- Don’t buy unless you love!!!
If you don’t absolutely LOVE it, don’t buy it. I know this may seem common sense, but I cannot tell you how many shirts and dresses I have bought that I have never worn because “It looks cute if I stand this way” or “This is so cute except for the weird neckline” or “I love this, but I have nowhere to wear it to.” If you don’t love it in the dressing room you are definitely not going to love it at home. Also, if you can’t think of an event or time to wear a certain item, you will not have an event or time to wear it (I know from experience, unfortunately).
2. Versatility is everything!
When I find a shirt that I want to buy I have to think, “Okay… I love this shirt, but is it a shirt that I can get my money’s worth out of?” Some questions you might want to ask yourself are… “How often would I wear this?” (Be honest with yourself!) “Can I wear this color with other colors that I already have in my closet?” and “Do I need a specific jacket, pants, jewelry, shoe etc. to go with this?” If you can think of at least 3 different outfits you could wear with it, it might be worth a buy!
3. Cost
Make sure that what you are buying is within your price range. If it is a versatile item and you love it, it’s probably worth it to spend the extra money. But, if the item is pricey and not very versatile, then it’s probably not worth the price tag. Last year I bought a light gray turtleneck from Urban Outfitters and spent $70 on it. Without a doubt, it’s my go-to sweater that I wear all the time, and because of that, the price was well worth its wear.
4. Do you have this exact same item in your closet?
We all have unique styles and are thus drawn to specific items that fit into those unique styles. While you might have found what you claim to be the best cream sweater ever, that does not change the fact that you have six other cream sweaters in your closet (or is this just a “me” problem?). If you have the same style of item in your closet, strongly consider not buying it and saving your money for an item that is different and versatile.
5. Don’t be afraid to buy for the brand!
A lot of people get a bad rep for buying items specifically because they are a certain brand. If there is an almost identical item to a brand name one, and one that you can buy for significantly cheaper, then go for the off-brand! However, if the brand name item is higher quality, is going to last you longer, and one that you would wear more often than the off-brand item, then buying for the brand is a smart choice!
