Quality over quantity? - YouLookFab Forum

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Quality over quantity?

nk123

First of all, thank you! I am new to YLF and learning lots every day. I have definitely begun to understand the beauty of a well edited wardrobe, but seem to lapse into buying quantity over quality time and again. I am petite, so I do a lot of online shopping ( I don't have access to many stores with good petite selections). I find myself constantly lured into the email sale offers. I buy inexpensive things that I wear for a while and then donate. I think I would have a much better wardrobe if I could get out of this cycle of buying frequently and on sale...

I did try to purge my closet, but just filled it up with bargains again. Any suggestions on how to get out of the quantity over quality trap?

Shopping

15 replies

Latest reply was from Deborah

Suz

(website)

Veteran

This is tough for many of us, especially those of us schooled in bargain hunting or who've had to be very thrifty in the past. And those of us who are hard to fit and fall into the trap of thinking if it fits, that is enough.

A couple of ideas from one who is still learning (and making mistakes):

1. Buy one amazing expensive (or at least full price) item. Wear it. Compare to your other things. Ask yourself what mAkes you happier.

2. Do not look at the sales for a specified period at all.

3. If you do find something on sale ask yourself if you would pay full price for it.

4. Determine your style aspirations and goals. Do you know what you are aiming for? Sometimes we buy lots in a desperate effort to find our look in the midst of it all.

5. Ask yourself what needs you are filling by shopping. Could you fill them another way?

6. Post pics here! We would love to help.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

ETA. If you would NOT pay full price for something but still want it ask yourself why. Sometimes there is a legitimate reason. E g. You want to try an item out of your comfort zone.

Laurinda

Veteran

It took a while for me to be secure that I really do not need (or wear) all that much.

The Vivienne Files is one good source of inspiration for doing less with more: http://theviviennefiles.blogspot.com/

I also kept track of what I wore, either by physically moving worn items in my closet or using a spread sheet.

I analyze what I like or don't like to improve my future shopping selections.

With new items, I take photos of myself while an item is still returnable to keep only the 10s (and 9s admittedly, with plus-size there is a little less selection).

And I ask myself, "Would I pack this for my dream vacation to Paris?" (or Hawaii for the summer items). If not, why not?

rute

Veteran

My advice is just try, start by buying a quality item, you'll feel the difference of the fabric and the fit and you'll fall in love.

I prefer buying quality at physical stores because they have a tailor service that it's always helpeful to petites (there is always a sleeve too big or a pair of pants too long) and when buying quality it's worth to fight for the perfect fit!

Isabel

Veteran

I love everyone's advice, particularly Suz. It IS hard and you are certainly not alone in this.

In addition to the great advice above, I would suggest getting may be four pieces that fit you well and are better quality items than what you normally get. . Have them tailored if you have too. Then mix them in with your fun, inexpensive pieces and see how that goes.

Don't try to force something that is not your personality. If you LIKE a big wardrobe with a lot of choice, then nothing else will work because it is against your personality. So balance.

I am not sure where you live, but I good place to start ( at least for me ) is always a coat or a blazer. You can wear a t shirt and jeans from K Mart and look fab with a nice coat or blazer that fits. A nice sweater ( if you wear them ).

Do you know about the viviennefiles ? She has some good ideas for a core wardrobe of 4 to 6 pieces.

Also a good pair of shoes or boots.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I still struggle with this after 2 years here! I think, for myself, the best way to curtail this behavior is to just limit your numbers of items coming in. If I can only have 3 things from now until the end of this year, odds are they are going to be more special. Now, I still find wonderful things that are bargains, so I am not going to say only full price, or expensive items are winners. One of my favorite things all year has been an $8 dress from Ross! But in all fairness, I would have paid 4 times that much easily for it, because it was just what I was looking for. I like the idea of "would I take this on vacation with me?". That's a great litmus test for what you feel are your great items vs the okay ones you just make do with.

bj1111

Veteran

for a small well curated wardrobe, you mustn't be the type to be easily bored. i like the viviennefiles approach and i like wearing the same things over again, even in exactly the same combinations, but even i find the core wardrobes, even with the expansion items too repetitive.

add in that some of us really thrive on new items. buying the best quality everytime in that case is just not practical. so develop some guideline for yourself about when you would like to splurge on quality and when you would get disposable items to wear for a season.

nk123

Thank you all for your great advice. I will try one or two high quality pieces (a coat is a great suggestion Isabel since I live near Philly) and come up witha litmus test (I like the vacation and is it a 10 ideas).

Once I get the courage, I will post some pics. I imagine that having honest feedback about the way these bargains look might prompt me to be at least a bit more selective in my shopping endeavors...

I'm so excited to have found this site

pastrygirl

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for this thread! It, along with the viviennefiles blog, inspired my blog post for today. I really, really want to get to the point where I'm only adding quality items to my wardrobe. Goodness knows I've had almost two decades of shopping for quantity!

