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Impulse buys are almost always mistakes (update at bottom)

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Remember when I posted late last week about the Silver jeans I bought and I was so excited about (http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/being-cheeky)...I was going to wear them tomorrow for Friday Denim Day and put them on again and I don't like them at all.

I had them hemmed at the place I bought them (it's part of their service) and they are about 1/2 inch too short. Ok...I can wear different shoes I guess. But when I put them on and walked around the house a bit in them while deciding what top to wear, I just wasn't comfortable in them at all. For me, they are too low rise (I kept wanting to pull them), they squeeze things "up and over" (if you know what I mean) and I think the back pockets are too big for me. I'm keeping them for now in the hopes that when I take a few pounds off, they'll fit differently but at this point in time, I am considering them a $100 mistake.

My best purchases are ones I truly think about, investigate and mull over. Lunch hour frenzied purchases are not the ones that work out for me. I'm annoyed at myself.

Dressing

52 replies

Latest reply was from Lyn D.

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Oh no! I hate when that happens. I agree, impulse buys are pretty risky. I thought the jeans looked good on you in the pics, but I know what you mean about jeans not feeling right after wearing them longer...same thing happened to me with the maternity jeans I bought. They looked and fit fine in the dressing room but now when I wear them I find they're always sliding down and I have to keep hitching. Arrgh. Sorry about the jeans, Shannon. But on the bright side, you have an amazing track record with your purchases, both regular and thrifted! You have a higher hit rate than a lot of us!

rae

(website)

Veteran

Oh no... you were so excited about those jeans when you got them. This does happen to all of us, though. One of the reasons we are all serial returners at this point. Sucks that you went through the trouble of hemming them already, though. :T

catgirl

Veteran

Oh no! Which ones are they? Maybe you could put them up for sale on the style exchange here and recoup some funds?

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Oh that's so annoying - I just looked at the pics again - they look so good.

Deborah

Veteran

Shannon I thought they looked really good on you. Perhaps give yourself a few days and pop them on again. I don't know about you but I have days when something that I know looks good....doesn't! But I agree with you and I try so hard not to impulse buy any longer, or if I do I make sure the items can be returned:). I am trusting that these are actually going to work out fine for you.

fashionista

Veteran

Oh so sorry to hear about those pants. Yeh I too think impulse buys are always mistakes and always end up as wardrobe orphans. Those purchased with care, need and after analysis do tend to get the most CPW.

So sorry again. Could you wear them with some longer tops or tunics so that you don't have to fear your VPLs and pull them that often.

Lyn D.

Veteran

Shannon, I hope they are O.K. in the long run!
They do look good on you in the pics.

krishnidoux

Veteran

Shannon, it might all be in the length. This happened more than once to me. Now I don't let it happen any more. Go back now to the store and explain that the alteration is too short. Period. You just spent $100 and now they have ruined it for you. Be firm. When the fitting was done, the length was correct, but they messed up. Were you wearing the right shoes at the fitting? You say: yes. Don't hesitate, don't leave them the tiniest room.

Also: you are not happy because you bought those expecting to be able to wear them for a special occasion (you don't have to say this occasion was Casual Fridays), and this mistake prevented you from doing that.

Don't mention anything else. Don't let them know you are now hesitant about the other stuff, just talk about the hem that is now too short. When one spends that much on a piece of clothing, it has to be perfect.

They will replace it with a new pair. You can then either have it hemmed by them again, or go elsewhere for this service. Be sure to wear or bring the footwear you want to wear ultimately with those jeans.

Hugs.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Krish - thank you so much for your comments. I should have taken the jeans to Wonder Woman (my regular seamstress) and paid to have her hem them. She knows how I like my pants to just about touch the floor and gets it right every time. I did wear the correct footwear when they pinned them. I will definitely give your recommendations serious thought.

Thanks for your kind comments ladies - I need to decide if these are just outside my comfort zone being much lower rise than I'm used to, or if they are actually unflattering.

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

Shannon, have you had a stressful week? Are you feeling well otherwise? I find that if I am feeling unwell or stressed out, nothing looks good to me and even things I loved are not right. From the pics, we all thought those jeans were absolute winners. In fact, I am planning to try them myself because they looked so fabulous on you. I think you should wait a few days and try them on again when you are feeling good and go from there.

Krista

Veteran

Shannon - I'm with Krish on this one - bring them back and talk about the hemming job. I had a pair of pants hemmed at Banana Republic once and it was terrible. I brought them back and, in the end, got a new pair of pants. I'm not saying you should try and get a new pair of pants (but it would be a bonus....), but it's okay to go back and hold them accountable for the hemming job.

