Everyday, no matter where you are or where you go, you are bombarded with people trying to sell you things. Companies peddling ads for the perfect new piece, influencers crafting perfectly curated photos. It seems everyone is trying to make a quick buck by selling some product on every outlet that you can buy with ease. All to get you to spend your money on something you probably don’t need. And, before you know it, your closet is full of clothes you never wear. Even worse, clothes you won’t get rid of because you spent your hard earned money on them so you think it’d be a waste to let them go. So how do you keep from falling victim? How do you know what clothes you should buy?
The most important thing is to stop buying clothes the same day you see them. As with every rule there’s always an exception, like a pair of shoes when you have none. But as a rule of thumb even if you are convinced that you love it, put it on hold for 24 hours first. Then you can go home, assess your wardrobe and ask the following questions:
- Does that item make me feel and look amazing? If the answer here is no, then you need to skip it. I don’t care if it’s a t-shirt or an evening gown, it needs to make you feel awesome. PERIOD.
- What purpose would this piece serve? Is there a gap in my wardrobe that it fills? You need to decide why you are buying this piece. If it’s not a necessity or doesn’t fill a specific need, try to wait until the item goes on sale.
- Can I create an outfit for work, the weekend, the evening and majority of the seasons using this new piece and pieces I already own? The point of buying new clothes should be to enhance what you already have, not have to spend more money to make a piece work. You also want your new item to be versatile so you get the most bang for your buck.
- Do I forsee any reason I wouldn’t wear this item? (i.e. not functional, not really my style) So many of us buy something to fill a “need” that we don’t actually have. For example you might see a bright top and say to yourself, “Well I need to add color to my wardrobe” only to end up never wearing the top because it’s bright. Another thing to be wary is of is buying garments that aren’t functional. What I mean by that is buying a sweater for work that always shows too much cleavage or a mini dress that exposes your butt when you lift your arms up. Be sure that you test out your clothes for what you plan to wear them for to ensure that they’ll work with no fuss.
The other reason to put the item on hold is because we as people don’t like to be inconvenienced. This means that we will impulsively buy something because we’d rather have it and not need it instead of wanting it but no longer being able to buy it. We also will buy something, not want or need it and won’t return it to get our hard earned money back. Which, is actually a big reason as to why people don’t like to shop online. But this also means that if you go out of your way to return to a store to buy an item, you really like it. If you do go back, be sure to try the item on again and be very critical. At the end of the day it’s important to remember that it’s your money and you want to spend it on things that will make you happy in the long run, not just temporarily. Don’t get caught up in the instant gratification only to suffer buyer’s remorse later down the road.
Now I want to hear from you, how do you know what clothes you should buy?
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your hair is amazing! I love your wrap skirt – this outfit is so pretty!
stop by and chat with me 🙂 http://storybookapothecary.com
Very good criteria. And your outfit is awesome!