Fear of wasting money?
Probably half the money I spent on clothes the past 2 years was a waste.
* clothes that didn’t look good after a few washes.
* Clothes I thought fit well, but then didn’t in practice.
* the skinny jean phase I regret. * I lost weight , clothes don’t fit me. You live and learn. My mindset now is “hell yea or no” and “it’ll always be there another time”. But now I’m a bit too apprehensive about buying clothes to where I don’t. I guess trial and error is just part of the journey?
* clothes that didn’t look good after a few washes.
* Clothes I thought fit well, but then didn’t in practice.
* the skinny jean phase I regret. * I lost weight , clothes don’t fit me. You live and learn. My mindset now is “hell yea or no” and “it’ll always be there another time”. But now I’m a bit too apprehensive about buying clothes to where I don’t. I guess trial and error is just part of the journey?
11 Replies
Sometimes you need to spend money to learn lessons. Be glad you didn’t blow the crotch on 8 pairs of SLP denim during your skinny phase.
Re: the first two bullet points, what places are you buying your clothes and how are you washing them?
https://anuschkarees.com/blog/2013/08/02/5-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-buying-a-new-wardrobe-item/ running through a checklist like this can help when you're buying something. I've started to buy mostly 2nd hand so I can sell on stuff I don't like and not loose too much money.
Anuschka Rees
5 Questions to ask yourself before buying a new wardrobe item — Anu...
Using a minimalist approach to build your wardrobe will simplify most wardrobe-related tasks (creating outfits, packing for trips, organising your closet), except for one - shopping for new stuff will suddenly become a lot more complicated. The trouble is that once you take the time to really defi
short answer yes
Think of it as school fees
https://dieworkwear.com/2022/09/14/how-to-develop-good-taste-pt-2/ this blog post touches on spending money for fashion lessons and helped me deal with similar feelings
https://www.styleforum.net/threads/the-school-fees-we-pay-mistakes-we-make-finding-our-taste.710112/ also a styleforum thread that where people post their expensive lessons
Styleforum
The School Fees We Pay - Mistakes We Make Finding Our Taste
Recently Derek Guy posted a series of articles on how to go about developing good taste featuring a few guys I have on my short list that I follow and think are exceptionally well dressed but also very knowledgeable.
In Mark Cho’s essay one of the things mentioned was the concept of paying...
It helps to see you aren’t the only one
I love this article. And yes, once you have the basics in your wardrobe, it's more about filling a niche. Before buying a piece of clothing, I ask myself if it's the best option for a given situation.
Is it the BEST choice for?
* Gym/athletic stuff
* Dates/night out at a city
* Work
* Formal
* Comfort/lounging around the house
* Being bold
If something is versatile, but I already have 5 pieces of clothing that are equal or better for that situation, I probably won't wear it much.
Everyone here has spent money on clothes they later regret - many of us quite a lot. I don't think trying to make every purchase the absolute best is the right approach, that kinda takes away from the fun of this all (assuming your reasons for being in this server aren't strictly utilitarian).
Also, we change over time, our tastes change, and broad fashion trends change.
"School fees" is the right mindset. You didn't just spend money on a skinny jean phase that you regret, you got something else out of that money - learning something about yourself and your sense of fashion.
I encourage you to think of your wardrobe less as a solved equation for "what I will wear for the rest of my life" and more as a fluid collection of clothes you enjoy, in addition to a core of staple pieces. Buying (and selling) secondhand can help a lot with that, both in paying less initially, and recouping some losses if something doesn't work out.
Half of all marketing funds are wasted, but if only we knew which half. ;)
But yes, some peopel refer to this as paying one's school fees. So it goes. When unsure, buying second-hand is great because you can generally resell at a similar price, or even donate without it hurting too much. If you know exactly what you like, you can 'upgrade' from second-hand to new, where it makes sense and where you choose to do so.