It used to be that I couldn’t resist a sale. If something cute or high quality was on super clearance who was I not to buy it? Now, as I’ve gotten older, it’s become easier to resist such urges because truthfully, I’m exhausted by the current pace of fashion. Something is hot and then it’s not.
I’ve never been much of a trend follower. I prefer to simply buy clothes that I like (which are usually on sale because I’ll always love a good deal!) or wear trusted favorites that transcend the trendy tag. The issue with the pace of fashion is that novelty fades fast. High fashion concepts are so quickly copied and cheapened that they lose their appeal. I do give in now and again when a trend moves me or is actually stylish and practical (Hello Birkenstocks 2014, guilty as charged) but generally I am trying to spend discretionary income on things that have more longevity, like experiences rather than things, but that’s a whole other article.
As far as fashion is concerned most women, but of course, not all, fall into one of two spending categories. 1) Those who invest in a few carefully selected items each season, and 2) those who want to keep current with trends spending less (per item) but buying more things more often. Generally, these categories are influenced by age. As we get older, our lifestyle changes and we shift towards decluttering vs. acquiring more “stuff”. We generally feel more confident and comfortable with who we are and what our personal style is. Also, fashion is cyclical so at some point, things you wore when you were a super cool, fashion-conscious teenager or young adult will come back into fashion. The second time around it’s either, “been there, done that” or excitement that what was stylish to you 25 years ago is fashionable yet again. See 80’s cocktail dress below 😉 wait – that’s like 35 years ago… Dang, I’m old.
The combination of working in the fashion industry (past tense), loving to shop (present tense), and appreciating good design has built me quite a wardrobe over the years. As much as I love spotting trends and picking up a new article of clothing here and there, I’m going to limit myself to a few pieces that I will incorporate with old favorites. This really will take a lot of self-control. Historically, I am dazzled by pretty things and I’m a collector of beautiful objects – including clothing but I really do want to consume less.
I recognize that this goal contradicts my frequent Target grabs and I still have a hard time resisting a good sale but good news – I have a few solutions for impulsive buys other than trying to resist them in the first place. My plan is to bring items home, try them with what I already have and then let them sit in a neat little pile for a week. If I still NEED or love without question what I’ve picked, I’ll allow myself to keep one or two things. No more bags of fashion steals that get lost in my closet. The second solution is to take advantage of my Poshmark and Etsy shops to pass on pre-loved favorites. I’ll sell some things and give away the rest to make room for new additions. I should have been doing this a long time ago by the way. I’m still working on the Etsy shop for vintage pieces in addition to my jewelry but my Poshmark store does have some clothing ready to shop.
What is your shopping philosophy? How have your fashion spending habits changed as you’ve gotten older?
FIONA FINDS 