I love clothes, and those who know me either find it awesome or a problem. Either way I have some ideas about how to choose which clothes to buy, they're more like rules really. But hopefully they can make the process easier, and save you some dinero.
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Classic clothing: Now I know classic isn't everyones style. But at least try to incorporate some classic in your wardrobe. It allows you to mix and match outfits, the clothes can last your multiple seasons and truly a few years, it gives a more mature look to your wardrobe ( If you don't think you need that aspect you are sadly mistaken, we all seem to be getting older), and your clothes budget can be cut some when you have these pieces as staple pieces. Classic can include, pencil skirts, button shirts, dark wash jeans (and not that teenager stuff), shoes to match multiple outfits, plain colored pieces, blazers, and timeless pieces.
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Plain colored pieces: This deserves its own category. The reason for this is because when we buy clothing with designs, symbols, pictures. We limit how long we keep them and how often we wear them. As we get older, that stuff needs to stay at home. This may sound harsh if you love wearing that kind of stuff. But here's reality, that stuff wont cut it in the real world as we enter it. So if you limit buying the pieces you don't really need you can save more and spend it on something that matters. Don't cut all patterns, just limit.
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Most clothing should be bought on sale: Stores inflate prices like crazy and we should hardly ever over pay for our clothing, buying at the original price is like a sin. So please don't. If you love it enough to keep it to three or five years maybe you can put up an argument to this. But I will also add that we need to buy clothing that will last us, till the clothing becomes dingy. And most clothes stay on the rack till the hit sale. So wait for that, patiently. And if it's gone by the sale, guess what? There will always be more clothes to find.
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Give yourself a girly update: We are women, so we need to allow ourselves to be girly sometimes. A good dress can always last, and so can an appropriate skirt. Florals that aren't too in your face are always pretty. Lace is great. Shake it up a bit if you don't feel comfortable at first, your confidence will boost when you feel pretty. And these clothes automatically give you that feeling.
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The 2 dollar rule: When you are spending take the price and divide it by two. And that gives you how many times you should wear that item if you're going to buy it. I think it would be better to divide by a dollar, because in all honesty we need to watch how we spend our money and make it last.
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Pants: I may not wear them but I do know a few things. Please for the love of your savings account do not spend too much on your jeans. They wear out. And I guess if you feel it necessary limit how often you wash them to keep color and wear. This goes back to sales but they are your best friend. Gap has jeans for 14.99 once a season so I know you can find nice jeans for more than a great price. Spending more than twenty isn't bad obviously. But more than a hundred? We should really consider that. TJ Maxx brings in designer, and Buffalo Exchange has a few tricks up their sleeve. We also should have more than just jeans like cords, cropped pant, colors are in (But a reminder how many times will you wear them?) khaki's,etc..)
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T-shirts: Limit how often you buy t-shirts. They have a shelf life, they love to make themselves some holes. But when we buy we need to go for plain, striped, polka dot..simple. A crew neck, v neck, long sleeve. Just don't buy too many because they can eat up our money funds and aren't very professional.
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Shoes: Let's get rid of all the ugly shoes, goodness. There are so many. Neutrals match all clothes so you stop spending amounts of money on things that don't even go with what you have. Flats are great, but let's not go with the crazy weird ones, simple will last and they aren't ugly. Sandals only take us so far, so limit your supply. But really most sandals are ugly, so please reconsider those you are buying. No tennis shoes don't go with everything. I love toms but again they do not go with everything, like yoga pants... um no. Converse and keds are cute the closer to your foot size the less you look like a clown. And boots, I love them. But please don't buy ones with crazy things on them hanging off of them. Neutrals are always safer. You don't need heels on them. And please those ugly brownish orange ones make me want to puke. If you are wearing boots with jeans make sure the jeans are darkwash, and really all jeans should be darkwash.
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The Love Rule: I've acquired this new rule for myself and I try to always stick with it. If I don't love it I don't get it. I need to know I will wear this many times, and in different ways. If I like it but don't love it I walk away. This saves so much time and money. You wouldnt' believe. I also ask myself if I'd can live without it. Obviously I can live without any of it. But will I think about it later and wish I would have bought it? And sometimes give yourself that time, (not too long or it could disappear) but leave and make sure this is the purchase you want to make, you love this, it will give you a joyful fresh start the morning you put it on.
In the end our wardrobes need to last. We cannot impulse buy ever. Shop with a friend and have them question every purchase. Question all purchases. I love for different pieces to last 3 to 5 years. Sales Sales Sales. Stop splurging if it isn't what you love or you wont wear often. I am willing to go shopping with you, I want to go shopping with you. Clothes should make you feel like you can conquer the day with a smile on your face, no matter how hard the day will be.
Love yourself, love what you're wearing, love those around you.
