9 Tips for buying clothes you will actually wear

From A To Ethical, A Series: Post 4

It happens to all of us. You buy some clothes that looked amazing in the store and you had an idea of how you were going to wear them and everything.

And then a few months pass by and it’s time for another closet cleanse. You wore the clothes maybe once or twice so you throw them out and they go to the landfill.

If that sounds familiar then this is the post for you.

In my last post, we talked about how you can implement circular fashion into your closet where I shared a few tips about shopping for your closet.

Learning to put clothes in your closet that you’ll actually wear is very important in your sustainable fashion journey.

Before you add anything new to your closet, follow these tips to make sure the garment is a perfect fit.

Know your style

Knowing what you like and what looks best for your body and personality is going to help you look for clothes that resonate with you.

So, look at what’s in your closet and get a feel for what naturally draws you before you decide to bring in anything new.

For example, I love blazers and the girl boss look, I think it’s awesome, but I wouldn’t buy those clothes because they don’t fit my persona.

And if I did buy blazers I would never wear them because I wouldn’t be able to fit them in with my overall look. Which is more laid back and cosy.

Shop to complement your closet

What I like to do when I’m looking for new clothes is to think about how it will fit into my closet. I don’t want to be buying an entire outfit because the garment I like doesn’t fit well with my other clothes.

If you like something, first think about how it will pair with your basics, if you can’t wear anything with it then it’s time to put it back.

You can do this so much better if you have your own lookbook on your phone that you can easily take out and visually see if the garment you want will actually fit with your wardrobe.

If you want to explore this more, read my post on why you need your own personal lookbook.

Shop to replace old clothes

If you have some clothes that are beyond repair, or you’re just in need of a change, then it’s a good time to be on the lookout for garments that can replace them.

Shopping to replace old clothes is something that often gets overlooked, and it can leave a hole in your closet that you may not even be aware of.

It will allow you to buy clothes that you need and keep your closet complete so you don’t end up with clothes that you used to wear but can’t anymore because you have nothing to wear with it.

Your lifestyle should dictate what you buy

I’m guilty of not always following this tip. I work and study from home, so most of my clothes should be loungewear, right? Apparently not, because Jade doesn’t take her own advice.

So I have an entire closet full of clothes I don’t wear at home and like 4 outfits that I wear on a day-to-day basis.

I guess you could argue that then I have more outfits to choose from when I do go out, but I always end up wearing the same outfits because I’m just like that. (Not that I’m going to throw anything out because I love them all.)

So learn from my mistakes. Where you spend most of your time is where you should have more clothes. Otherwise, you’ll end up not wearing half your closet.

Limit yourself to one garment per month

Show some restraint! No, I’m just kidding, I don’t mean it like that.

But limiting yourself to just one garment per month, or per quarter for the more advanced, will leave you with enough time to really incorporate that garment into your closet so you don’t forget about it and end up not wearing it.

I’m not saying you have to buy something each month, I just mean that if you bought a garment this month (shoes and accessories count) then you should limit yourself to just that one garment for the month.

And at the end of the year, you’ll only have bought 12 new pieces or less, and they’ll all be a part of your essentials. You might not even need to go shopping at all the next year.

Wait at least two weeks before you buy

I find that waiting a while before I buy something helps me figure out if I need it or not. If I can go without it then I’m better off with less clutter.

But if I find myself thinking things like, ‘if only I had this then my outfit would have worked better’ then I know it’s something that can benefit my closet.

Sometimes I’ll even find alternatives for what I wanted to buy in my closet, so that’s a useful perk too.

Waiting also gives you time to research exactly what you want and find quality pieces that you love. That way you don’t regret buying anything and you get value for your money.

Avoid shiny object syndrome

A lot of times we buy things because they’re new, they’re there and they’re pretty. It’s all in the moment.

So, next time you find yourself with a garment in your cart you weren’t planning on getting, ask yourself if this is what you really want.

Take a moment to think about where it will fit into your closet, how it fits your lifestyle and if you really need it.

Go for classic pieces, not trends

Remember when neon was all the rave? It made an epic comeback recently but it’s sure gone now.

That’s the thing with trends, they have a rapid turnover. If you’re a trend follower then you know: you have to be seen in them and a month later you really shouldn’t be seen in them.

That kind of quick change is not good for your bank account or the planet.

Always make sure that what you’re buying will be in fashion today and 5 years from now. A classic, so to speak. And make sure you’ll still like it 5 years from now, because that’s what’s most important.

Classics and basics are also better quality than trends, because they don’t need to be made quickly to feed the frenzy.

But you should always check the quality of any piece of clothing before you buy it so it will last you a long time.

Make a list

I’m a big list fan. I have so many lists on my Notes app. I’ve also made many lists of clothing pieces that I wanted.

For me, lists just help to unscramble my thoughts and get to the point. They give you a better idea of what you’re actually looking for so you don’t get sidetracked.

And if you’re following the ‘one garment a month’ rule or the waiting method, then having a list will help you remember what you wanted.

Bonus tip

What to do when you need an outfit for a specific event

There are many one-off events in a person’s life, it’s inevitable. From weddings to fancy dinners, there will be times when you need an outfit that wows. But it’s just for one night, so what do you do?

Of course, you can buy that outfit and then just keep it for a rainy day. I’ve done that (I’ll admit I still do). But it takes up unnecessary space.

What you can do instead is resell that outfit to a thrift store or privately, or you can go a different direction. You can rent an outfit from an events shop, like a wedding shop, or you can borrow it from someone you know.

This keeps that garment circulating in society and it gets worn more often.

And there you have it, 9 tips for buying clothes you will actually wear. Let me know if you have used any of these, and if you have any more helpful tips you can leave them in the comments.

In my next post, we’ll be covering thrifting. Buying secondhand is crucial to a circular economy. But it can be overwhelming, so I’m sharing 6 articles you must read before you start thrifting.

Cheers for now,

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Related:

• 6 Articles you must read before you start thrifting
• 7 Different ways to practice ethical fashion
• How to implement circular fashion into your closet