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What questions do you ask yourself before you buy? (Boot edition)

Staysfit

Veteran

I am currently in a no spend mode. As part of this experience, I have been pruning my closet to those items that still work for me, and that I wear regularly. I have learned about my body shape, and why some of the clothes I purchased in the past may not have worked so well. I have learned that I am a big duplicate purchaser, something I want to avoid. I have come up with some words that I think help describe me and my style: Easy (casual/comfortable, approachable), Creative (arty, fun, boho flavors), Calm (low contrast, muted colors, understated elegance), Graceful (feminine, athletic, light, refined, polished, elegant and tasteful), Simple/Classic.

My daughter suggested that before I purchase anything that I ask myself if I would miss it if I didn't purchase it? Would I regret not having it?

Someone (sorry that I don't remember who now) suggested running items through Angies "item/ensemble/capsule" test.

Here are some boots that I have been considering for my collection. (I wear them almost exclusively starting in October because it is so cold and snowy where I live). I haven't purchased any of them. Only considering. I have made a decision, but I will not tell you yet. (you can guess if you want. I used my daughters questions, plus my style words and Angie's test.

What questions do you ask yourself when you are shopping before you actually purchase?

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Shopping

22 replies

Latest reply was from unfrumped

Anonymous

The questions/answers are second nature by now. Here are a few of them.

1. What situations would I expect to wear it in (e.g., work, casual, gym)?
2. Do I already have something similar? Why am I not wearing the already bought and paid for item? If I don't like the already bought and paid for item, then why is that item still in my closet?
3. Is it within my color palate?
4. Is it within my range of silhouettes?
5. If it is a new to me silhouette, will I have the guts to wear it out of the house?
6. What is the fabric and care instructions (I will still buy dry clean only, but very, very rarely now)?
7. Is it soft? It has to be soft.
8. Do I think it will get a low cost per wear? If not, is that acceptable give the occasion?
9. What do I already own that will work with it?

SW

Wow Sterling that's quite a list. I'm not quite as thorough but I tend to ask myself- will i get a decent price per wear for this item? For shoes especially this means I'll spend a lot more for boots I know I'll wear 50-100 times over the fall-winter (which is like 8 months of the year here) than some sandals I'll probably only wear 20-30 times. I aim for a price per wear of $1 for almost all my items.

Karie

(website)

Veteran

I keep it simple:
1. What will I wear it with (at least 3 outfits)?
2. Where will I wear it?
3. How will it fit into my wardrobe (replacing something/new silhouette)?

Joyce B

Veteran

Great lists of questions and Sterling's list is very comprehensive. I cannot add much other than the price which is one of the first questions I ask when I am interested in an item.
I will follow your thread.
I love the boots that you pictured. My favorite are the tall suede and the warm-looking in picture 4. Let us know what you end up buying.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Is it comfortable? Not only fit-wise, but is it something that requires adjusting or shifting during a day's activities.

Does it fit? I mean, truly fit. Will an alteration need to be made, and if so, how complicated would it be? Some fit things (long sleeves) are much easier for me to tolerate (I'm a big sleeve scruncher), but some (too short sleeves) are deal-breakers unless I can figure out how to make them work (cut the sleeves off shorter to a whole different length!).

Is it worth the money? Is it well-made, does it feel like it will last an appropriate amount of time for the price?

Does it play with what I already have? Color palette, cut, consistency with my style.

If it is a departure from my usual, is that because it can complement my current pieces, or is it going to be too difficult to work with?

Do I love it, or do I love the *idea* of it?

Sometimes I have to take an item home and look at it with the contents of my closet before figuring out the answers.

ETA: I meant to add that all of those boots look like they could be really nice choices for you, but they do seem to serve distinctly different purposes. But then, I'm a believer in variety in wardrobe and I'm NOT a minimalist.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Well, I think any of those boots could work for your style descriptors and they seem to serve different purposes to an extent. But based on the low contrast preference and the fact that you tend to like some warmer colours I would say #1 and #3...but #2 are sleek and classic and might fit with your winter wardrobe -- I just don't know because I'm not familiar enough with the contents of your closet to perform a mental "item/outfit/capsule" test in my head!

