Friday, May 29, 2015

Feature Friday: How to Never Regret a Fashion Purchase

So you're in a store and you see a ton of clothes you love. To your luck, it's also on sale...many items are on sale and you're instinct is to buy, buy, buy! But will you regret it later when you get your credit card bill? Retail stores are excellent at getting you to open your wallet because we all love a great deal! Today's Feature Friday will provide some good questions to help you never regret a fashion purchase again!

Ask Yourself:

Am I getting this just because it's on sale?


A lot of people will buy something they don't necessarily need just because it's on sale. Sure, a bargain is great but is it something that you will actually wear? Or will it just take up space in the closet?

Does it fit right this minute?

It's important to get something that actually fits you in the present time. If you lose weight, you can always get it altered. But you don't want to get something you can't wear right away because you don't actually know when you'll be able to wear it. 


Am I comfortable in it?

Sure, it may look GREAT on you but if it's not comfortable, is it worth it? This specifically makes me think of shoes. You've been eyeing that one pair of shoes but there's a catch - they're so uncomfortable! Keep looking, there's always something better - that's comfortable!

Am I getting this because it's part of a deal?

This is similar to the "sale" point. It's so easy to get trapped in the "Buy one, get one" deal or the "Spend this amount of money and get that..." I think this is one of the most common ways to end up with buyers remorse. The best way to decide on this is to actually ask yourself the other questions!

Do I own items to wear with it?

You found a shirt in an awesome color/print. Suddenly you realize you have absolutely nothing that will go with it! The buyer's remorse comes in after you make other purchases to accommodate the shirt so that you have a complete outfit. But how often will you wear the outfit? It's best to find clothes that you can dress up or down and use in different ways for multiple outfits.

Do I have a place to wear it?

I ask myself this question a lot. I've found beautiful dresses that fit perfectly but then I ask myself, where can I wear this to? Unless I have a specific event, I always put it back.

Is this item too high-maintenance?

Another question I ask myself. I've passed up several garments because it's "dry clean only" or really delicate fabric like silk. I don't want something that will have to be taken to the cleaners all the time or may fall apart after one wash. The expensive stuff always seems to do that - right??

Am I getting this just because it's a brand name?

If you found two pairs of pants that were practically identical but were different brands - which one would you choose? It's true that you always get what you pay for - but in some cases, just because it's a certain brand, doesn't mean it's any better or worse than the other. 

Am I filling a wardrobe gap? 

Is the new dress shirt in a color that you don't have? Or does it look very similar to all the other shirts you own? Give yourself different colors to choose from!

Does it feel like me?

I actually see this a lot - people have tons of clothes and some of these items you'd never expect them to wear (or even buy) in a million years! It doesn't fit their style and it always ends up in the closet on a shelf. If you find yourself second guessing, just put it back. If you really thought it was right for you, you'd know instantly.

There you have it - some simple (but thought provoking) questions to help you in your future clothing purchases! Good luck!

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