Being mindful and minimal about our shopping habits is actually quite easy (at least in theory):
+ Only buy what you really need and love
+ Know what you shouldn’t buy
In my experience, this latter is a lot more difficult. At one point or another, we all made bad shopping decisions, and even repeated a lot of them.
My “no buy” fashion list is also the result of a lot of trials, errors, and epic, costly mistakes.
But at least they taught me some valuable lessons about minimalist shopping.
The 6 fashion items I no longer buy
Gorgeous, but uncomfortable shoes //
I basically spent my early 20s in amazing, sky high shoes. I wouldn’t even call them uncomfortable, at least at the time. However, at one point I simply lost the ability to walk in them. It was a difficult change to accept and I still have some mementos of my unwillingness to accept defeat (they have been living in their box for some time now). I don’t know whether that’s an aging thing or my feet just reached the limit of how much suffering they are willing to bear, but nowadays I simply refuse to buy shoes that do not fit perfectly when I try them on. No more “I will break them in” or “surely, they will expand after some time”. This doesn’t mean I only wear flats, but I go to lengths to find heels that have the right structure, fit, and material.
Uber trendy seasonal pieces //
Aka the it bag of the season, the item all fashion magazines proclaim as “must have”, or the trend that all fashionistas are sporting. Style is not about trends for me and I have a strong resistance towards uniformity. Being a trendsetter or even an early adopter is one thing, but why the hell would I want to toe in the line and look like every second woman in the city?
Items I cannot pair with at least 5 other things in my closet //
Been there, done that. The skirt I had to have (even though I never wear skirts). That strange shade of pink that will surely go with everything (it doesn’t). Or the wide-legged grey pants (just for trying new things).
I realized after some time that I don’t want to build another closet around a new item every single time, so if it doesn’t work with my existing pieces, it doesn’t come home with me.
Fashion jewelry //
Especially the ones you can buy at high street shops. Because every single item I ever bought could only be used for a couple of months, before it turned a strange shade of green/brown. They might seem cheap, but the cost per wear is exceptionally high in these cases. Not to mention how heartbreaking it is to fall in love with a piece only to realize you will not have it for long. Now, I don’t have a big jewelry collection, but what I have are quality pieces, often with an emotional value as they were gifted to me by loved ones or purchased at meaningful moments.
Anything that is of exclusively synthetic material //
Some ratio of synthetic blends is usually OK, but 100% viscose or polyester? Thanks, but no thanks. Here’s my list of acceptable and non-acceptable materials.
Clothes that don’t fit //
I know. The seamstress could be your best friend. The problem is, during my long years of buying clothes, there’s never been one single time when I took something to be altered. I always end up delaying it and as a result, the otherwise cute but slightly ill-fitting dress will be left forgotten in the back of my closet. The only exception is if something is too long and no major alteration is needed, other than cutting off a few inches. That I can manage to take care of.
I know some people have trouble finding good fits, because they’re too tall, petite, or have unique measurements, and by all means, find a good seamstress, because they can be really helpful. But me? I know myself and thus I’d rather stick to the original fits (and I’m also weirdly obsessed with oversized clothing, so it all works out at the end).
What’s on Your NO BUY list?
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I completely agree with every point you wrote. I am going through a wardrobe change and trying to be as “minimalistic” as possible and that includes knowing what NOT to buy. Thanks for the advice 🙂
Thank you for reading! Yes, knowing what not to buy is actually a lot more important in my opinion, at least for the sake of not repeating the same mistakes. Good luck with the wardrobe change, it’s always so exciting to start afresh!
Mines would be shoes too! I rarely wear high heels so I don’t even buy them, I literally only have one pair that I would wear. I might buy one or two more if I need them to go with outfits but only if I think I’ll get a lot of wear out of them x
Velvet Blush
I’m very conservative when it comes to shoe buying – if I find a pair that I like, I pretty much wore them non-stop. Comfort above anything else nowadays:)
Love this post so much!! My favorite go to question is “Is this me?”. It has to represent me to its very core. I think its much more fun to add unique pieces that stand the test of time rather than succumbing to yet another trend. Thanks so much for posting your tips!! …and as far as the “shoes” go, I was laughing and nodding in agreement the whole way through. I think its the beautiful process of attaining wisdom with age that allows us to be more ruthless and honest about everything!
Can’t wait to read/see more.
Thank you so much for reading! I love your “Is this me?” question and I totally agree. I don’t buy anything that I do not totally love or is “not me” either.
And loved how you worded this process, yes brutal honesty is a make-or-break factor in shopping. Especially as sometimes we’re so good at deceiving ourselves:)