My Tips For Shopping Smarter

We’ve all opened our closet doors (or sifted through a pile of clothing on our bedroom floor) and lamented that we have too many clothes or not enough to wear– sometimes in the same breath. I loathe this feeling and I know that you do too, which is why I’m sharing some tips for shopping smarter this year. Before I even pluck an item off the rack in a store, I go through a quick mental checklist.

• Do I already own a similar item?
• Can I easily incorporate this into my existing wardrobe, or will I have to buy other pieces to go with it?
• Will this need alterations? If so, can I justify the price and time spent to make those alterations?
• Does this actually fit and flatter my body? (If not, you’re probably not going to wear it.)
• For people with boobs, does this button-down shirt gap at the girls?
• Does this piece require special undergarments? If so, do I already own them? (Ex. strapless bra)
• Is this shirt/skirt/jumpsuit conducive to my lifestyle?
• Does this shirt/skirt/jumpsuit make me happy? Will I be excited to see it in my closet?
• Do I WANT this or do I NEED this? Learn to tell the difference.
• Does this fill in a gap in my wardrobe? (Ex. LBD, dark denim, etc…)
• If the item is trendy, how many wears will I get out of it before the trend dies?
• Is the quality good enough to withstand X amount of wears?
• Is the fabric conducive to my environment? (Ex. wool, linen, acrylic)

I know, I know. This list is a lot to consider BUT the point is training yourself to become a more conscious shopper.

I’ll give you an example: I’m loving the suit trend at the moment. We’re starting to see celebrities wear them a lot on the red carpet and more casual settings. I’ve wanted a suit for years but I’ve never been able to justify spending money on one; I don’t have a job that dictates the need for one. Suits also tend to either be too conservative for my taste or downright dowdy. A suit didn’t seem like something I could thrift, either. I have broad shoulders, so older suits with shoulder pads would make me look like a linebacker. I’m also petite and short-waisted, so many jackets are too long in the torso. I can easily hem a pair of pants on my own, but a trip to a seamstress to take in a jacket can be rather costly. So when I found this Zara suit on sale for under $55 I didn’t hesitate to purchase it. I usually don’t condone shopping fast fashion but this fit me right off the rack. It’s polyester, which I hate for a variety of reasons, but at least the fabric content is 50% recycled materials, which is better for the environment. For the price, I think this was a great buy. I definitely won’t be able to wear it when the weather warms up but, for now, I’ve got a put together look that I can style in a variety of ways and I think the cut is classic. I can pull this out next fall/winter and the suit will still be fashionable.