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Whether you consider yourself a fashion lover or not, it’s always shocking how easy it is to overflow your closet. A few sales happen and suddenly what was once an organized masterpiece explodes and is in need of a cleanup – I’ve done this too many times to count.
Our goal in 2024 is to clean out the closet less and instead shop a little more strategically. There’s nothing like adding a piece to your wardrobe that you’ll love and wear for years, and with a little forethought, any piece can give you that experience.
Next time you click “Add to Cart” or checkout, ask yourself these questions before you buy anything. Your “I thought I loved it but never wore it” pile is about to get a whole lot smaller.
All too often we fall into the trap of buying something new to wear because we have a great outfit in mind that we want to style it with. And if you can do that, that’s great – but you should be able to style a piece in more than one way to justify the purchase. Try to think of three different outfits you can wear with it that you would actually enjoy wearing. If you need to buy more pieces to style it the way you want, buying it is not the right decision.
We know, we know, it’s hard to resist the temptations of selling. But one of the most game-changing mentalities in sales is this: If something is marked down from $100 to $60, you’re not saving $40 – you’re still spending $60. If something you know you’ll love and wear is on sale, be sure to add it to your cart. But if you buy something just because it’s on sale, that’s a different story.
The best question to ask yourself is whether you would be as obsessed with it if it wasn’t on sale. If you are particularly attracted by the discount, then it is better to skip it.
Especially in times of online shopping post-pandemic, it’s easy to order something in a size that doesn’t end up quite fitting and end up keeping it because returning it would be too much of a hassle. Ask yourself: If you were shopping in the store and tried it on in the fitting room, would you choose a larger or smaller size? If you want, it is best to return or exchange it.
If you’re shopping in store and your size is out of stock and you’re trying to make an ill-fitting piece, trust us: It’s best to wait for something that really fits you, unless you have the intention of customizing it.
With different trends and aesthetics going viral on TikTok every week, it’s easier than ever to buy something to jump on a trend’s bandwagon. Even though we are affected by this, the important thing is to make sure you really like the piece. For example, if you like the idea of the sheer top trend but feel uncomfortable wearing it, this is not the trend for you. Fashion is subjective; Don’t buy something just because everyone else is doing it.
One of the most useful things to consider when purchasing an item is the cost per wear time, which is the cost of the item divided by the number of times you will wear it. It might sound better to buy a pair of $200 statement boots than a $500 pair of classic loafers, but if you only wear the statement boots a few times a year and the loafers several times a week would wear, the cost per wear means that slippers are a worthwhile purchase.
A good example of cost per wear is a wedding guest dress. If you know you won’t be able to wear it for longer than a wedding, it’s better to rent a dress or borrow it from a friend to avoid it taking up space in the closet for eternity after a night in it.