You raise a really good question, though, about the questions that guide our purchases. (Oh, I am punning this morning!)

I have to admit that I tend to shop pretty intuitively. Or at least -- if I don't get that intuitive "aha!" or "love it" about an item, I rarely bother asking myself any questions about it.

And if I do get that feeling, and I've got a wardrobe hole for that type of item, I often buy it or at least try it. (Price tag is also relevant, of course.)

But I also think I've probably internalized a lot of the questions I should be asking myself, so I'm not directly aware of them.

Before YLF, my main questions were:

1. Is this a bargain?
2. Does it fit?
3. Is it a colour that works in my wardrobe?

I didn't have a defined colour palette but I did tend to buy colours that flattered me and worked well together. So at least I had that down. And I understood about fit and almost never purchased anything that didn't fit well (or wouldn't fit well without a bit of hemming.)

After joining YLF and beginning to identify my style preferences, I stopped worrying if things were cheap, and started asking myself whether items would fit my style persona (urban prince).

Now, that question has become internalized and I rarely even look at items that don't pass that filter.

But if an item is in question and I'm unsure, here are some of my considerations:

1. Is it practical for my life and climate? There are SO many items I love that don't pass that test. It's easy to buy for my fantasy life and harder to match my style persona to my real life conditions. But it's super important to me. I'm not happy with clothes that just sit and look pretty in my closet (unless they are special occasion items only.)

2. How and where will I wear it? Do I have the necessary items to create outfits with it, or will I have to make more purchases to wear it? If so, am I okay with that? (I might be, if I want to try a new silhouette but need the supporting players to do so.)

3. Do I own something similar? How much wear does that similar thing get? Am I okay with "splitting wears" if I buy a duplicate or near duplicate? And, contrariwise, does it feel "different" enough that it will satisfy my yen for currency?

4. Can I move in it? Is it comfortable? (Clothes that are "fussy" drive me crazy and I won't wear them.)

5. Does it move my style forward?

And, if budget is in question:

6. If I buy this, what might I have to forego? What are my priorities for the season?

viva

Veteran

I'm a pretty intuitive shopper, as well, but it's interesting .... when I am unsure, I bring the item to the YLF forum and let their comments help me ask the questions. My own questions are very simple: do I really love it, do I love it enough to pay what is being asked for it, and do I want to wear it as soon as the weather/occasion is appropriate? That's pretty much it. I don't track # of wears or CPW or anything like that.

Footwear is getting trickier, though, as one foot is getting really fussy and I may be developing a bunion. I'm having to get rid of boots/shoes that I love, and replacing them is really, really difficult. I'm going to have to try on everything and focus almost entirely on comfort.

BTW, what are those first boots? Very cute?

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Ah! Viva raises a great point -- I love K/R threads because they help me tease out what is important to me -- and not just my own K/R threads, either! I learn by looking at others.'

I also think the "Do I want to wear this right now?" question is a super one for helping to ensure we feel enough love for the item to make it worthwhile.

Rambling Ann

(website)

Veteran

I love MsMary's question, what will I not wear instead of this? That leads to do I really like this enough to sideline something I already have bought and paid for.

shiny

Veteran

I think those boots you've chosen fit your descriptors quite well! However if you live in a snowy climate, I would caution you away from suede boots. Even with weather proofing, they show salt stains really fast!

For this reason, I never wear my suede footwear if there is any hint of snow or rain in the forecast, nor do I wear it shortly after the skies have cleared if there's tons of salt still on the ground. In other words, the suede footwear in my closet gets much less play than the leather -- and the pleather (pleather is uber practical). On the plus side, babying my suede boots and reserving them for nice weather means I've had the same classic pair for close to a decade.

In my tall boot capsule I've got - 2 leather (black flat; wine healed), 1 pleather (brown wedge), 1 suede (black healed), and one cowboy boot. I'd love to add a cognac boot with chunky heel. Out of all these boots, the pleather gets by far the most wear, because it has proven to be indesctuctible regardless of weather - rain, sleet, snow, salt, slush.

In my bootie capsule I've got - 2 pairs leather, 1 pair pleather, 2 pairs suede (leopard and blue). The suede only come out to play when the weather allows. And once again it is the pleather booties that get the most use.

