Shopping guide

So we just moved to a place where we have TONS of good shops around. This is super dangerous. With having a baby and working full time, I haven't shopped for ages so I need to "re-train" my shopping vigilance again. I just bought a $250 trench coat, and then found out I didn't like it but can't return it. Who doesn't allow returns?! So I just learned a few (expensive) shopping lessons again:

1) don't shop on a Saturday when you're tired and don't make good decisions;

2) make sure you know the return policy, in addition to: washability, where it comes from, what it's made of, and how it will look after 3 months, 6 months;

3) just because it looks good on the rack/model doesn't mean it looks good on you, and vice versa;

4) Stop trying to make COS and Comptoir des Cotonniers work for you, it just won't happen.

That's like $60 per lesson. Ouch.