how to avoid impulse purchases no.3
the how to guides
Photo credit: Cam Morin Unsplash
make a list
Lists are not just for Christmas, or for the supermarket, or for the proverbial ‘bucket’. When we are thinking about the clothes and accessories we own, it doesn’t matter how you keep track of what you have, but having that knowledge will be invaluable for your image, your style and your purchasing plans.
When it comes to wardrobe organisation, or lack of it, some people like to keep things together in a way that means they can see similar things easily. There are people like to take a photo of an outfit that was successful so they can repeat it. However, there are even more people who completely lose track of their possessions and have to ferret through loads of stuff to find something to wear.
Unless you know what you have, how will you know what you need? Imagine going to do the food shopping with no idea of what you have already got at home, and also no idea what you wanted to eat. Should you buy a lettuce or bread, some yoghurt, or a tin of beans? Not having a good idea of what you have in your wardrobe, means that you are always second-guessing what might fit with your collection, and whether you need it at all?
Your list doesn’t need to be an extensive report of what you have, more of an aide memoire of what might extend your existing clothes to create more choice for the least outlay. If the last time you wore a white t-shirt you found it baggy and less than pristine, maybe add that to your list. Perhaps you think a multicoloured scarf would work with your favourite red jumper and several other things? Would some trendy boots like the ones that your friend was wearing transform your jeans and trousers, and perhaps also create a whole different feel to your current style and image?
Keep the ongoing list on your phone in note form or keep a physical record in your wardrobe and in your purse. Knowing what you want, means that you are less likely to be led astray by something shiny and new, thereby saving you time, money, and perhaps even ultimate disappointment, if on closer inspection the new things don’t fit in with your overall style plans.
This isn’t about living a life of not-doing or deprivation. Knowledge is power. The more clarity you have, the more confidence you will have to add unexpected items to your collection, in the knowledge that they will work well for you, and earn their place in your wardrobe.
Continuing in No.4…
All rights reserved. Milly Churchill asserts the right to be identified as the author of this work.