How to buy clothes you love

A woman’s guide to effectively adding pieces she loves to her closet.

This article is designed to answer the following questions:

How do I shop and buy clothes I actually want?
How do I buy clothing that I won’t want to return?

**The Mindful Shopping Cycle**

Now that you have a refined closet, keep in mind that each additional hanger you add is precious! It’s important to maintain the integrity of your closet so that it’s filled with items you love.

This is precisely why shopping is so critical to keeping a Refined Closet.

Mindful Shopping is a cycle that is meant to help you while you’re shopping so that you buy the pieces you love.

**[Mindful Shopping Cycle] Have a Plan**

By this point, you should have a closet filled with items that you love. Now it’s time to create a list of items you need in order to have a well-rounded wardrobe. I recommend you keep a running list of wardrobe needs on your phone so that the list is always accessible (I use Simplenote).

See example shopping plan.

**[Mindful Shopping Cycle] Spend Time in Clothing**

Spend at least 3 minutes in the clothing before committing.

If you’re like most women I have spoken with, you don’t try on the clothing before you buy it.

You also likely miss the return time-slot on when you can take back the clothing. So then you’re stuck with it.

To avoid all that mess, focus on looking at yourself in the mirror while trying on.

If you don’t love the look, DO NOT BUY IT. I repeat, do not buy it. This goes for the bargain hunter out there that also just want to score a good deal.

**[Mindful Shopping Cycle] Think about your wardrobe**

Create an outfit while trying on clothing.

Even if you don’t end up loving the pants, but want the top, at least you know what the top will look like when you do go to wear it with something in your closet.

Contextual shopping is the best shopping!

Think in the context of your closet, not through the context of the store you’re in.

**[Mindful Shopping Cycle] Look at price last**

Seriously. If you’re a bargain shopper who is easily swayed by lower price points, you should NOT make this the core criteria when you’re considering buying new pieces because it’ll confuse you.

Of course we need to keep our budgets in mind, but clutter costs us!

Other helpful shopping tips to keep in mind

Try on, for goodness sakes

It turns out there’s a 50% chance that if you’re reading this, you don’t try on clothing before you buy it. #shocking

This is even more shocking considering that the majority of women I’ve spoken with say that their biggest clothing regrets originate from the clothing they didn’t try on and forgot to return. Now hangs in their closets with the tags still dangling.

How to shop for clothing on a budget

I have heard women repeatedly say “if I had 1 million dollars, I could re-do my wardrobe exactly how I want”.

While this may make shopping easier because price wouldn't be a concern, I have a more practical ideal for the cash-strapped.

There is an app available called Digit and it has smart algorithms that pull money from your bank account and save for you.

It also allows you to set up different savings account buckets with different goals.

So, once you begin to drill into the items you wish to buy, Digit will make it easy for you to save for each item over time.

Sure, 1 million dollars sounds great but this way you know that what you’re buying is going to be a thoughtful addition to your closet.

Example Staple Shopping Guide

Below is an example stable shopping guide.

If you are going to purchase staples, find the ones that work for your job + personal style. I always hear people say “invest” when it comes to these staples, but honestly, Target has a lot of these options for fairly good prices. You don’t need to break the bank to improve your closet.