Oh yes, and the second pair of pants from BR were hemmed by my Mom. I wasn't taking any more chances and... they were perfect, of course.

missvee

Veteran

It sounds like the real problem is the comfort factor so regardless of length this is still going to be an issue. I grit my teeth every time I look at a pair of Gap Long and Lean that I bought. Like yours they feel great when I put them on but an hour or so later I'm tugging and pulling like mad trying to keep them from sliding away. Yours really did look good on you by the way.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oh, Shannon, big hugs!!

I HATE when this happens, too. Well, both things, really -- lousy alteration, and buyer's remorse.

I definitely think Krish's suggestion is worth consideration. If they've altered them badly, they should do something about that.

Especially since they were so keen to sell them to you! And here is the other point. When you posted, you were really happy about them...but I also wondered if there had been a bit of sales pressure or ...oh, I don't know...just the over-excitement that some shopping expeditions seem to generate. They really wanted to find you a pair that fit, you really wanted to find a pair...so you tried these even though they didn't fit with some of your stated criteria. Now you feel they are uncomfortable. And you're right. That's the trouble with impulse buys...at least for hard-to-fit items like jeans. We SOOOOO want them to be right!

I completely understand about the rise; if that doesn't feel right, ultimately, the jeans will never work.

I empathize. I made an expensive mistake on the black dress I sent to Mo. Though I'm glad now that my loss is her gain, I would rather have not given in to my over-enthusiastic impulse!!

Having said that, I've made some SUPERB impulse purchases. I think my new Vince Camuto pea coat is going to fall into that category. No way was I looking for a coat. It wasn't even on my shopping list. But I can tell it's going to be a total winner for me.

-- and SO HAVE YOU made fab impulse purchases.
Lots of your accessories and shoes have been bought on impulse and a few of your fab jackets, too.

I wonder if there is a way to narrow it down to item type. Safe to purchase THIS on impulse...but probably not that. Know what I'm saying? Safe items might differ, person to person (and budget to budget.)

MNsara

Veteran

Such astute advice here - Dianthus mentioned something I often encounter - a mood where nothing seems right!

Krish is spot on with going back and requesting service. If you DO, I would take the new ones to Wonder Woman. It could be the angle she hems at vs whtever they did, etc.

and I commiserate about the low rise thing! I just spent yesterday wearing some slouchy (or maybe they're baggy?) skinnies and tucking my stomack skin back into the belt everytime I got up No wonder I love my silly NYDJ and Cookie Johnson pants above all others!!

The pants DO look fab on you, so I'd put a little more work into getting them wearable.

rae - serial returners unite!! Plus, I have way too many things listed on Ebay as 'Worn Once' Cuz sometimes that's all it takes

Lisa

Veteran

It's taken me a long time to break the habit of impulse shopping. The bulk of my donate bags over the years have been loaded with impulse buys!

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I didn't read everyone else's reply but I wonder if the poor alteration is the bigger problem? I've had this happen more than once. So much so that now I measure exactly what I want the finished length to be, add an 1/8" (they always seem to comde back short) and then *show* them while I am in the shop what length and have them write the exact measurement down on my ticket. It's a bit extreme but I don't want another $50 or $100 item altered wrong.

If they are too short it's hard to look at them objectively in other respects.

Try to get a replacement at the right length at min.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Dianthus - you are correct that I'm having an incredibly stressful week and was exhausted last night when I tried them on again. That is probably part of it.

Suz - I think you have really hit the nail on the head. There was some sales pressure for sure and these jeans did not fit the criteria I had stated at the beginning...but suddenly in a whirlwind I bought them. I did like how they looked on in the store but did not think about functionality (i.e. low rise) and really didn't walk around in them enough to realize that I would be tugging them up constantly.I do not lay blame with the sales staff - ultimately the choice was mine, wasn't it? Regardless of the length issue, there is still the comfort issue and I'm not sure I can work that out. And you are also correct in that many of my impulse purchases have been spot on - but primarily with accessories.

I think I need to decide if I'm even going to wear these before going back about the hemming. It doesn't seem right to go and complain/make demands for an item I'm not sure I even like.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I see your point about that, Shannon - especially if you are already feeling stressed, adding a potentially stressful conversation with sales staff to your list of things to do won't make you feel any LESS stressed!

Having said that...later on, you might want to tell them anyway. As a small boutique, they don't want their customers unhappy. And it might be good information for them when they go to fit other women.

I agree, also - when I make a poor impulse purchase I know I'm the one responsible for it. Still, I'm much more likely to make it and regret it if certain factors are at play. In a small boutique, for example vs. ordering online, where I can deliberate and even if I DO order on a whim, I can send it back just as fast. It makes me understand why people avoid small boutiques. Ideally, they'd be the places where we'd make our best purchases. But somehow, in my town, it doesn't always work out that way. I just feel more pressured to find something and buy it, I guess. I really WANT them to succeed just as much as I want my own shopping to succeed. I really WANT there to be great brick and mortar shopping opportunities. Alas...

