I am very smug to say that I shop for a living. Sounds pretty fabulous doesn't it? Well you're right, it is!

As a result of my job I spend about 3 days a week shopping on the high street and in vintage/ thrift shops and the rest of the time shopping online. So I like to think I'm pretty expert at it.

Here are a few bits of quite obvious, but useful, advice for high street shopping:

1. If you can, shop on a week day, as there will be far less people out and about.

2. Think about what you might be shopping for and dress accordingly. If you're going to be shopping for a dress wear tights. You'll also want tights if you're shopping for heels or other going out shoes. If you're buying boots wear a skirt so you don't have to role up your trousers.

Don't wear odd socks and go to shoe shops before you've done too much walking, to avoid embarassing smelly feet!

3. Think about what bra you wear - if you're looking for a going out dress/top wear a push up bra. I'm quite busty and find some shops, like H&M and Zara, have very small busts to their clothes. SO i would wear a non padded bra when shopping there.

If you're shopping for something slinky or tight fitting take some control pants with you in your bag. You could wear them but you're likely to get hot shopping and they could become very uncomfortable.

3. I usually keep a length of ribbon in my bag so that I can see what loose dresses and tops look like with an underbust belt or sash.

4. Wear comfortable shoes because you can spend hours in the shops. It's hard shopping in winter because it's cold outside but boiling in the shops. Wear a few light, layered tops rather than 1 heavy jumper.

5. If, like me, you get hot and bothered after a few hours in busy shops it's a real benefit to keep a bottle of water in your bag.
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When shopping online it's easy to get carried away, making spontanious purchases without really thinking if you need the clothes or without knowing what you're getting.

I buy loads of clothes on ebay. In the past I've been disappointed because I bid on something in the last second without reading the description (or examining the photo) properly. It's important to make sure you have all the information you want and to ask questions before bidding. It isn't fair to complain when it arrives if your disappointment is due to an issue you should have asked about. There are also quite a few fibbers on ebay - if you think you recognise a dress from primark, but the seller 'thinks' its from topshop, it could well be from primark.

I get very excited by the sales on sites like ASOS.COM, BOOHOO and ELVIE. They have some great bargains and it always feels like a race to buy things on the 1st day of the sale, before they're all sold out. This is okay if you can afford the postage costs, but make sure everything you buy is returnable, unless you're willing to take the risk.

It's also easy ot get carried away in 'sale previews' from sites like miss selfridge and topshop. But before you pay £5 for delivery without trying the clothes on remember that they nearly always have racks of the items online in the shops. The websites only sell sale items they have loads of, so if its online its bound to be instore as well. The same is not true the other way around - so if you spot a fabulous bargain on its own in the shop i'd recommend buying it, rather than risk getting it online after you've had a think about it. You can always bring it back!