing anything.

Reward Yourself

Did you make it through a whole day – or even a few hours – of browsing pricey boutiques without buying anything?  Great job!  You deserve a reward!  Now, don’t go blowing it by buying something you can’t afford.  Instead, hit some cheapy place (there you are, Forever 21, I love you so) and buy a pair of $3 earrings or check out the box boys at Trader Joe’s and buy some Velvet Moon Cabernet and a hunk of Brie.  Just because you’ve got no money doesn’t mean you can’t indulge. 

guide icon by salondemaria via flickr