I am going to make a list of my successful impulse buys and less successful ones and see if I can come up with some commonalities.

Scarlet

Veteran

That's a bummer because those jeans did look really good on you. This is a big reason why I do hemming myself even though I really don't have the time. I have been burned often enough that it's just better to be in control myself. I have to say though that for myself impulse buys are usually my best purchases. Different strokes for different folks.

shiny

Veteran

There could also be another element at play: time of your monthly cycle. This fascinates me. I know that when I'm ovulating I think everything looks amazing on me. Hee hee. Then later in my cycle nothing quite looks right, and I am also dealing with major bloat.

Because I'm dealing with wonky periods at 47, and some serious hormonal swings as I'm not on any BC, I have decided to just go ahead and duplicate jeans in different sizes. So I got the slim bootcut AG jeans in two different sizes, the 26 is for the first half of my cycle, and the 27 is for the second half. I also duplicated my AG skinnies in the same manner.

As for impulse purchases, I've had it go both ways. There are mistakes, but then there are impulses that turned out to be brilliant finds and true wardrobe workhorses.

shiny

Veteran

To Krish: can you please come to the tailor's with me? I was going to start a thread about this. The tailor screwed up my sheath dress, taking it in at the waist when it was already perfect and I did not ask for it to be taken in there. I fear it is ruined. I also took in a pair of jeans for shortening to flats length; they came back, and I cannot for the life of me figure out what happened... they were shortened, but are too long to wear with my tallest heels?? That one just boggles my mind. I did not try them on when I picked them up, because I was in a rush.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

WHAT??? Not to thread hijack, but she took in your sheath dress at the waist when you did not request that???That's terrible and she should have to pay for it!!!!

lynne

Veteran

I've had my share of impulse buys that didn't work out. I've learned to only shop where I'm comfortable returning something, and not to shop online after the second glass of wine.

shiny

Veteran

I will start another thread, so as not to hijack...

Jem

Veteran

I'm sorry you aren't happy with your jeans Shannon. Hopefully you will like them on another day. I've had that happen, too. I bought something I thought I loved, but then when I wore it, I wonder what I was thinking? Ugh!

Aziraphale

Veteran

I'm sorry to hear about the jeans, Shannon. I hear you. I have more than a few impulse purchase regrets myself. Once in a while I'll buy something on impulse because I fall instantly in love, and it turns out to be a wardrobe workhorse, or a much-prized item, but I'm just as likely to make a big mistake. In fact I think if you graphed all my impulse purchases, the graph would be bimodal, with everything falling either in the "can't live without it" category or the "unwearable" category!

As for the pants being a half inch too short -- that's the fault of the boutique, and they should fix it for you. Usually there's enough extra fabric in the hem to let it out by a half inch.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Laughing at Elisabeth's bimodal graph! That's pretty much what mine would look like, too. That's what makes me addicted to impulse/ thrift shopping!

Diana

Veteran

Bummer, Shannon. I agree that you should ask about getting the jeans re-hemmed or at least replaced if they can't lengthen them. FWIW, I always pin my own jeans before I take them to the tailor. Lately I've actually been trying to do some hems myself by hand, and I always give myself a big seam allowance.

I did think they looked really good on you though!

krishnidoux

Veteran

Shannon, I understand that you might be stressed and not wanting to add stress to your life. Believe me, I know that place! But if you take them back, and get something in return, or even if you didn't get anything, the simple step of having gone back for yourself is going to take a lot of stress off your shoulders. It's funny how these things work, I am the first offender... so many times I just kept and absorbed a mistake which wasn't mine. Just not to create stir, because I wanted to avoid the stress or even the hassle. But the mistake we absorb only grows in a heavier ball that goes unnoticed. Then you go and fight for yourself, it's like you're sending a silent message to yourself: I love you, I respect you. I won't let others lack respect.

And strangely, when we do this, the subconscious part of ourselves hears it. The process of hidden guilt and anxiety is reversed, the "ball" suddenly disappears, we are empowered, and the result is that we are more relaxed!

I think that for you, like for me and for many on this forum, a pair of jeans is more than "a pair of jeans". Clothing is important. We are willing to spend $$$ because it IS important for us.

I think you did like the jeans at the time and made the decision to extract $100 from your account to acquire them. The decision was made upon the jeans BEFORE getting it hemmed.

Of course it is perfectly OK for you not to love them now. For all kinds of other reasons. It is your money, you can spend it and then not like what you spent it on. Making mistakes and move on. It's part of the advantage of having money, after all. We work hard enough for it. BUT at least get another pair, if possible, hemmed right, and then pass your second judgement.

Many many hugs again.

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