Cheap Clothes Are Too Expensive: Buy Quality Clothes
Quality clothes last longer for the money you spend, are more comfortable and make you look and feel good while you wear them. Best of all, quality can be found anywhere. It all comes down to buying less mediocre things and spending that money on a few nice things that will last forever.
Apply The Comfort Principle to Your Clothes
The principle of comfort is simple : spend money where you spend most of your time. That’s why it’s a good idea to spend money on a good mattress, a comfortable desk chair, or a decent laptop, considering how many hours a day you sleep, work at your desk, or use that computer. Think about it, most of us wear clothes all day (and sometimes all night). We wear them at work, at home, in the gym: for each occasion you need a certain piece of clothing. It makes sense to buy the clothes that bring you the most happiness and withstand regular use. You need work clothes that look good in the office and are comfortable. You need sportswear that fits well and withstands your workouts. Since you wear your clothes every day, it can be considered a shopping experience, which is one of the ways in which, according to research, you can actually “buy” happiness .
Clothing is not an investment in the traditional sense (it never gains value, and you will never sell an item of clothing more expensive than it was bought), but it’s good to think of it as a down payment for your everyday comfort. your confidence in your appearance and the usefulness of your wardrobe. For example, it’s better to have a pair of really nice jeans that fit well, make you look good, and last forever than six pairs of jeans that look “normal” are just kind of comfortable and fall apart after a year. Likewise, spending $ 100 on one trendy tee is not much, but there’s nothing wrong with spending $ 40 on a pack of three nice tees that you know you’ll be happy to wear every day. You spend a lot of time in your clothes, so why not get busy with the nice things that you know you’ll be wearing all the time?
Quality clothing makes you look and feel good
People come in all shapes and sizes , but a lot of cheap clothing is mass-produced in a one-piece-fits-all fashion. For example, substandard shirts look terrible on people who don’t have a specific look. If the shirt is too loose or too tight in the wrong places, you feel vulnerable and uncomfortable, and this shows up in your body language. However, if it suits you and is comfortable with it, you can get a good boost of confidence . Using the same example, quality dress shirts often come in a wide variety of cuts, so no matter what shape you are, you’re bound to find one that’s comfortable to wear. Even if you can’t, you can and should install it on yourself (more on that later).
Whether we like it or not, clothing is also part of our identity. Your clothing can highlight social status as well as a certain level of professionalism. A few quality outfits will help you look energetic and proud of your looks. Spending money on quality clothing may seem like a gimmick if you’re a humble person, but in some cases you can’t afford not to spend money , especially if you’re trying to find a job or hang out with coworkers.
Count before buying
Generally speaking, cheap disposable clothing doesn’t come cheap in the long run. Poorly made clothing made from thin material will wear out faster and you will need to spend time and money repairing or replacing it. The key is not to spend more on clothes across the board, but to spend a little more on a few good things, not a bunch of crappy things.
All of this can be broken down into simple math. Fashion blogger Legos In My Louis recommends using the price-per-wear equation. It works like this:
(clothing price + service) divided by the number of times you wear it
Let’s say you bought a pair of nice (but expensive) jeans for $ 100, which will last five years until they wear out:
$ 100 + $ 10 (wash, detergent, stain remover, etc.) / 780 days (approximately three days a week for five years)
This adds up to about 14 cents for wear. Let’s say you bought a pair of jeans instead for $ 30, which will last for about a year and a half before they fade and wear out:
$ 30 + $ 10 (wash, detergent, stain remover, etc.) / 234 days (about three days a week for a year and a half)
This adds up to about 17 cents per wear, and you have to buy a new pair every 18 months. Plus, this pair will probably make you more comfortable and look better. Of course, this equation is only perfect for clothing that is worn regularly. For example, if you’re only going to wear a swimsuit 10 times a year, the cost-to-wear equation doesn’t really justify spending hundreds of dollars on it. In this case, a cheap swimsuit will probably last just as long and save you money that you can spend on things you wear all the time. Plus, it’s hard to tell how long the clothes will last. This is why it is so important to do a little research before buying.
