Clothing stores are more than just places to buy things. How much we like the clothes that are on display, of course, is the main determiner in whether or not we shop successfully. But, many other factors color our experience: We need outfit inspiration, educated and thoughtful advice from salespeople, encouragement to try new trends and an aesthetically artful environment. These things, in combination with one another, can help make a day of shopping fun and free of stress.

My favorite stores to shop at are the stores that, of course, carry clothes that fit best with my personal style. But, I love going to these stores because they, in addition to having great clothes, are beautiful and fun environments to be in. Going into clothing stores doesn't always have to entail spending money. If you feel like shopping one day, but don't really know what clothes you need or would want to buy, go into the clothing store and treat the experience as you would walking around a museum gallery. In taking some time to stroll through a store, appreciate its aesthetics, observe how each mannequin is styled, look at the new arrivals and think about which pieces would combine to make the best outfits, you can learn more about your personal style that you would if you simply threw on a random shirt in the fitting room.

Fashion is a dynamic, expressive and personal art that you can practice and refine throughout life. Finding the spaces that inspire and provoke your sense of fashion is an important part of the artistic process. Clothing stores are just one example of spaces that can inspire fashion sense. School clubs, magazines, neighborhoods, performances or even movies are of equal value to the helping people find their unique place in the world of fashion.

Here are 5 clothing stores that have inspired my style:

1. Joie

2. Club Monaco

3. Aritzia

4. Rebecca Taylor