Hmmm a little tough to say. I mostly intuit actually, and all factors are weighed against each other so sometimes I'm willing to compromise in one area if another isn't you know? Example I recently bought a blouse made of poly, which I generally avoid, because the feel of the fabric, the pattern, and the cut were perfect. I would have been very bummed to NOT have the blouse in my wardrobe; I know the poly won't bother me, since it's those "almost but not quite perfect otherwise" items made of poly that get me!
So. Fit, drape, and fabric feel are non-negotiable. Color/pattern... well I wear lots of kinds but I know what I like so I stick to my personal rainbow (and it really is ). Fabric content is important but not necessarily a dealbreaker (see above). Same with price, especially as I am rarely able to find really good stuff on sale. Washing instructions aren't a deterrent. Alterations are sometimes a deterrent because I know I'm generally too lazy to do anything that's not super simple like hemming. There aren't certain cuts that I bypass simply because; in fact I make sure I try new things as well as things I think may not work because you never know when they might! Example below: a denim shirt in a swingy retro cut that I thought wouldn't work AT ALL turned out suuuuper cute and I couldn't bear to leave it behind -- I mainly tried it because the fabric is diviiiiiine and I loved the feel of it. It's probably my wildcard purchase of the season.
The only question I really ask myself beyond all of the above (which, as I said, I just intuit), is whether an item progresses my current style goals. And not just that, I also ask whether they are hindering my style goals. I have found that keeping my style goals well defined is far more useful than having a list of elimination rules for potential items while out shopping. I just feel too restricted that way, and miss out on some cool pieces. That said I do keep a shopping list to guide me or else I'm just attracted to all the pretty things.
(There were many comments about waiting on items in the case of online ordering. I generally cannot do that. If my size is available and I am very interested in it, I have to order immediately. I would much rather try the item, find I don't like it and return, than bemoan not being able to try because my size sold out quickly.
And there is one place where fabrication is non-negotiable: true hot-weather or active-casual wear. In those cases I really do need natural fibers. Which I try to prioritize in general, really. But like I said above, I am willing to make exceptions in some cases.)
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