Green Jeans, this was a good thread, and thanks for taking the time to reply in detail. I'm impressed.

YES to when good price and great quality overlap = WIN-WIN. You only really figure the brilliant quality part out after road testing the items and putting them through laundry/dry cleaning cycles. That's why I mentioned that you also need a stroke of luck! You can only discern so much about the quality of something before committing to it.

Preferring variety in inexpensive items that get a lot of wear is a good wardrobe strategy, and many of my clients and friends use it. If the items are bad quality, than at least you can pass them on responsibly. And if they are GREAT quality - like my $12 camisoles - so much the better.

I have a budget, which may be larger than most, but it still limits what I am able to purchase. All things are relative. I go for quality rather than variety.

Really enjoying this conversation. So much food for thought.

For me, as a mood dresser who gets bored easily, variety is most important. I admit to a growing yearning for quality, however, especially as we experience a decline of it in so many brands.

When I find an item at a price I can afford that adds variety and feels good on my body and also is well-made, it feels as though I've unearthed a true treasure!