What merits shopping for an ‘outfit’? - YouLookFab Forum

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What merits shopping for an ‘outfit’?

Runcarla

Veteran

The thread in Mary Beth’s wedding guest ensemble post got me thinking about what kind of an event or activity would inspire/motivate/drive me to shop for an outfit. Though I believe I could put together something for just about any event by ‘shopping’ my closet, there are some events that seem to stimulate the shopping urge!

An invitation to a wedding is a pretty good case in point. Me, I’m ‘triggered’ by travel plans.

What merits (or triggers) shopping for an ‘outfit’ for you?

General

25 replies

Latest reply was from Jaime

JAileen

Veteran

A wedding, anniversary party, big birthday party, graduation. I know of three engaged couples and so I probably ought to have a great dress or two lined up. For my mother’s 100th birthday party last year I managed to find an outfit in my closet.

Star (Lise)

Veteran

Weddings for sure. Yet I never find what I want and revert back to my closet. I think it is because that type of dressing is so far away from my style and comfort zone.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

The last dress I bought was for the nephew’s Canadian wedding in 2023 when I visited your lovely country. So I am fitting the profile of the other Fabbers above me in this post! I guess I bought that one partly for the bright colours as he was marrying an Indian woman and there would be a lot of beautiful bright saris.
I don’t need to buy for fancy balls and dinners as they are often Art Deco dress-ups and I have a selection.

Sisi

Veteran

In any case I'd prefer to shop my closet. No stressful last minute shopping (usually fruitless) but picking up a few perfect pieces from the wardrobe and ... done. Not arrived there yet but working on it. And what Lise said.

Sal

Veteran

Significant birthdays can be a prompt for me. Either mine or someone else’s. Important work meetings or work travel have needed new pieces - maybe not an entire outfit.

I am more set up now with a good base of pieces that I could cater for most occasions. For our upcoming trip I have only added two new non gear pieces specifically but have shopped for a few cycling wardrobe additions.

Irina

Veteran

Traveling, I would think. We started to go for beach vacations in the last few years and I found that I like to wear more of a resort type of clothing. I had only a few items that fit into this category. So, I’m adding slowly, I don’t need much now but hope that one day we will be able to spend more than a week on a beach.

Bijou

Veteran

Recently, I had a school reunion and shopped from my closet as I always like to have a dress outfit that is versatile enough to wear to functions so that there is no problem with "I don't have anything to wear to that". I would buy or hire a new outfit if I didn't have something that fit the required dress code for a special function.

When travelling I buy to make sure I am going to be comfortable. We once had the horror of being in Japan in spring and despite it being very cold, we could not buy any clothing to keep warm, they had all new summer stock in the shops!

Mirjana

Veteran

As SISI said I'd prefer to shop my closet. Maybe, now I don't need to buy any special dress, or skirt I can dress up the ones I already have and I am ready to go.

Lisa

Veteran

Any celebration for a special event or occasion (weddings, anniversaries, milestone birthdays, bridal or baby showers, etc). One of the fun things about these type of invites is getting to wear something new for it. But I don’t buy for “just in case I get an invite.” The event has to be on my calendar already. (Ie I'm not buying a gown for one day I’m invited to a formal wedding or a ball). And once I own something I will repeat it. I’ve worn the same jumpsuit and fascinator to a Kentucky Derby party for the past three years.

Vacations, group gatherings, and social outings is another time I may shop, especially when my daily life outfits aren’t a good fit or when my style has evolved and I want to reflect that with the event or occasion. I’ve added new swimsuits and coverups for a beach vacation and the linen I added this season to my summer capsule will also be used for a trip to Europe this fall because I didn’t want to wear graphic tees and shorts for the trip.

An example for group gatherings/ social outings, I’ve just rejoined team dress and added a thrifted dress recently for afternoon tea with the girls. If I already owned a dress capsule I probably could’ve shopped my closet but since I’m building out my dress capsule and my current dress was too casual I added one instead.

The same logic I am using for my business capsule. I thrifted two dresses for this capsule recently so I’m not wearing pants in warmer locations.