JAileen

Veteran

Wow! Some great analysts here! I've "favorited" this so I can come back to these analyses. I guess I think about how an item would fit in my existing wardrobe. Does it duplicate an existing item. (If so, is it better, and is it worth replacing the existing item.) Is it comfortable. Is the price right.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I'm more emotional than you'd think by all my numbers threads If I can't stop coming back to look at it, that's a big sign for me. I've been eyeing a skirt I don't need but desperately want for months now for instance.
I do ask myself what it will be worn with. I'm pretty good with that factor.
I need to get better about figuring exactly where I am wearing these imagined outfits in my day to day life. I might vaguely think, 'out to a nicer meal' but that even doesn't suffice. Am I in Tahoe? Then a short dress isn't likely given the weather. In FL we don't really do FANCY meals but once a year. I don't need any new outfits for that. Etc. etc. I have to be more specific with myself: On vacation in New Orleans out to brunch at Antoine's. Mother's Day in Tahoe lakefront.
Invariably I still stalk and do sales whenever possible so the price isn't a stumbling block.
Comfort/wearability is a biggie. Sometimes you just don't know until it's put through it's paces, though.

Simplified I'm like Karie and Viva. Do I love it? Will I actually wear it?
I actually have a sign on my closet that says in part: buy what you will wear and wear what you have.

rabbit

Veteran

Great questions, and good looking boots, curious to know which you went for.
I guess my questions are many of the others, but recently I'm shopping from lists much more often, so the key questions are:

-does it fill a unique wardrobe hole (no splitting wears, already have identified 5 outfits I could wear it with, is the exact right color).

-does it move my style forward, with a bias toward more contemporary and better quality for new items

-is the CPW reasonable given what I already know about my wear patterns from tracking, or is it such a completely unique and perfect item that I'm okay with it taking more than a year to bring down CPW (this is very rare).

-is it a great fit in terms of comfort, movement, and how it works proportionally within outfits --- I need to actually test all these out in front of the mirror but also take a few photos too (sometimes this will totally reveal something new).

thimblelina

(website)

Veteran

This is a great thread! So many great ideas to add to your own personal filter!
My process with this was completely changed by the time I spent on YLF the first time around.

The desire starts with a place I've perceived a lack in my wardrobe. I have a pin board of outfits and street looks I love on Pinterest that I think would lend themselves well to substitute teaching. I gravitate toward outfits that have a few pieces already in my closet, but often there is something missing too: red flats, maybe... or a chunky neutral scarf... etc. Then I start researching those options. Items I'm considering get put on a wardrobe wish list pin board where I take some time to play around with the idea of them. Do they follow my personal style 'rules' in terms of color palette, heel height, neckline, hem length, etc? Are they practical for my real life? Do I really like this whole look I'm trying to conjure up enough to repeat it with some regularity? When I feel like I'm ready to pounce, I fit that purchase into one of my Pinterest wardrobe capsules or start a new one with existent pieces. I might pin a 6pm.com or uniqlo option if I want to be budget conscious, or an anthro or madewell item if I'm willing to spend. If I happen to walk through another store I've got these ideas already pretty firmly fixed in my head. If I see something spontaneous I can evaluate it against those other pins right on my phone. When the purchase is right there physically in my hands I get very specific. Can I think of 5 or 6 ways to use this in outfits immediately? How does it feel? How does it fit? Does it seem just right for the price & availability or could I find something better with just a little more money & effort?

It has really cut down on the mistakes but I still occasionally make them, usually when I feel rushed and/or distracted.

Those boots all look great, but I am guessing you picked #1 or #2. I am itching to break out the boots but that is still weeks away here in Northern California. Best wishes! Can't wait to see what you choose. xo

(My ipad has a cranky browser this morning... Hope this doesn't double post)

Staysfit

Veteran

Wow! There are some very thoughtful questions here. I am learning so much from all of you, and I really appreciate your input. I will tell you what has happened so far with the boots.

