I love the thrill of wearing something new. I’m sure we all do.
But the cost of maintaining this can overfill our wardrobes and drain our wallets.
Over the last few years, I’ve become more conscious of the pieces I select for my wardrobe.
I’m after well made pieces, Australian owned and Australian made.
I want pieces to last so I can get maximum wear out of them. I also want to create a vintage wardrobe my girls can raid when they’re older.
A new tradition Esther and I have each time we go to Carindale Shopping Centre is buying a new pair of Gorman socks.
Esther’s fashion taste runs similar to her mother’s. Bright, bold – and sometimes a little quirky.
While I browse the racks for anything new that might take my fancy, my Esther heads straight to the back wall to show me the latest pair of socks. At times, that is the only thing that will fit her, and sometimes the only item I can afford after perusing the racks.
My mindset has shifted in the last few years about clothes. I prefer quality than quantity.
Although quantity ensures I have good fodder for this blog and my Instagram account. But on reflection, that account has not grown for a few years now, so I’ve released myself from the pressure of sharing my daily outfits.
Fashion Resolution for 2020: Spending more buy buying less
For 2020, my goal is to spend more, but buy less and shop more from my wardrobe.
I’m not crazy to deny myself from purchasing new, but it’s going to be intentional purchasing. So far this year I’ve bought a new pair of sandals and I won a dress on eBay. There is a story behind that purchase, which I will share with you soon.
Online Purchase Regrets (and what I’d doing to avoid making the same mistakes this year)
In 2019, I had a few online buying regrets. Inconsistent sizing was the biggest issue, and a terrible refund or exchange experience. The best experiences for refunds I’ve had for online retailers over the years have been Birdsnest and ASOS. The process was smooth and money was returned to my Paypal account, not kept as a credit note ransom to purchase again.
While the options of selling on Facebook marketplace or eBay can help get claw back some of the costs lost on a regrettable purchase, it’s still an inconvenience.
So shopping from my own wardrobe will save me money and time.
I’ve also had to be wise about new purchases as well. I now go and try on in a store and will make a list of pieces I wish to purchase. While there is negativity around this practice, some retailers offer you no choice.
Trying on before I buy
Often I’ve got a credit note or discount code that can’t be used in store, but can only be used online. I always let the store know in case it can be redeemed in store, but alas, online stores are different to the physical store (even though they’re the same brand!) and I’m told I have to purchase online.
I’ve personally had to do this with Frankie 4 Footwear and Gorman after ordering my normal size online and finding it too small or too big. I’m not confident purchasing online anymore unless I have tried the size instore.
While there is negativity about this – trying instore and then purchasing online, some retailers give you no choice. I’ve learned my lesson with this and now try on in store before making new purchases. I also check the refund policy before I part with my money.
Before Christmas, I went to Frankie 4 and bought 1 pair of sandals full price, but made a list of sandals and my size to purchase in the future (some were sold out in the colour I wanted).
For Gorman, if there is a dress I like, I will go try in store and purchase there and then if it fits. If it doesn’t, I haven’t lost money to a potential credit note on buying something new that may or may not fit me in the future.
With those lessons learnt, there are still other online stores that can do with our support. I will share about these in a separate post in case they offer items you’ve been searching for. I don’t know about their returns policy so you will need to check this for yourself.
So 2020 is the year of less. Hopefully you will follow my journey this year as I imperfectly put it into practice. I’m still prone to the impulse purchase… but I have learned to sit on it for a while. If it sells out, rather than have regret about the lost purchase, I remind myself someone may resell it on Facebook Marketplace. If I’m meant to get it, I will.