Don’t get me wrong, you should absolutely treat yourself, but part of being financially responsible is making sound and responsible purchasing decisions. I’m sharing five questions to ask yourself before you buy something. This set of question focuses on clothing purchases, but can be easily adapted to help you assess any purchase you’re contemplating
Do I love it?
This is the first question to ask yourself before buying something. Don’t buy anything unless you love it. Part of creating a wardrobe that is versatile and works for your life is building a wardrobe of items you love. If you love the clothing that you own, you’ll be able to mix and match things easier, and you’ll feel better in what you’re wearing. Part of looking good is feeling confident in your clothing, and if you only purchase items that you love, this confidence will be effortless
Do I need it?
I’ll be the first to say that this is the hardest question to come to terms with. Do you really need the item? To effectively answer this question, catalogue your wardrobe and think about similar items that you own, or holes in your wardrobe that you need to fill.
Think about voids in your wardrobe and what you consistently find yourself searching for when you build an outfit. Does this item help fill that void? If the answer is no, chances are that you don’t need it.
If you have similar items, this also means that you probably don’t need to buy it, and can save your money.
Where can I wear this?
When making a responsible purchase, think about where you can wear the item. If you’re someone that spends a lot of time at the office and typically just wear your work clothes to events or outings after work, clothing that can’t be worn to the office won’t get a lot of use.
If you’re considering an item that you can’t wear regularly, consider the price and worth to you. If you can’t wear it often and it will just sit in your closet, it’s probably not that important to buy.
What can I wear this with?
When it comes to a great wardrobe, versatility is key. Think about items that you already own and how you can style the item you’re considering. Can you create a lot of outfits with it based on your current closet? Can you mix and match it with items you own, or does it clash with a lot of things?
The more ways you can style the item you’re thinking of buying, the more valuable it will be in your wardrobe. If you can think of a lot of ways to wear it or a lot of outfits to create based on your current clothing, you’ll probably get a lot of use out of it.
Realistically, how often will I wear this?
Be honest with yourself here. You may love something, but if you know you won’t really wear it because it’s outside of your comfort zone or doesn’t work with your lifestyle, it’s probably not worth the purchase. It’s always good to push yourself and wear clothing that you love, but if you know deep down that you won’t wear it, don’t force yourself. If you don’t think you’ll wear the item, it will likely just sit in your closet which is a waste of space and a waste of money.
_____________
When it comes to building a wardrobe and making responsible purchases, think about these five questions to ask yourself before you buy something. If you answer these questions truthfully, they will guide you towards smart purchases that benefit you and will help create a versatile wardrobe. Happy shopping!