First of all, I shouldn't have been browsing in my favorite shoe store during a no spending period. However, I was driving past, and couldn't get the cognac pair of boots out of my head. I had tried them on a few weeks ago and they were stuck there like glue. I also had asked them to order me a pair of leather sneakers in a color that I liked (All before the no spend agreement with my daughter). The shoes were not in yet. But they had these awesome boots, and I couldn't resist trying them on. In the past I would have purchased them and walked out happy as a clam. Not this time!

Instead I took pictures of the boots to compare with my current collection, and asked if I could return again to try them on in the late afternoon when my feet would be at their most swollen. The answer was yes, because I am a good customer.

When I looked, I discovered that I already have another pair of Aquatalia boots, also chocolate brown (see below). Different style, but fairly flat. Not suede, but that's probably ok, they are not different enough to alter how I would wear them. Pair two is eliminated.

The black pair with the fleece lining is absolutely gorgeous, soft and comfortable, but they are black. I really don't want to purchase any more black. I am passing on those and hope that Steve Weitzman comes out with the same boots in another color more favorable to my palette. Pair four is eliminated.

The Fry boots (Cognac), well, I have already gone back twice to look at them. The fit is excellent. The one drawback is that they are not a weatherproof boot. There is a limited amount of time that they would be practical where I live. I wonder if they are classic enough to last a few years? I need to replace some older Cognac boots that were also leather. This could be the pair. Honestly, I have never seen a pair this color that is weatherproof. These are still a definite maybe. (I need to find out the price, and then make a decision about these. If they are what I would call reasonable, then I might go ahead, otherwise, I might hold off).

The Aquatalia olive green booties with low wedge heel: I will get these. They fit perfectly. I love the color. They fit my both my style and my descriptor words. I know that I will regret it if I do not have them in my closet. They will go with almost everything. They are a great fit with my color palette. Pair one is my definite favorite, and I will make the purchase as soon as my No purchase September is over. Aquatalia boots are waterproof, and even though these have a tongue, I plan to get it tacked so it doesn't slide around. They fit well in the ankle though so it may not be much of a problem.

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

Ha! I guessed right! (My screen saw the olive as grey).

I am feeling very proud of myself.

And you should be proud of yourself, too, for sticking to your goals!

Staysfit

Veteran

Thanks Suz, I am feeling good about this decision. Very good. It's my first thoughtful wardrobe purchase decision. I hope I can continue on this pathway! It has already saved me from buying 3 pairs of expensive boots! I have decided against the cognac boots for now. I don't think they add much to my wardrobe and I can use the brown boots in their place for every outfit I can come up with.

Deborah

Veteran

We'll the ones you chose were my favourite:). Well done with your shopping process.

I'm a bit fluid in my shopping process but I rarely buy spontaneously. I look, I try and then I walk away. If I am still thinking about the item the next day, I consider further. Does it work with my style is my first question. As Janet mentioned I can like the idea of something but in reality it might not be me:). I also only purchase when I know it can be returned. Trying something on at home and seeing how it plays with my existing wardrobe provides insight that the dressing room doesn't.

Marley

Veteran

I love those chocolate brown boots - so glad that you have decided that you are going to continue to wear them this winter, rather than buying the cognac!

I'm curious - since you are quite thin, do you have trouble finding boots that are narrow enough around the shaft so that they fit your calves? - you know, so they don't gap? That is always my main issue - and so, in addition to all of the questions that others have already shared, I always, always have to first discover if the boots actually fit me correctly around my calf!

Staysfit

Veteran

Marley, I just noticed your question. Sorry! Yes, I do have to check to be sure that boots fit me around both the calf and the ankle. I almost always take a narrow calf size boot. If not, I try to find one with elasticized gores that stretch to fit, and hope that they don't over stretch with use.

With boots that tie and have tongues, like the green ones, I get the tongue tacked so it doesn't slide around. It costs extra, but is worth it. My narrow ankles don't provide enough grip within the boot to keep the tongue in place! I'm looking forward to the 26th, when I can make my purchase! It's cold enough to wear booties and boots this week. Instead of shopping, I'm reading and working on my sweater.

Lyn D.

Veteran

This was an interesting read!
Thanks Staysfit, and well-done with your very-well- considered purchase

unfrumped

Veteran

I like your DD' s question for use in a wardrobe edit- would I miss it? Which things really fit that profile?

I like Sterling's list, especially # 2, for new items.