Deciding on keep vs. return? - YouLookFab Forum

I mentioned in another thread that I have spent almost all of my 2011 shopping budget, and it's not even the end of July! So now I am faced with a few prospects:

1) Be mostly SYC for the rest of the year (save a few low-ticket items, thrift purchases, etc.)
2) Return some of the items I have not yet worn (which includes most of my NAS purchases)
3) Combination of the above

I am wondering how all of you decide whether or not to return something. I try to stick to the rule of returning anything I haven't worn in a month, but sometimes I have deviated from that and it's worked out well (such as in a case when the new item is off-season, as is true with most of the NAS stuff). I also try to create outfits with new items and see if they "sing" to me.

I think that some of my shopping mistakes involve buying things for a life that isn't mine. My life is very casual (I work from home and have more casual interests) and I live in an ultra-casual city (San Diego). However, I like to dress up and do so, just not all that often. I like to buy tailored and somewhat "businessy" items, but I find that I rarely wear those items, unless I can dress them down with other pieces (like the new NAS vest I got could be worn with jeans or a more casual skirt).

Feeling some shopping remorse and sadness about not being able to shop for so long... I just want to make the right decisions and sometimes don't trust myself to do so! Any "words of wisdom" will be appreciated!

12 years ago

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Veteran

I can't help but can commisserate! Una shares in our knack for shopping for the imaginary life instead of the one we have - maybe she'll have a bit of advice. I would maybe return an item if it takes up a considerable part of the budget but doesn't seem like you would get much mileage out of it. For instance, a cocktail dress won't come out to play as much as a pair of boots.

devon7

Active Member

You are SO right, Mo. I have often spent a lot of money on items I will only wear once or twice and then "nickle and dimed" on wardrobe staples like boots, jeans, and workout clothes. I should really be buying the creme de la creme of workout clothes because I workout so much, and I practically LIVE in jeans and boots during the cooler months (which are December through June here, believe it or not).

I LOVE the vest I got at NAS, but I don't know if it is worth the $118 I spent on it because I am not sure if I will wear it a lot given my lifestyle. If I worked in an office, it would be a no-brainer, but I sit at my desk at home in very casual clothes most days. Yes, when I go out (even just to do errands), I like to dress nicely, but I have found that many dressier items just don't get worn as much.

I hope that Una chimes in, too. Nice to know I'm not alone!

Jjsloane

You are so not alone. I like the thrill of the hunt. I buy and am happy. But then I return and am still happy. I return when something doesn't fit right or I can't make it work with anything I already have or feel guilty about the cost vs wearability.

Joy

I'm with you, Devon. Another here who too often buys things that would be appropriate for an office job, but that's not my life. It's more casual. Even the dressier places I go are not much above casual and a MOTG outfit would fit in just fine. I'm trying to see how any piece I buy could be styled with denim and have a bunch of things now for consideration. The NAS things are especially hard to try on when they are for fall and winter and it's over 100.

Thanks to all who have replied thus far. Some good suggestions and I also appreciate the commiseration by some of you.

One question: What does MOTG mean? It was in Joy's post. Haven't gotten all of the acronyms here just yet!

I agree with Joy that it can be hard to shop for fall and winter when the weather is summery. The same is true here with summer items. Our summer really doesn't start until mid-July and by that time, the fall stuff is in the stores!

I so LOVE the NAS items I bought, but I'm starting to have second thoughts because some don't really fit my lifestyle. What I most want is to feel that I want to wear my new items IMMEDIATELY after buying them. Let's see... I went to NAS (pre-shop) 2 weeks ago now. I think I bought 10 items. I've returned 3 of them but have not yet worn the other 7 items yet. It's true that weather is an issue for some of them, but if I haven't worn the weather-appropriate items in a few weeks, perhaps they should go back.

I love that Nordstrom has a great return policy because many stores have a 30 or 60 day time limit, and sometimes I end up wanting to return things after that time frame. For example, I bought some things at White House Black Market in March. The weather wasn't suitable for most of them (I wore one shirt the very next day, though!), but I STILL haven't worn 2 items (a dress and a shirt) and I wish I could return them. But their return policy is 60 days, so no dice.

I understand why some stores have more restrictive return policies AND I want to be better at returning sooner rather than later, but I still make some stupid mistakes. I try to enforce the one month rule (or maybe it should even be a 2 month rule if the return policy allows), but I am not strict enough with it. So I am left with some items I don't wear, mostly because they fit an imagined lifestyle instead of my real one.

Hoping to reform, but I'm so glad I'm not alone!

Polly (thunalata)

MOTG is Mom On The Go - or GOTG (gal on the go) if that fits better for you.

I read on a thread of Kim's a little earlier (Queen Mum) that when deciding what to keep she was asking herself 'would I miss this in a few months if I sent it back?'. Would that help you?

ETA have you read Angie's posts about wardrobe 'capsules' - ie making sure you have wht you need for every compartment in your life? It might help you focus on what you need?

thunalata - thanks for your input. I like the question, "Would I miss this in a few months if I sent it back?" I will consider that for my on the fence items, as I think it's a good yardstick to apply.

I haven't read Angie's wardrobe capsule posts, but I will search for them, as it seems like they could be helpful.

This is the one I was thinking of in particular.

http://youlookfab.com/2009/06/.....lifestyle/

Have fun
Polly

Kelly

Hey, I am another one who is drawn to clothes that do not necessarily suit my lifestyle! I have more work clothes than I need and not as many casual clothes as I could use! It's getting more balanced, though, I think.

therealbarrywhite

Member

Hi there!

I know I'm a man, and this an old thread, but I've been looking for advice Exactly on this line forever!

I just bought a really lovely Vivienne Westwood Shirt, that, although a little bit on the plain side (For Westwood) is something I know in my heard and soul I will have, wear and re-wear for many years.

Sizing is perfect, in the middle - in the sense it will give me a bit of latitude weight wise wither way. It has a few interesting little Westwood accents, like pinstripes that break apart half way down, an unusual, three button collar, with an almost Victorian feel to it.

Only downside is I'm a bit skint and could do with the 80 or so Euro that I spent on it! Having said that, this is the time I do ALL my clothes shopping for the year - end of the sales when things are 70 percent off or less. Which works well for me, as I have left of field tastes, so I end up getting great pieces that just wouldn't tempt other (especially male) buyers ....

What do I do with the Shirt?

Go with my gut? The money will be forgotten about in a while, and I'll still have something lovely to wear to show for it, as opposed to yet another phone bill!!!

Would appreciate your thoughts if anyone is still looking at this forum!

Thanks!

5 years ago

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