how to: justify spending money on clothes

Ok, we’ve all done it, bought something we don’t need or can’t afford because it’s too nice not to own. Perhaps I am just making excuses for the high portion of my pay that gets allocated to buying clothes (far more than I spend on things that are less important, like food), but I really think if you enjoy it and get proper wear out of it, then it can be worth spending the money. The problem is when you buy something and never wear it. Ever. Because it’s uncomfortable, it’s too nice to actually wear anywhere, or you bought it specifically for one occasion and can’t think of other ways to wear it.

There are easy ways to get around this by following a few easy steps.

1/ Have an idea what is already in your wardrobe

This seems obvious, but so many people have no idea what is lurking in the back of their cupboards. If it’s been a while since you cleaned out, check out this post and go through your cupboards. It’s important to know how you will be able to mix and match with the items you already own in order to ensure your latest buy gets the highest rotation.

2/ Think about a few places to wear them

If you can’t think of any, perhaps this is not the most economical purchase. You could always throw a party as an excuse, so there are ways to get around this rule.

3/ Dress Up/Dress Down

Don’t label parts of your wardrobe as “casual wear”, “corporate wear” or “formal wear” and keep them separate. This is one mistake people make with their wardrobes. You can almost double your wardrobe simply by finding new ways to wear the same item of clothing. Try tucking a dress into high waisted shorts, wear your work blazer with a dress or jeans on the weekend, dress up a standard black dress with heels and chandelier earrings. The same stripey t-shirt can take you from nautical (denim shorts, anchor necklace), to rock (skinny jeans, leather jacket) to mod (blazer), to vintage (high waisted shorts). The only thing you’re not, ever allowed to do is think you can get away with wearing runners and corporate wear. I don’t care how comfortable they are, you look like an idiot.

4/ Accessorise

Similar to the above point, the cheapest option is to mix up your accessories. There are so many stores with affordable jewellery, handbags and sunglasses, hats and scarves these days, mix and match to update older clothes and accentuate new ones.