'After 20 years in fashion, here are 3 shopping lessons I’ve learnt the hard way.'

I've worked in fashion for two decades now, from the retail floor to styling shoots and writing about trends for Mamamia.

While it's a fun and occasionally glamorous way to make a living, my career comes with one major financial risk factor, which is that I'm never not shopping.

Because I'm constantly on the lookout for new things to write about and styles to trial, I forever have 100 shopping tabs open (both literally and metaphorically).

So I've learnt a thing or two about… restraint.

But I've also made my fair share of mistakes — including splurging on a designer handbag I didn't really need, and buying items for a fantasy lifestyle I don't actually lead.

On Mamamia's weekly fashion podcast, Nothing To Wear, I sat down with trend forecaster Lucinda Pikkat to unpack some of the biggest shopping mistakes we're both guilty of, and how to fix them.

It was like a big retail group therapy session, and honestly, I needed it. I think we all do.

Prefer to listen? Check out the full episode below.

We're in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, and no one wants to be stuck with buyers' remorse on top of the exorbitant price of petrol and standard household items. It's just not cute.

Here are three common shopping mistakes we identified, and how to stop them in their tracks.

Shopping mistake #1: Buying clothes for a fantasy lifestyle or body.

It's a trap I've fallen into many times: purchasing pieces I love, but won't necessarily wear, because I'm projecting a lifestyle onto them that I don't actually lead.

When I moved to a beachside community five years ago, I had to abandon my urban lifestyle and lean into a more relaxed way of dressing.

I started dressing more like this. Image: Supplied.

That meant I had absolutely no use for things like structured blazers and high heels. But for a while, I was still buying them. And while they look nice in my closet, it's a waste of money when they're not being used.

There's just a different brief here. And that means focusing on practical styles, and resisting the lure of those more elevated pieces.

Lucinda added that a common mistake women make when shopping is envisioning the 'dream body' they think they "need" to be able to wear a specific item — think a bikini or pair of jeans.

"Buying a different size with the intention of being that size for summer; we need to stop that," she shared.

"This 'goal dress' mentality has been baked into women's shopping habits for decades, and it can be really damaging. The idea of buying something two sizes too small as "motivation" plays into diet culture, guilt-driven consumerism, and the belief that our current body is never enough."

As harsh as it might sound, we need a reality check, and that's to shop for the lifestyle and the body you have now.

As Lucinda says: "Your body doesn't need to earn your clothes. Your clothes should earn their place in your wardrobe by fitting you beautifully now."

Amen to that. You can hear more from Lucinda in this video below, post continues.

Shopping mistake #2: Only buying it because it's cheap.

I do love a sale (duh), but it's important to remember that certain styles are marked down for a reason.

End-of-season sales, in particular, represent the items the retailer needs to get rid of… because, er, nobody's buying them.

"We all get caught up in that excitement," Lucinda says.

"Just take a beat. Before you open up the website, ask yourself, 'what do I actually need?' Because you get suckered in and see all these things. Maybe you see the blazers — but you've got four blazers already, you don't really need another one."

If you do want to save some cash, I always suggest waiting for sale events like Black Friday or Cyber Monday, where stores are offering a generic discount on everything.

That way you get your pick, not the pick of what the retailer needs to shift.

We also need to be wary of buying designer items on sale, just for the cachet of owning something from that brand.

I'm guilty of making this mistake a few years back, when I bought a Gucci handbag on a website offering marked-down luxury accessories.

The retailer had slashed $500 off the original price, so I snapped it up. But the selection of Gucci bags on the site was tiny.

Moral of the story: I bought a bag I didn't love for a lot of money, just to save a few hundred bucks.

But when you're investing in a designer item, it's worth spending a bit more on the piece you really want, rather than compromising.

Shopping mistake #3: The late-night impulse buy.

The third shopping faux pas, which Lucinda brought to the table, is particularly prevalent amongst new mums — and it's something she and I have both done multiple times in the throes of newborn life.

So please know we have a lot of empathy if you've found yourself in this situation more than you care to admit.

Shopping while sleep-deprived? Never heard of her. Image: Supplied.

"Whether it's the 3am feeds, general motherhood, or doom-scrolling in bed after work, many of us experience decision fatigue at the end of a long day, which often leads to impulse buying," she says (see: that mystery package on your doorstep.)

"Our brains are tired and we're looking for a quick dopamine fix. The urge to purchase can feel irresistible, and it's made all too easy with Apple Pay," Lucinda adds.

But there are dangers with impulse purchases. For one, you can end up buying things that are way out of your budget, or not at all your style.

"It's just not worth it," she says.

"I know the idea of 'sleeping on it' is easier said than done, but remember [that thing] is really not going anywhere. Delaying decisions can help you avoid regret."

When I'm scrolling at night on Instagram and find myself tempted to impulse buy, I save the item I want to a folder named 'Shopping'.

I come back to it the next day and see, with fresh eyes, if it's really something my wardrobe needs.

And most of the time? It's not.

Are you guilty of these shopping mistakes, too? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

Feature image: Supplied.