Do your homework and avoid impulse purchases
Cheap clothes also lend themselves to constant impulse purchases, which can be much more dangerous to your wallet than the accidental waste of money on something beautiful, durable and of high quality. Spending $ 20 here and there isn’t all that much when it happens, but it can pay off quickly. This way, you can spend more on clothes in a year and possibly end up with tons of things that you will never wear.
However, when shopping for quality (and sometimes more expensive) clothing, you know you will spend a little more, so you are more inclined to research before opening your wallet. It’s better to have a closet with a few versatile, sturdy things that you love to wear than a closet full of shit. Mark Bane of The Atlantic explains that buying expensive, high-quality clothing makes him really think about every purchase:
The point is to make you stop and ask yourself, “How badly do I want this?” … It’s enough that it makes me seriously hesitate, and that’s the point. It makes me wonder how much I want this garment, how much I will wear it and whether I think the value it offers is worth a significant investment … I cannot make these purchases all the time, at least without sacrifice other places or ruin. This is more of an investment than a cheap buzz from buying something new.
It’s always good to have a personal “should I buy this?” check everything you buy, but this is especially important when you spend so much time with it, whether it’s expensive or not. As Heather Levine of Money Crashers explains , having quality clothing in your wardrobe is valuable because you spent more money on it and also because it means something to you. You seriously considered your purchase and didn’t buy it just because they looked cool on the mannequin as you walked by.
How to make sure you buy quality clothing
The most important distinguishing feature of quality clothing is its construction. An expensive dress made of thin material and poorly sewn is not a quality item – it is just an expensive dress. An expensive dress that fits nicely, is durable and well-glued, however, can definitely be worth the purchase if you like it enough and know you will wear it often.
If you’re not sure what high quality looks like, Antonio Centeno of Real Men in Real Style YouTube suggests starting by getting a good starting point. Go to a store that you know sells high quality clothing (even if it is outside your price range) and research the details of each garment. Pay attention to the number of stitches per inch (the more the better), what the garment is made of and how much it feels (comfortable but durable), and how well the buttons are attached to the garment (the loose button will pop out right away). And just because Centeno in the video above is talking about dress shirts doesn’t mean that these tips are useless for womenswear. No matter what types of clothing you look at, it doesn’t take long for you to see what high-quality clothing looks like and looks like.
You can now head to a store closer to your normal price range and compare. If you’re looking for an ultra-quick way to test durability, Levin recommends stitching up the stitches right away. Grasp both sides of the fabric and gently pull to the side to check if the thread holds the fabric tightly. If it bursts or begins to break, then it is poorly stitched. Once you know what a quality clothing design looks like, there are a few more simple rules to keep in mind when shopping:
- Don’t let brands dazzle you. Even brands that usually have quality clothing may try to sell you substandard items ( especially in outlets ). Make sure you know which brands are best for you, as some are big or small .
- Always try on clothes before buying. Make sure it’s comfortable and you like the way you look in it ( even if you’re shopping online ).
- Spend more on timeless items. The clothes you will always need, such as pretty skirts or pants, dress shirts, and even a versatile dress or suit, are worth paying for the quality.
- Spend less on seldom-wearable items like swimwear and other seasonal items. If your area is only cold for about a month of the year, you probably won’t need an expensive North Face jacket.
- Don’t buy designer clothes at the end of the year. Lego In my Louis explains that designers usually release one collection each in the spring and fall. By the end of the year, manufacturers will cut their costs and release the trendiest pieces with cheaper fabrics and fewer embroidery.
- Make things to order. The better something suits you , the more likely you will want to wear it.
- Strive to maximize the total number of possible outfits. Trent Hamm of The Simple Dollar invites you to look for shirts that can go with multiple pairs of pants, find a suit that can go with a wide variety of shirts and ties, and more.The more you can mix and match, the less clothes you actually have. in fact, it is necessary to maintain a variety of outfits.
- Learn how to fix clothes yourself to turn a modest purchase into a quality one . If an overall pretty dress is heavily discounted by a ripped seam, a few simple hand-stitches can save the day (and some dough).
When shopping, always remember that expensive does not mean quality and that you are not spending more, you are just buying less. On his financial advice blog, Peter Dunn recommends that you create an annual clothing budget of 5% of your net income (including repairs and tailoring) and stick to it. It’s enough to just add some pretty things to your wardrobe, but not enough to make you bankrupt.