I had ordered a few tank tops from Old Navy, because I’ve been donating the ratty-looking tops for the past summers until I’m down to almost nothing left. Most summers, I find that buying 4 or 5 tank-tops is kind of necessary to my travel wardrobe. But when these arrived in the mail, the sizing was all wrong, so I took them back to the store.
After returning them, I walked around for a few minutes. I picked up a better-looking tanktop in white and one in black, reasoning that they were affordable ($7/each), would go with everything, and would therefore be a cheap way to expand my wardrobe. And I was right, they would have been. But then I just put them down on the counter and walked out.
Why? Because my wardrobe doesn’t need extending. I have enough clothes. I’m very good at buying clothes that are a good bang for their buck – they go with a lot of things I already own, are currently on sale or clearance, and suit my lifestyle to the point that I can wear them at least once a month. But efficient purchases are only efficient if you need to make a purchase at all.
The fact of the matter is, I have plenty of clothes. Am I a little bored of some of them? Yes. But ultimately, that shouldn’t be my focus right now. I have probably 20 unique outfits for work, which means I have way more than that if I’m willing to create different combinations of the same pieces. Isn’t that enough? Yes, it is.
So I’m putting a freeze on clothing shopping until July, with two exceptions: I need a pair of shoes for a wedding I will be in in two weeks, and I allow myself to buy a new pair of Lululemon yoga pants on my birthday. (Yes, they are $100 for a pair of yoga pants. And I don’t care.)
I want some new summer dresses, and some new flats, and a new bathing suit, and all kinds of other things. But do I want them as much as I want my loans paid off? No. And are they really going to improve my quality of life? Probably not. In fact, definitely not.
I know that $14 on two tops wouldn’t make or break me, but that isn’t the point. That $14 is not going to improve my life in any way, except for that one second where I’m purchasing them. And $14/second is a pretty high price tag on happiness, so I’m going to pass. It’s those $14 and $30 purchases that make for a $200 “surprise” on the credit card bill, and I can do without that.
This month, I am going to commit to mending some of my spring and summer clothes that need a fix – a new button, a fixed zipper, a shortened hem, and the like. With an hour of work, I may have 5 or 6 things that can re-enter the rotation, and that’s a pretty good return on investment.
Are you doing spring clothing shopping? Or have you decided that you can do without an update this season?
You may also like these posts:
I do not shop – I up cycle by sewing. repair, mend, and switch out (remove sleeves, buttons, and re-use cloth to use on different clothes) Shirt with sleeves off is a tank top. Sew two tank tops together = new style.
I wish I had $14 to buy a shirt with. I’m barely able to afford the essentials but make “too much”‘for assistance. Do you know anywhere I could buy inexpensive clothes?
Well, the most inexpensive choice is always to make due with what you have, which is what I’ve been doing. I’ve found that learning basic mending skills have been one of the most efficient things I’ve learned, because I can keep things looking good for a long time.
Thrift stores can be a great place to find wonderful clothes at a great price. Try a bunch of different thrift stores – they vary so much, you have to try a few until you find one that is right for you.
Also, this time of year, there are LOTS of yard sales, and those are a GREAT place to find cheap clothes in wonderful condition. Check Craigslist for a list of yardsales in your area – sometimes they will list specific items or which sizes and styles of clothes will be for sale, which can save you time. Good luck!