Quality over Quantity
For example, I bought a gorgeous silk tank from everlane that just sits in my closet because I don't want to get it dirty or worn. To be fair, I knew this would happen - I hate handwashing and I hate dry cleaning. I want my clothes to be low maintenance - wash and wear, easy. There are things that I like to spend money on in my wardrobe - shoes, bags, coats.
But I think I want to extend that to the rest of my wardrobe as well. I'm not sure how to approach this without getting sticker shock every time I have my eye on something. Waiting a while doesn't work, because I usually spend that time either convincing myself that I don't actually want it, or I find a cheaper version of that item and compromise on looks or quality. The latter is a trap I fall into all the time.
So I think in the coming weeks - I'll think long and hard about what I'd like to add to my closet, what gaps there are that need filling, and what items I'd like to upgrade because I wear them to death. That also means that I need to reign in my temptations to deviate away from this plan. No more impulse buys from Old Navy (despite my love for their pieces).
Hmm I do try to buy things in limited quantities, but I can't bring myself to spend more than certain amounts on pieces of clothing yet, cause I know my taste will probably change in about a year.
ReplyDeleteOh man silk shirts were another "wardrobe staple" trap I fell into. I like the look of them but I never want to wear mine cause I'm afraid of getting them dirty. I think for a similar drapeyness I'll go for rayon from now on, even though it gets a bit wrinkly - at least I can still machine wash it!
Ugh staple traps! You and I are one in the same. I think I'm going to take what Kristina said to heart - clothes are made for wearing. I'm going to start wearing mine more often and think about it in a cost per wear point of view.
DeleteI can relate to sticker shock and the mental agony of convincing yourself for or against an item. I can also relate to items laying fallow in the closet: I bought a Black Crane dress on sale earlier this year thinking it would be a summer staple, well--it's a little too warm to wear actually (rayon-wool blend + long long skirt ahh!!), and is stuck in my closet. I'm trying to remember that clothes are for wearing, not for storing...hope that helps you re-frame your Everlane silk tank. If it rips or stains while you're using it, c'est la vie, IMO.
ReplyDeleteAs for "lots of money" on "nicer" clothing: in my limited research and experience, a more expensive version of an item does not necessarily mean better fit or quality. Actually, you just sparked a blog post for me--hopefully I get my thoughts out coherently.
I'll watch for your post! I'm definitely taking what you say here to heart - clothes are for wearing!
DeleteAnd of course - I find that some people fall into the trap of expensive = higher quality. That's something that I definitely watch for. There's nothing worse than spending a lot of money and having the item not live up to its expectations.
I also don't wear my silk topics as much as I should, given how many I own.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely relate to the mental challenges of wrapping my head around spending more on "nicer" clothing items. I'm admittedly a bit more spend-y than most students would be already, but I'm still used to most of my wardrobe being extra-percent-off-sale Loft and Ann Taylor stuff. I always feel like the next tier up (in terms of either quality or price) is so much higher, price-wise, that I can't see myself "upgrading" most of my wardrobe or shopping that way. Even if I'm being careful about my larger budget, there must be better things I could do with the money!
I definitely need to put some thought into what I really would like nicer versions of, and inspect quality in person before purchasing. And I agree - I always rationalize myself out of big spendy clothing purchases. I'd rather go out to eat somewhere nice or buy furniture, haha.
DeleteThis really resonates with me - and I guess I can say I feel terrible spending money in the moment, but then can later reflect and appreciate the quality that I'm buying into.
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