Lets face it. As students, most of us are broke. We struggle to get by, sometimes resorting to eating fast food and walking everywhere as a desperate attempt to save a couple bucks. When it comes to clothing, we like to try to stay in style, but eventually it gets pretty tough when designer rain boots suddenly cost a whopping $150 (um, what?).
We’re all guilty of it. Shopping for knock-off designer copies at companies such as Forever 21, BooHoo, She Inside, etc. We want to maintain our “fashion sense” without breaking our budget. But I’m here to tell you why it’s better to cut down the quantity for quality items.
- Just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean you’re getting your money’s worth
Buying three shirts for 20 dollars seems like you’re winning a small lottery, but it’s not always for the better. Often times, clothing from websites like boohoo.com are manufactured in large corporation factories across the world by the millions, made of cheap fabrics and are poorly constructed. I’m not saying all, but I’ve had my fair share of misshapes, such as leggings that were not designed for anyone who doesn’t have skinny legs and zero thigh fat.
- They don’t always tell you everything
The above is a picture of one of my favorite pieces by one of my favorite brands (and one of my best kept secrets, you’re welcome by the way) Child of Wild designs. The description is clear, to the point, telling you exact what the product derived from, what it is made of, where it was made, etc. They’re an honest company that doesn’t feel the need to hide anything from their consumers.
Now this picture above is a picture of a quite similar product sold by Forever21 stores. They do not include what the product is made of, giving a very brief and unspecific description about the product as if it weren’t important. To some people it’s not, but honestly, if you’re paying for something you should care about what it’s made of.
- Return policies are important
One of my BIGGEST pet peeves is poor return policies. Below is an example of Forever21 and Bloomingdale’s return policy. Enough said.
- Quality items last longer
Buying items that are of high quality have far more wears than low quality items you find at fast-fashion stores and websites. These items do not need to be designer in order to be considered high quality, but by their fabric content, durability, or the way they are constructed.
- Fast-fashion kills designers and brands
The more consumers get used to fast-fashion prices, the less likely they are to spend anything more on designer name-brand clothing, eventually making them obsolete. These garments are priced more for a reason, whether it's using fabrics other than polyester, meticulous construction, or hand stitching.
It's impossible on our budget to pay for many higher-end or better-quality items, but I know I try my very best to save up to ensure I'm getting my dollars' worth and hopefully you'll do the same.