Makrame

Veteran

One thing that helps is, as Laurinda mentioned, keeping track of what you wear.

I like keeping a spreadsheet that calculates cost per wear based on how many times something has been worn and the original price. Sometimes this can show very clearly how an inexpensive item was not worn much because it was not perfect or an expensive one was worn all the time (I have a pair of fairly expensive for me shoes that is down to less than a dollar after about 5 months and they will probably last for a few years). I can also see how some inexpensive, low quality items have short lifetime and have to be discarded because of fading etc. so the cost per wear ends up being pretty high.

That said, some inexpensive buys end up being long-lived and good quality, too. But overall the recordkeeping seems to help with figuring out how to distribute the budget.

unfrumped

Veteran

On-line shopping makes this a little harder, I think, because in the "real" store you can touch, feel, see before you purchase and if you go to different stores and departments within a store, it becomes easier to compare items literally side-by-side, or at least via recent memory. Plus, it can be harder to envision paying a larger price on-line knowing it may not even fit, or you might be tempted to keep it rather than have the hassle of returning it. So, factoring in the psychology of your shopping style and options may help you decipher how best to upgrade your wardrobe.

Remember that "quality" usually has severa/ dimensions, but the minimum to me is fit! (or tailorability), then fabric and construction. Meaning, if it doesn't or can't fit, it won't matter whether it's made out of $500/yard fabric. So you can be analyzing various elements of your clothing as to what makes them look really great, and you will find different requirements for different items--the example above is great, that you might find a great white T shirt at Gap or K-mart; if you're not a hard to fit shape or size, there may be black pencil skirts at a range of price points, and the black fabric may be more forgiving of various, so you may not have to spend big $$ there; a wool coat though ought to feel luxurious, not scratchy, fit well, and so on.

If you are able to shop in person, I found it helpful to wear nicer clothes while shopping. That's like the advice from rute, but taking it a step further--wear something really good quality while you're actually shopping; it is an immediate reminder of your goals, it forms a basis for comparison, and it can help you say, no, this item does not match my current quality goal, but I know that there's better stuff out there, because I'm wearing some of it.

Read Angie's advice on the 3 P's (PPP) for trying to hold to a standard.

Sylvie

Veteran

I want to second some of the advice others have already given, as I use these strategies myself:

If you find something on sale, always ask yourself if you'd pay full price for it.

For anything new that comes into your closet, as yourself what it's purpose and function is. Is it a duplicate of something you already own? If so, is it a backup or will you just end up wearing both pieces often?

Tracking CPW and having a budget is a godsend. I find it all too easy to be sucked in by 40% sales from *store name redacted out of kindness*. I could probably build a whole wardrobe out of $15 tops from this store but I've found the quality lacking over time - they lose shape when washing or they just don't look as fab as the $60 tops I buy from "$$ store* I would rather have a single awesome top than 4 subpar tops that don't last.

I can justify the higher priced item to myself because it's within budget and I can see how much use I get out of it.

Lastly, it's a gradual process. When you're not happy with what's in your closet, if you purge all at once, there's an urge to fill it up again. If you slowly add great pieces then it's easy to let go of others you no longer like.

rholmes27

I'm working on this also. (And I'm petite, so I feel your pain). A couple of things have helped me--

I tend to be a minimalist at heart, & while I have been somewhat successful in incorporating this in my home, I am just starting to try to incorporate this with my wardrobe. For me, I need to buy higher quality articles of clothing while purchasing less in number.

Also, I am seriously considering an idea from several YLFer's--12x12 plan: purchasing 1 item of clothing/month. I think I would really put thought into what I was purchasing while following that plan.

One small success story: I recently purchased ankle boots for top $$ (at least for me). I had also planned on purchasing some new black dress boots cause my old ones look rough. However, in analyzing my closet, I realized that the booties & another pair of black shoes I own would fit all the needs I have & I don't need the black dress boots. Of course that could change...

Carole

Veteran

I have been struggling with this, too. But the advise you are getting here is not to be "discounted"' , lol! I think when you are trying to find your style sometimes you need to experiment a little and you wouldn't want to spend a fortune until you figure that out. I have vowed to never by "cheap" shoes or "bags" again and am ready to move to the next step, planning for what I need and shopping for the best that I can afford to meet that need. I actually didn't shop for 2 months and loved the freedom it gave me and the money I saved made me realize that i could add something really great to my closet and not just a bunch of "stuff" that didn't cost much.Good luck and keep us posted on your style journey.

Deborah

Veteran

The ladies have given you some excellent advice. I have this challenge also and after 12 months on YLF I have found that I seem to be naturally moving towards more quality items. Lower quality items just don't excite or satisfy me and I find myself reluctant to buy those items. For me it's something that has happened almost naturally over my time here. I still haven't nailed it but I have become a much more descerning shopper.