Mistakes I’ve made shopping this year and how I am trying to be better moving forward
I’ve made a few mistakes when trying to be a better shopper this year. Here is a list of when I’ve failed to meet my standards and how I’m trying to be better.
Mistake: Shopped recklessly when angry or emotional to try and fix a bigger problem.
Fix: Go for a walk or actually eat something healthy before diving into my wallet. When I am able to recognize in the moment that buying thoughtlessly is wasteful and doesn’t fit my goal of being a smarter shopper, I can remember my higher values. Exercise and better nutrition are a major part of this realization.
Mistake: Been subservient to trends. When I saw an influencer on Instagram, I decided that I needed the exact look before realizing the cost and true reality of buying a whole new outfit. If I decided to go and buy the whole thing, I would cheapen out on items that didn’t meet the full look but felt “close enough”.
Fix: Personal style is personal style. Shop my closet first and if I decide to make a purchase, seek out vintage options first.
Mistake: Decided I needed double of what I had purchased because I was worried that I’d “wreck” the current version.
Fix: Fashion should be worn and worn as many as 200 times before it looks slightly “worn out”. We wash our items too many times (at least I did - see next bullet in the list) and are at the mercy of poor quality due to price and availability. Good On You has a great Instagram with tips on how to take better care of what we do have, instead of buying multiples or stuff we don’t actually need.
Mistake: Not taken care of my clothes. I washed things too often. I washed jeans before they got dirty and I considered pieces worn out too soon.
Fix: I’m going to “darn my own socks”. That’s a metaphor for trying to pay better attention to care of my clothes, however, I may try to fix my own socks too!
You may notice I haven’t specified a brand or retailer here. That’s because we all have certain go-to’s that we sometimes can’t avoid. I don’t want to pass judgement anywhere because I believe that smart, sustainable shopping is honed over time and with better attention to habits. Sometimes we need something fast for a good reason. What’s important, at least for me now, is that I’m paying attention to why and how I’m shopping.
That being said, screw fast fashion. You’re manipulating us all.