Why Spend Money on Clothes?
Remember back-to-school shopping? That was my favorite time of year. Favorite DAY of year maybe besides Christmas and birthday. I can remember my outfits as early as preschool, and a standout moment in 4th grade when I got a red plaid Calvin Klein set. It had a button down jacket and flare leg pants, the fabric slightly stretchy. I remember my mom being on the fence about purchasing the whole set, since I had already gotten another outfit or two. My two siblings also needed clothes, and while we got nice things, we only got a few outfits each season. I can remember thinking then “what am I supposed to wear all the other days”? I have always valued clothing and now appreciate my parent’s philosophy of giving us nicer, fewer things. Even then I switched things up and made the pieces versatile, careful not to wear the same exact outfit too many times.
Silk Shirt Dress (now on SALE!)
I got a job as soon as I turned 16 so that I could buy my own stuff- MORE stuff. I could finally have all the options I wanted in my closet. Of course the items I could afford then were from Old Navy, Forever 21, maybe a boutique sale. It didn’t take me long to figure out that’s not what I wanted at all. I found that the clothing pilled or fell apart after a few washes, stretched out or was too trendy to wear the next year. I pared down my closet time after time and finally realized, all that money I was wasting rotating inexpensive clothing every couple years (or months!) I could be saving to buy nicer clothing that I would wear and like for years. This became my new philosophy. I found that I felt so confident, and was in a better mood when I wore good quality items that fit well. At my many retail sales jobs, I would share my perspective and urge clients to get rid of things they didn’t absolutely love. I started helping them with closet edits and personal shopping outside of work hours. The rest is history, and here we are.
For me, buying nice clothing isn’t about having expensive things or wearing designer brands. It’s about how I feel when I like how I look. I feel like ME. I don’t feel like a carbon copy of every other girl. 10 women can have the same dress and wear it so differently, so very true to who they are and feel so ready to do life their way. When you invest in your wardrobe, you are investing in yourself.
Have you ever gone home from work to change because you hated your outfit so much? Ever been to an event and just couldn’t relax because you were so worried your outfit didn’t fit right or wasn’t comfortable? That’s what I’m talking about. When you’re dressed well, when it fits, who you are and your body, you don’t have to stress about it, you can just BE.
