Avoid The Haphazard Purchase- 8 Strategies by Tee

It’s that time again — summer clearances and awesome deals at every store as they transition into receiving the early Fall merchandise — happens every single year. Hold your wallet tight and use some simple strategies to avoid over-buying, or worse — buying items that won’t work in multiple outfits or celebrate your now body shape.

STRATEGY #1: WRITE IT DOWN:
Make note of all upcoming events, weddings, vacations, galas etc. This is key to knowing what your actual needs will be. I’ve watched women buy, thinking, “This is cute; I’ll find somewhere to wear it.” Over time they have huge amounts of dressy dresses that fill an entire closet. Don’t be that person; be mindful of your needs vs. wants.

STRATEGY #2: REFRESH FALL
Replace the items that are looking tired but also layer easily with early fall. One of my favorites is to move my cotton tanks to my PJ drawer and buy fresh ones on clearance in fun pops of color.

CPW = Cost Per Wear is a great tool to Maximize your investment.

STRATEGY #3: COST PER WEAR
Staying on top of Cost Per Wear is a wise way to get more for your money. It seems obvious, but I see women with expensive items they only wear a few times. Instead, master your wardrobe by knowing what you already own and how many new looks a garment will give you before buying it.

STRATEGY #4: SAME OL’ SAME OL’
Avoid the trap of owning everything in multiple colors. Many believe this is saving money but it is similar to the wearing-all-black rut. You’ll end up owning a pretty boring wardrobe with no style over time.

STRATEGY #5: FOCUS ON YOUR LIFESTYLE & MANAGE YOUR SWOON TRIGGER
Always ask yourself, ‘Where will I wear this?” Now, I remember one client that had a very casual lifestyle, yet she had an abundance of dressy dresses. Her dresses far outnumbered the few times in a year she could ever wear them. So she had dozens of dated, ill-fitting dresses that she just wouldn’t get rid of. When I pointed this out, she said, “I’ll loan them out to my friends.” No helping that mentality — well, not until they are ready to see a different perspective.

I worked with a woman that had a swoon trigger item that she just couldn’t resist buying that did not fit into her lifestyle. Sequined tops, camisoles & jackets. Each and every one of them were stunning, but she never wore any of them — ever. All with tags. I’m talking nearly 100 pieces. She was living on a farm and mostly wore black slacks and a camisole and jacket for work.

Have a balance of garments that celebrate your real day-to-day life. That goes for shoes too. If you love stilettos but mostly wear kitten heels or flats, then adjust what is in your closet. The closet is sacred space, everything needs to honor you and fit you and support you in your goals and work.

STRATEGY #6: FILL YOUR BASKET THEN EDIT
One of my personal favorite ways to save money is to fill an online shopping basket then save it and then close the webpage. Over the coming weeks, I will receive enticing emails with coupons or free shipping to get me to complete the transaction. I then go back in and really narrow it down to what I really need and pay less money for it. I call it Stalking a Deal. Try it!

STRATEGY #7: VOW TO AVOID ORPHANS
This can be easier said than done. I know this because of all the orphans I find in all the closets I visit! You know, the enchanting designer silk print blouse that had an amazing design that just stopped you in your tracks and happened to be marked down from $250 to $25? OMG, how on earth could you leave it behind? Right? Over the years, if those situations occur in which you just buy something while hoping that you can figure out later how to wear it, you will end up with a whole section in your closet that you love but don’t know how to wear.

When the next opportunity pops up (and it will), remind yourself of those items and the growing space they take up. Use that smartphone and take pictures of the current orphans you own before you go shopping to either remind yourself to not add to it, or that any new deal MUST complete one of the orphans you already own.

STRATEGY #8: DON’T GO OFF YOUR WHEEL
Knowing your skin undertone and your POWER COLORS is two-fold. Wearing those colors near your face will make you look fresh, modern and energized. The bonus is — if you build an entire wardrobe around that flattering palette you will find a better mixability with your entire wardrobe, and that will make saving money, packing and looking confident every single day so much easier! Who doesn’t want to consistently look their best?

MYTH & TRUTH

MYTH: All women LOVE to SHOP till they DROP!
TRUTH: 90% of women I meet do NOT like to shop for clothes!
Perhaps they love buying shoes or purses – but not clothes.

MYTH: It was SO marked down it was a STEAL!
TRUTH: 95% of the time that STEAL rarely get worn — if at all.

MYTH: Never wear white after Labor Day.
TRUTH: It’s the fabric silly, not the color.
White jeans are fine but white linen is warm months only.

ABOUT TRACI MCBRIDE: TRACI IS THE WARDROBE STYLIST AT TEEMCBEE IMAGE CONSULTING. SUBSCRIBE TO HER NEWSLETTER, SCHEDULE A STYLE STRATEGY CALL, OR REQUEST TEE SPEAKS TO INFUSE YOUR ORGANIZATION WITH PASSION AND STYLE.

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