I’m not looking to have a large dress capsule but I am seeking a dress capsule that fits various functions (casual daily life, business, special events as they come up). Once I’ve built the capsule I’ll use what I have.

This was a very long winded answer that says I may or may not shop it depends on what I have already, what the occasion is, my current style preferences, and of course my budget.

Dee

Veteran

I should be able to shop my closet for most events although I did get a bit caught out once, when I found out at the last minute that my husband's work dinner was semi formal. I scrambled through my closet and was able to put together an outfit but it wasn't my best. I've often shopped in the past specifically for an occasion only to end up actually wearing something different in the end. UGH!!

bella

(website)

Veteran

Like you, I think I am able to shop my closet at the moment for any event that might come up. For this reason, I would call any such event a trigger rather than a truly meritorious occasion. In recent years, the occasions that trigger the strongest impulse purchase for me are my kid's social events. In the end, I always come to my senses and end up shopping my closet. The latest was an elementary school graduation, and I spent quite a bit of time browsing stores and trying on different types of clothes in a frenzy (a dress? a linen suit?). I have observed that this is something I am very much guilty of and have to watch out for.
I haven't had to attend weddings for close family members in recent years, but judging from experience, this can also be a trigger for me.

Just remembered that I haven't had any job interviews in a long while, and my job doesn't require any truly formal business wear. So if, for any reason, I had to go on the job market, this would be a truly meritorious occasion for shopping.

unfrumped

Veteran

What Lisa said re: special dressy events. I will describe my own upcoming eventsdressing challenge in another post. I used to have a few dressy- enough items in my closet because I had attended a dressy event every year is so and had shopped for those & was fine with repeating. Also, I could wear dressy shoes!

A school reunion would for sure!

Funerals come up more often than I’d like but I can usually shop my closet because my social environment is casual— so I can have a “ somber capsule” , mostly just dark neutral/ nearly neutral that includes pieces for different seasons. Again, shoes are the most difficult because I don’t want to wear sneakers and have few “ serious “ dark shoes.

A wedding yes, if it specified dressy.

Travel used to prompt some last- minute shopping for special accessories and also when frustrated that things might not mix-and-match. I did a beach vacation ( casual) last year and bought some things for that which also worked well on another beachy/ hiking trip this summer, so I was pleased those things were good choices.

Jules

Veteran

Wedding and travel, for sure.
Weddings are extremely infrequent for me, less than every 5 years. The last one was a less formal second wedding scenario and instead of a dress I "splurged" on a silk tee shirt that I hoped I would wear again, and that has worked out well. It helped that these days I have a highly functional wardrobe including dressy shoes and bags that allows me to mix, match and accessorize, which wouldn't have been true 10-15 years ago.
Re: travel, I hold on to a collection of infrequently worn "tropical" items. I did buy a kaftan for a girls' trip to Costa Rica last year - it was part of the fun of trip planning and anticipation for me. But when I went to Cuba this year I used my Finds to remind myself what I already have and that was plenty.
I also bought a last-minute pair of boots for our 2023 trip to Paris - I felt that I wanted something just a bit more refined than my usual stompy boots. These also turned out to be a good wardrobe investment. I'm happy the store didn't have the black ones in my size, the brown ones were outside my comfort zone but turned out to be perfect for my wardrobe. Sometime last minute impulse buys work out!

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DonnaF

Veteran

If/when DD gets married, and knowing her it will be a destination wedding. I hate clothing I will only wear once! The footwear part is the hardest.

Years ago my husband had the same experience Bijou had in Japan. We were in Chicagoland/Wisconsin in late April. It rained and then snowed heavily, and I hadn’t checked what he had packed. Nothing appropriate. Stores galore but nothing warm enough for a wimpy Californian.

Helena

Veteran

Dressy events for me, since I don't live a dressy lifestyle. But I can't remember the last time I bought a full outfit from tip to toe ... I always use things I already have, or borrow things if possible, even if it's just accessories or something. This is again because I don't have a dressy lifestyle! So I like to minimize buying things that won't get much use when possible!

