It pays to be smarter in our shopping habits

IN an effort to smarten myself up a little, I've been doing some clothes shopping recently, and have bagged a few items which I'm pleased with, thanks in part to some very helpful shop assistants.

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In a Plymouth department store, I was aided by a very nice man who gave some excellent advice on aiding me in finding a new suit.

In recommending the best size for the jacket, he probably saved me from a fashion faux pas when I chose a size too small. He even recommended a decent tailor when I found trousers that were ideal around my thighs but slightly too long in the leg.

In another venue, a young man told me his store didn’t have the style of raincoat I was looking for, but, as he had bought one himself, he knew exactly where I could find one.

When I went to that shop, which had a number of helpful and polite members of staff, the person helping me suggested the correct size based on the fit on the shoulders, cuffs, and how to leave enough room for some warmer clothes when winter brings much colder weather.