Tips to Not Overbuy on Clothing.
In the interest of getting more organized this year, I'm trying to actively reduce the amount of new things we bring into the house. A huge one (for me) is clothing: things go out of style, but they're still good so I keep them, but then I never wear them, but I want new things that look nice...you know the cycle. The more we bring in, the worse the pattern becomes because then there's more of it hanging around. I am on a mission this year to gain back space in each of our closets.
Fortunately, this guide from Who What Wear takes some of the guesswork out of whether your purchase is a good one and provides some really sound guidelines for when you're out shopping. I am definitely guilty of failing at at least a few of them:
The biggest one here that I'm guilty of: buying it because it's on sale, because who can turn down a good deal? I need to start rationalizing the space I have versus if I need it versus spending the money on it. Even if it's on sale, I'm still putting money out to get it. Brand names are another big one for me- there is something about scoring something high-end, isn't there? I never buy label items at full price, but I am a sucker for them at the thrift store, so I have to be very careful when I go in there. To offset, those, though, I've got a pretty good handle on not buying things that aren't comfortable, and I'm very secure in what's not me (neon, bright colors, ruffles), so at least I'm not batting a big fat zero here. Overall I just want to make sure that we are not drowning in stuff, and purchasing less is one major way to accomplish that.
So how do you keep your clothing buying in check? Do you keep some of these mantras in mind? Is one of these your Achilles's heel?
In case you missed it: editing your wardrobe and conquering the closet.
Fortunately, this guide from Who What Wear takes some of the guesswork out of whether your purchase is a good one and provides some really sound guidelines for when you're out shopping. I am definitely guilty of failing at at least a few of them:
So how do you keep your clothing buying in check? Do you keep some of these mantras in mind? Is one of these your Achilles's heel?
Follow me on Bloglovin'
In case you missed it: editing your wardrobe and conquering the closet.
Damn it, Kristen! I had pinned that same graphic and was going to blog about it....Bahahahahahaha! Seriously, our brains just must be on the same wavelength these days. My to do list for this week has the task of going through my closet. I got some really nice pieces in September after my big shows, and then I picked up a couple more good versatile pieces with some Christmas money from my grandparents last week. The best part about that? Between Andrew desperately needing two new pairs of Levi's and both of us picking up some good staples with our Christmas money, we scored $50 in kohl's cash that I was able to use for stuff like socks and a new black cardigan, which I desperately needed as well. I've been getting better at only buying what I need, and figuring out how to do it on a budget. I've also been stopping to think about whether or not I have items to wear with what I purchase... I got a dress that I really liked that can be worn in the summer, but also works well with leggings, can do well with either a cardigan or a shirt over it, and was a color that was more neutral. It was tough at first, but I feel like I'm slowly getting there.
ReplyDeleteIs. It. On. Sale. Oh my god, things call to me like a siren song from the clearance rack and I just... I can't help myself. That's part of why I did the No Shopping Challenge (which I'm blogging about tomorrow). We have such a small closet that I really need to stay on top of what I buy, but it seems like no matter how much I pay attention things start to creep in there.
ReplyDeleteI will rationalize the heck out of a purchase if it's on sale, and I'm trying to work on that. It doesn't save money in the long run if you buy something you'll never wear because it doesn't really fit or you don't really need it. I've filled the Goodwill bags with so many things I realized I didn't even really LIKE when I bought them, but bought just because I could...save money. I'm getting a lot better about budgeting my money now and house renovations are taking the bulk of it, so I've learned not to even go into a store unless I've identified a wardrobe gap and am looking for something I really need. I've also learned, as silly as it might sound, to buy clothes in my size instead of trying to squeeze into things that were my, ahem, former size.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually just not into buying clothes. I don't like to go to the mall and just 'walk around' and I don't go to other clothing stores unless I'm going with a purpose. Even if I receive an email about a sale. I guess the good thing is I don't spend money but I end up spending money in other places such as Michaels or Joann fabrics. If I see a sale there I'm totally going to visit even if I don't need anything. Definitely working on that.
ReplyDeleteI think most of these can totally apply to other areas of spending, though I'm better at those than clothes, personally. I do need to track my spending a little better for work, though- now that I'm going through receipts, I'm pretty surprised.
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that you plan to go shopping for something specific. I need to stop doing the wander, where you go for one thing and end up with 10 others. And I think sometimes I don't even know I have a gap because there's just so much stuff in the closets. Discounts are such a suck for me, I really need to stop it!
ReplyDeleteSale! Clearance! I love those words. I allow myself to spend if I'm buying next-size-up for the kids but I can't continue to let myself do it unless I really need it.
ReplyDeleteWe are blog brain twins lately! Post it- I want to read your spin on it and see what your readers have to say! I love doing staple pieces- I rationalized an expensive boot purchase that way, but I love them and I'm going to have them FOREVER. I also need to work on throwing old stuff out before bringing new stuff in.
ReplyDelete