The after Christmas sales can be a great time to pick up a bargain or two. That said it’s also easy to get caught up in the frenzy of markdowns and discounts that you end up buying something that you don’t particularly need or want simply because the allure of a sale item is too hard to resist. Which is why it’s important to learn how to shop more consciously.
The movement towards more conscious shopping is getting bigger and with good reason—we all want to consume less and make more considered choices and embrace less of a disposable mentality. And what better time to start than at a time when we’re encouraged to buy up big. Here are a few things to ask yourself before making a fashion purchase…
Do you own anything else like it?
We all tend to have things that we gravitate towards whenever we’re shopping so instead of buying just a different variation of something you already own stop and think about whether you really will improve or fill a gap in your wardrobe by buying that particular item. Because you don’t want to find that you’ve just stockpiled 10 different white t-shirts and only end up wearing two of them.
Is this going to last in the long term?
A bargain isn’t a bargain if it’s something that’s going to fall apart after a few wears. Instead focus on buying well made, quality items that will be with you years down the track. It may be something that you’ll have to pay a little more for, but it’s better than buying lots of cheaper things that you’ll need to replace constantly.
If this were more expensive would you still want to buy it?
We sometimes fall under the spell of a discounted price and forget if we actually really like something or just like how much it costs. So the next time you are considering making a sale purchase, ask yourself if it’s something that you’d still figure out a way to buy if it was more expensive. If you’d baulk at buying it at its original price then maybe think twice.
Can you afford it?
Another thing about shopping more consciously is that it’s healthier for our bank balances. It’s about phasing out impulse purchases that ultimately aren’t worth the cost and thinking about potential buys a lot more deeply. The most practical consideration of any sale item is the price tag. Be honest with yourself and ask if you can actually afford to buy it. If not, well it might be worth leaving it on the shelf. Shop slowly and thoughtfully.
Is it really going to make your wardrobe better?
This question has the potential to weed out a lot of unnecessary purchases. Whenever you find something that you think you want to buy on sale, ask yourself if it’s really going to improve your wardrobe for the better—this means that it’s something that it’s going to elevate things you already own and also make getting dressed every day easier. If you can’t honestly say ‘yes’ then direct your hard earned shopping budget to something a little more worthwhile.
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