’m an incredibly fussy shopper and as such I rarely make mistakes with clothing purchases. I’m also a total tight-arse. If I’m going to part with my money, it’s going to be for something perfect. I often snap pictures of myself in change rooms and ask my readers whether or not I should buy a particular item and even if the reply is a unanimous ‘yes’ I’ll sometimes still refrain from buying the item. Why? Because the answer to one of my essential questions was ‘no’.
If I’m going to buy an item of clothing, I must say yes to all of the following questions. If you’re sick of having a cupboard full of clothes that aren’t quite right, you need to start quizzing yourself with these 3 questions to ask yourself before you buy new clothes…
1. Would you wear it out of the store?
If you would happily exchange what you wore into the store for your potential new purchase, that’s a great sign that you should buy the item. If what you wore is better than what you’re trying on, it’s a no go. Everything you buy should be an improvement on your current wardrobe.
2. Would you buy it if it was full price?
I’ve never really been a sucker for a sale (unless it’s Marimekko, in which case SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!!) but I know how tempting a little 50% off red dot can be. Ask yourself honestly if you would pay full price for the item and if the answer is no, leave it. Just because something is a good buy doesn’t mean it’s a good buy for you.
3. Can you do a (theoretical) cartwheel in it?
I am officially over wearing uncomfortable clothing. I’m just not doing it anymore. I will not buy anything that I can’t do a cartwheel in. I have to be physically capable of doing any kind of full body activity in my clothing. It’s the only way to make sure it’s truly comfortable. Not that I would do a cartwheel (everyone would see my undies!) I just have to have it available as an option because you never really know where life will take you. I include formal wear in this too.
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Do you struggle with clothes shopping and whether or not to buy an item? Any tips to share?
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12 Comments
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I think the problem when I buy clothes is that I can talk myself out of everything so end up with nothing!
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Author
I’m the same! I hate pretty much everything so if I love something, I usually let myself buy it!
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Great tips! I am a very picky shopper too. My questions that I ask myself are…
1. Would I need to be having a ‘skinny’ day or lose some weight to feel this fits me perfectly? If it’s a yes, then I won’t buy it anymore. Enough of the aspirational crap. I want to look good now!
2. Can I name an occasion in the next month or so when I will actually get to wear this? If it’s a no, then I probably don’t need it! It would just sit there waiting and waiting for me to put it on.
3. Will this still look good/fit right after a couple of washes? Because let’s face it, some stuff out there is terrible quality and not worth buying (even if on sale).🙂
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Author
Your first question is brilliant! I didn’t buy a dress recently because of that exact reason. And the wear and tear one is great too!
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Couldn’t agree with you more! I also need to be able to think of at least 2-3 different outfits I can wear the piece with before I consider purchasing it. x
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Ah see I only wear dresses so that takes the matching part out of the equation!
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I am slowly learning to not be sucked in by sales stickers or voucher discount codes. No-Buy July has helped me clarify needs versus wants and the old “my wardrobe is full and I’ve got nothing to wear” drama. My strategic plan for wardrobe success is to get rid of everything in your stash that doesn’t look great, (not just good or okay), to give you clear visibility and allow you to identify your capability gaps.
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I love no-buy July! I totally didn’t even come close to doing no-buy July but I love the concept of it! I need to go through my wardrobe actually… I’m pretty good but it’s been a while and I need to clear some crap out.
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Thank you! This is great. I’m going to review my current wardrobe and assess cartwheel potential. If I can’t cartwheel or do sun salutations… It’s OUT!
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It’s a life changer. Guaranteed. x
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I can’t do an actual cartwheel, let alone a theoretical one so I think I’m doomed to never have new clothes lol
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You’ll just have to go nude. 🙂
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