The beginning of a new year calls for a fresh start and the thrill of making New Year’s resolutions.
The most common resolutions revolve around losing weight and leading a healthier lifestyle. Since we usually focus on self improvement, why not have some resolutions that revolve around personal style?
Here are some of my tips for smarter shopping in 2015.
At the beginning of the year I like to go through my wardrobe and assess what I need to toss and what I need to buy. I like to keep an inventory of all of the items in my wardrobe. This way I know what I have and what I need.
When I’m stuck on which items I should donate to charity, I ask myself if I have worn it in the last year, if the answer is no, then out it goes. Closet space is valuable real estate and this space should be maximized with items that you wear on a regular basis.
Once I’ve created my wardrobe inventory, I start to coordinate items to see how many outfits I can put together with each item, this way you have an idea of all of the different looks you can create with a specific item like a black pencil skirt or a cream cashmere cardigan. I think the hardest part of shopping is going into a store without a plan or budget in mind. I try to stay away from buying items just because they’re on sale. I’ve done this many times and never end up wearing the item or can’t find anything to wear it with it.
Next, choose quality over quantity; I know spending a lot of money up front on an item of clothing can hurt the wallet but you have to consider certain items to be investment pieces. This is why I like to calculate the cost per wear of every item I buy. When you spend $500 on a black wool coat, you know you’ll have it for years and wear it all the time, so the cost per wear is quite low versus a $350 beaded evening gown you bought to wear on New Year’s Eve.
The key to smart shopping is to ask yourself some simple questions like: Do I have a place to wear this item of clothing, and do I have three other outfits that go with this item? If I answer no to these two questions, then I know that this item won’t add value to my wardrobe.
If you have any fashion questions email me at laurajaneatelier@gmail.com.
