Avoiding nudity is not the only reason women shop. But once you tally up the dollar total in those bags of wardrobe rejects, your next buy will be more informed.

Don't swoon over sales. Fifteen pairs of pants at $29.99 will get you sheer volume, but one pair of great pants will last five years.

When you shop, bring along a friend to tell you what works and what doesn't. The salesperson should tell you what's available, not how you look.

Don't say it's "not you" without trying it on first.

Here is a good exercise: Enter and exit a store without buying anything. Try things on without the pressure of making a purchase weighing you down.

Let go of being a certain size. If you're a 10, also try on an 8 and a 12. They'll all fit you, just differently. "When clothes fit a woman perfectly," explains Estes, "it looks like she owns the clothes; the clothes don't own her."

Remember: Models make clothes look attractive because the fit — not necessarily the style — is good.

Prints age faster than solids.

Choose boot-cut or straight legs over tapered pants.

Don't buy it unless it's perfect.