The Cat

Veteran

Like you, I am able to shop my closet for most occasions. However, when my calender contains plans for events like a wedding, travel (in particular to a different climate), or special seminars/courses/assemblies, I see this as an opportunity to shop for not necessarily a whole new outfit, but rather a couple of new items that I will be able to wear in other settings as well.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Good question, Carla! I'm also triggered by travel (because my needs might be different in that different climate or with different activities from my usual) but I would rarely if ever buy an entire "outfit" for that -- it's more like filling in the gaps, i.e. the right outerwear or footwear for purpose.

LIke you, I think I could shop my closet for just about anything. My husband had a significant birthday and we threw a big party last year -- and I wore my Comrags dress from 2017 and felt just fine. I had an outfit for my kid's graduation at the ready -- and that same dress might take me to a funeral if necessary. (Though, like Angie, I might have to retire it from less sad events after that.) I had something to wear at the last wedding I attended...did not have to shop.

If I were going on a resort holiday I might have to shop for a few "outfits" suitable to that type of situation and climate, since I have not been on such a holiday.

Or, of course, if the organizers of the event were as specific about what they wanted guests to wear as Mary Beth's were!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I also feel I’m mostly prepared to shop my closet for any occasion that comes up. I did struggle a little last year when I was attending a fundraiser gala in Las Vegas, but ended up with an outfit I was happy enough with. I have had to reevaluate my occasion capsule because of shifting weight now that I’m firmly post-menopause. A go-to dress from 2018 (!) is now too tight in the middle and I am hanging onto it because it’s lovely and would possibly work if I lose 10 lbs, but it’s not wearable at the moment.

Really, weddings and occasional special events like that gala are the biggest challenge, but I’ve managed to dress for all recent events even from my diminished options.

I do sometimes feel compelled to shop before a trip. I bought a couple of light warm-weather pieces before leaving for France a few weeks ago, and those items are in heavy rotation now that I’m back home too, so they were good all-around summer purchases. I try to make sure my immediate-need outfit shopping serves a longer term purpose as well so I don’t end up with a one trick pony.

Olive Green

Veteran

I have a winter dress that covers a lot of events, simple mid brown knit long sleeve, midi. It can be dressed up and down for casual, business, funeral, gallery opening.
A bright navy summer dress is sleeveless, with a light navy blazer to go over for AC. Good for weddings and funerals, and gallery openings.
Bought both of these for one special occasion with an eye to wearing them seasonally. Dresses otherwise not my thing.
What I do get stuck on, is good shoes, flat, for slightly dressy or dressy occasions. Looking now before the occasion hits.
My everyday needs are taken care of, enough in every category to avoid laundry bottlenecks.
Weddings today seem fraught…

Carol

(website)

Veteran

I NEVER shop for an outfit, but anything where there are rules will bring me close. I recently went to a funeral, and I had just bought an elegant black skirt. If I didn't have that, I would have had to do some shopping.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Like others, I can shop my closet for just about anything from super casual to quite formal, and everything in-between!

I usually want a new outfit - or two! - for my birthday - or when I feel like something new for a special occasion or event (although not essential at all). Sometimes for travel, if I need something specific. Yet, I usually have it covered.

LJP

Veteran

Business travel used to do me in . I’d buy entire new outfits . Didn’t need them but used the trips as an excuse to wear beautiful new things . My most recent vacation / trip led to a massive order of casual clothing I realized I didn’t really own . I expect any other trip / travel would cause the same thing ;). Fortunate dressy occasions aren’t part of my life so I don’t worry about them . If one arose I’d shop my closet as I just don’t care enough to buy new pieces .

Indigoprint

Veteran

Special occasions that may include pictures.

karen23

My wardrobe has some "holes" in it. Maybe hope that I could find all or most of the pieces?

I haven't shopped for an outfit in a while. I'm starting to dread it.

Replacing the "serious black suit" I used to wear for funerals or interviews - and with a more cheerful blouse, for going to the theater - maybe. Or being invited to a wedding. Especially if hubby decides to get a new suit.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Definitely team shop my closet and I think I could handle most conceivable needs there. Which is not to say a certain occasion would not put me in the mood to shop - but nothing that happens in the ordinary run of things.