Shopping with your girlfriend can be one of the trickiest relationship activities. It’s fraught with tricksy questions and lots of browsing through racks that all look the same.
Start a conversation with a bold, playful suggestion. It can be practical or not; she’ll appreciate your effort to lighten the mood and open up the way for a connection.
Plan Ahead
If she regularly makes recommendations on clothes, makeup, and even food, take notes. If you know what she likes, you can surprise her with a handmade gift – and no, you don’t have to be Van Gogh to make her something special.
She may have a friend or sibling she’s close to who could give her a concrete opinion on whether or not a certain outfit looks good. If she does, ask her for their input before you head into the mall.
Shopping trips are also a great time to talk about whatever’s on your mind — be it venting your office frustrations, discussing your week’s accomplishments, or talking about your romantic life. But do so respectfully, and only if she’s interested. You don’t want to sour her on the whole experience. The more you can keep her engaged, the better for both of you.
Be Honest
One of the most important things to do when shopping with your girlfriend is to be honest. It’s not just about the little white lies that make people feel good, like telling someone you love their pie when you really don’t – it’s about emotional honesty. If you shut down or punish people when they’re being honest about something that hurts them, it will be difficult for them to open up to you in the future.
The great thing about grocery shopping is that there are so many hyper-relevant conversation topics. For example, if she says that she loves Namaste Pinot Noir, you could say, “I’ve never tried it. Do you think it’s worth trying?” You can also ask her about her food preferences and then transition into talking about music or other things that interest you both. This is a simple way to keep the conversation going and show her that you’re engaged with her.
Don’t Be Afraid to Indulge
Women love to shop and they consider it a therapeutic activity as well. So, if she wants to buy that new lipstick or dress, do not stop her from doing so. If you try to stop her, she will feel sad and may not want to go out with you again.
Another important thing to remember is to never criticize her choices. She will be upset if you tell her that she looks ugly in a dress or shoes. This will ruin her entire shopping experience.
Finally, you should always have a plan for after the shopping. If you have a dinner or movie date set up, this will help her not get carried away with the shopping spree. You can also try to convince her that you are feeling tired and ask for some time off. However, do not pout or grunt because she will pick up on your displeasure. This will make her even more frustrated and she might stop the whole shopping session.
Be Patient
Shopping can be quite an exhausting experience. So make sure that you take a lot of breaks to keep yourself fresh and energized. This will also help you avoid getting too tired and irritable while shopping with her.
Never criticize her choice while she is choosing a dress or shoes as this will only spoil her shopping mood. It is not right to make fun of her selection as she is earning money for herself and she will feel disheartened and upset after hearing your comments.
A simple way to start a conversation is by asking her a question related to the item that she has in her cart. This can be something as small as “Have you tried Namaste Pinot Noir?” and it can lead to an interesting conversation. This is a good way to bond with her.