Buy clothes without trying them on

Don't want to spend time in a long dressing-room line? Here, four fashion professionals reveal their secrets.

"To save time in a busy store, I'll often bypass the dressing-room line and just buy the same item in two sizes," says Linda Lee, an associate buyer for Macy's West in San Francisco. "That way, I can try both items on at home and return the one that doesn't fit when it's more convenient."

"If you are between sizes, always go for the larger one and have it taken in," says Blair Nemiroff, manager of personal shopping for Bloomingdale's Soho, in New York City. She also notes that certain fabrics are a better bet to buy without trying on than others. Cotton, for example, is good because it breathes; linen is another option. Check the label for the percentage of spandex in a garment (if it has spandex). The higher the percentage, the more stretch it's going to have.

"Stay with the brands and the styles you know," says designer Eileen Fisher. "Also, it's important to understand the shapes that work for your individual body type."

"With bottoms, get styles that can work on your waist or on your hips, like a peasant skirt with an elastic waist, or pants with a drawstring," says Dorian May, a personal shopper, stylist, and former Access Hollywood producer. "You can adjust the item to wherever it fits right and looks the best."

Running errands

Julie Hagenmaier, founder and CEO of My Girl Friday, an errand-running company in Cincinnati, offers these tips.

"If you can do it online, do it online."

"Take advantage of services that deliver. If you can have stuff delivered or ready for you to pick up, that will save a lot of time. Call ahead and have your dry cleaning, groceries, or whatever ready for you when you get there. Some major grocery chains will have your shopping done for you."

"Never bring someone else along, especially your kids, when you are trying to get errands done quickly. If you bring your friends, you'll kill a lot of time gossiping. If you want to get in and out, do errands by yourself. When you go yourself, you're more apt to focus and do what needs to get done. With kids you're more likely to impulse-shop, and that wastes time and takes away from what you need to get done."

"A lot of people nickel-and-dime, and those nickels and dimes don't add up to convenience. So going to the grocery store across town to buy something because it's on sale is going to cost you more in gas and time than going to the store on the corner."

Go shopping right before the store closes. You'll be less tempted to stick around longer than your schedule allows.