There is a tendency for teens to shop together, and whilst this may be great fun, is unlikely to result in a successful trip, except from the point of view of the retailer who will have quite a lot of your money at the end of the day. Instead, either shop alone, or with just one trusted friend who can offer you advice. The risk otherwise is that a group of teens will tend to be hooked more easily by the fashion adverts, trendy models and looks being promoted by the shops, rather than thinking about practicalities, cost or value for money.

Remember, any item you buy as a bargain is a waste of money if you can't think of anything to wear it with. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if you can come up with at least two or three items you already own which would go with the item you're considering buying. If you can't even think of two or three matches, then leave it. You'll only end up having to buy more clothes to match the new item, which defeats the whole point of getting a bargain in the first place.

Before you go out shopping, choose underwear and under garments carefully so that it is easier to see items as you would be wearing them. For example, if you're out to buy a new dress, then wear a strapless bra so that you can see the dress as it would really appear. It also helps if you spend a bit of extra time doing makeup and hair, because this will make it far easier for you to scrutinise yourself in the mirror when trying on new outfits. It clearly is not in your favour if you look in the mirror in the changing room and squint in a way that tries to prevent you from really seeing what you look like. Make yourself look good so that you'll have the confidence to look in the mirror and be self critical about what you look like in a particular outfit.

Usually most changing rooms have three way mirrors, and you should use these to judge what you look like from the side and behind in any outfit. This way you'll find it easier to judge if an outfit fits properly, or whether there are tight areas or areas where sagging occurs.

Many teens are lured towards the section in shops for teenagers and this tends to be the glitzy fashion section. However, the prices will reflect this, and many teens can actually still fit into the clothes in the children's section. Don't be too proud to have a look in these sections as very often the clothing is of a very high quality, looks good, and will be a fraction of the price.

In many cases you might find an item which is far cheaper than the fashionable item you were after, but the differences might be fairly superficial. For example, you may have found a great top, but the buttons look cheap, and lets the whole thing down. A packet of buttons costs just a few pence, and for the sake of a few minutes' work, either yourself or by someone you know who can use a needle, you can rip off all the original buttons and put a new set on. In this way you can improve the look of an item very quickly, at very little cost, and also know that no one else is going to have the same top as you.