Episode Summary: HER Style Podcast

Episode 290 | Impulse Buying vs. Smart Investing: How to Shop With Strategy and Clarity
Host: Heather Riggs
Date: November 13, 2025

Main Theme

This episode tackles the cycle of impulse buying in fashion and offers a path towards intentional, strategic wardrobe investing. Heather Riggs, drawing from personal experience and professional expertise, shares why emotional spending on clothes rarely brings lasting confidence, and how listeners can break free from impulsive shopping to curate a wardrobe they truly love.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Emotional Roots of Impulse Shopping

• Impulse buying isn’t about the clothes:
  Heather vulnerably shares how impulse shopping was historically her weakness, not because she needed the clothes but because she was chasing a feeling—confidence, excitement, or a fresh start.
• Dopamine and shopping:
  She explains the science behind the short-lived “rush” of buying, likening it to eating chocolate or ticking off a task, but warns it quickly fades to guilt and regret.
• Personal anecdotes:
  • As a teen working retail, Heather spent entire paychecks on new arrivals for the fleeting thrill of being “the most stylish girl in the room.”
  • She admits to hiding receipts and overspending during early marriage, even spending her grandfather’s college gift on clothes rather than essentials.

2. The Real Cost of Impulse Buying

• “I was renting [confidence] one purchase at a time… I don’t have any of those pieces today.” (10:42)
• Impulse buying breeds clutter, guilt, and erodes self-trust: “Over time, that back and forth is going to start chipping away at your self trust and you're going to start to think… why can't I get this right?” (16:12)
• It creates a self-fulfilling narrative: Heather internalized the role of 'spender' in her marriage which compounded her habits, only to later overturn it.

3. Shifting From Impulse to Intentional Shopping

Practical Steps:

• Pause Before You Buy
  • “That tiny pause is going to give you so much power.” (22:30)
  • Try waiting an hour (or ideally a week) before purchasing to check if you still want the item.
• Notice Your Patterns
  • “Is it after a long week… or when you have to get ready for an event?” (25:10)
  • Becoming aware of when and why you shop can help break the unconscious cycle.
• Create Before You Consume
  • “Try playing around in your closet instead of buying something new. Go shopping in your own wardrobe.” (27:40)
• Buy with Purpose
  • “When you do shop again… choose pieces that fit your life, your personal style, goals, and your values. Ask yourself, will I love this piece six months from now?” (29:20)

4. Building Self-Trust & Wardrobe Satisfaction

• Embrace imperfection and progress: You will “have some setbacks in the beginning… It does take practice to make these habits really second nature.” (33:23)
• Key reflection questions:
  • What emotion am I usually chasing when I hit add to cart?
  • How could I give myself that feeling another way?
  • What would change if I trusted myself to make smart shopping decisions?
  • What would my wardrobe look and feel like if it truly reflected who I am right now?

5. Creating a Vision for Your Wardrobe

• “You’ve got to see where you’re headed. What is the value in slowing down… and bringing in only those yes pieces that work well together, that are easy to put on into an outfit, and that make you feel like a million bucks.” (35:25)

6. Community Support & Next Steps

• Heather highlights client victories, like Teresa, who celebrated having “paused on the impulse shopping… and she put like a million emojis.” (38:15)
• Shopping isn’t the enemy—the goal is to make every purchase serve your style and confidence.
• Invitation to HER Style Collective: The program helps women align wardrobe with lifestyle, budget, color, and personal style—focusing on strategy, not deprivation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I was renting [confidence] one purchase at a time… I don’t have any of those pieces today.” (10:42)
• “You've just been shopping from emotion instead of intention.” (17:47)
• “That tiny pause is going to give you so much power. It really is the first step to taking control back from those old habits.” (22:30)
• “Try playing around in your closet instead of buying something new. Go shopping in your own wardrobe.” (27:40)
• “When you do shop again… ask yourself, will I love this piece six months from now?” (29:20)
• “You already are the woman that you want to become. You don’t need clothing in order to be her. You just need clothing to support that on the outside.” (41:10)
• “You’ve literally been putting the shopping cart before the horse. We gotta just flip the script and lean into the inner confidence you already have.” (42:15)
• Listener win: “Teresa… said, ‘I've paused on the impulse shopping. Yay!’ and she put like a million emojis.” (38:15)

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 — Heather’s confession: her own struggles with impulse shopping
• 03:15 — The emotional high and low of new purchases
• 07:00 — Cost of impulse shopping: clutter, guilt, loss of self-trust
• 13:25 — Why you don't have to overhaul your whole closet
• 21:15 — The first ‘pause’ step: waiting before buying
• 25:10 — How to identify shopping patterns and triggers
• 27:40 — "Shopping" your own closet for new combinations
• 29:20 — The importance of purpose-driven shopping
• 33:23 — Progress is imperfect: giving yourself grace
• 35:25 — Creating a wardrobe vision for your true self
• 38:15 — Client wins: success in breaking the impulse buying cycle
• 41:10 — “You don’t need clothing in order to be her.”
• 42:15 — Shifting your shopping “script” for lasting change

Action Steps & Takeaways

• Pause before any purchase—start with an hour, strive for a week.
• Reflect: Understand the feelings behind shopping urges.
• Analyze patterns: Spot your triggers for impulse buying.
• Create outfits with what you already own before shopping for more.
• Shop intentionally: Only buy pieces that align with your life and future self.
• Envision: Get clear on what your 'dream closet' looks and feels like.

Heather’s signature blend of warmth, honesty, and actionable advice makes it clear: you’re not alone in the struggle, and transformation is absolutely possible.

For ongoing guidance or to join the HER Style Collective, visit https://herstylellc.com/collective