Fashion lovers buy more than 80 billion new clothes every year. According to FashionUnited, this is 400% more than what we consumed just two decades ago. At the same time, the prices of fashion items are constantly increasing. So how do you make sure you don’t overspend on fashion?
According to UK style consultant Samantha Herman, people often confuse fashion with style.
“Fashion is temporary, style reflects who you are. And it doesn’t require a big budget,” he tells Metro. “If you don’t know your style vision, it doesn’t matter if you have $10 or $100,000 to spend on clothes, you’re still not going to feel good about it.”
Hermann said: “Many of us are drawn to trends. We think this latest outfit will make us ‘cool’, but have you noticed that the coolest people you know never seem to follow trends?
According to the expert, it’s best to use Pinterest for inspiration and start narrowing down what you like about certain outfits: is it color, shape, pattern, texture?
“Knowing yourself and what you like is the key to good style. Because from there, you can shop with focus and you won’t spend your money on things you don’t really like or like.” ,” he says.
But what about practical advice? According to experts, you should never buy blindly and always have something specific in mind. If you like to shop fashion online, set up saved searches on sites like eBay to alert you when something pops up in the category you’re looking for.
“We boast a fantastic suit for a wedding or event that will only be worn once. It’s better to rent those things and invest in what you wear every day. If you buy quality basics, you’ll never have ‘nothing to wear’. Your clothes will last longer and you’ll save money in the long run,” concluded Hermann.
To learn more, Metro spoke with Jody Filogomo, founder of Jody’s Touch of Style.
“Trends are cyclical, meaning if there’s a ‘new’ trend in stores, chances are you’ll find something similar second-hand from a few years ago. Buying second hand isn’t just about the environment and your bank balance.” better, but it also adds variety to your style.”
, Samantha Herman, UK-based style consultant
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fashion
According to Euromonitor, the size of the global apparel and footwear market shrank by -18.1% ($1.45 trillion) in 2020. McKinsey says the fashion and apparel industry faced a 20% drop in revenue for fiscal year 2019-2020 .
The global apparel retail market is expected to grow by 7.5% to $1.84 trillion in 2022 and to $1.95 trillion in 2023 with a growth of 6.1% in 2022-2023.
Jodi Philogomo, Founder of Jodi’s Touch of Style
How do you make sure you don’t spend a fortune on fashion?
– Ask yourself: “Does something like this already exist in my wardrobe?” Because the truth is, we usually only buy things we already have. Although we think details matter, most people don’t pay attention to all the little details. So buying 10 different white t-shirts is not smart.
Another tip is to always check the sale racks. Especially at the end of the season (like now), when you can get summer items at a bargain. You still have time to wear them, and besides, they’ll look great next year.
How actionable are slides and ratings?
– A great way to turn what you don’t want into a treasure for your friend. This is great because it can include things that don’t have a shape like jewelry, hats, bags…
On rent, I think it’s the perfect way to find a dress for a special occasion that you’d otherwise spend a lot of money on, but only wear twice. And the best part is that you don’t need to find space in your closet to rent clothes.
And second hand clothes?
The savings are huge because you can find great bargains. Not only are the prices down, but many stores also have special days when certain items cost less than the retail price. For example, our Goodwill stores have $1 Thursdays, where a certain color tag means the item is only $1, which is the perfect way to get a great treat for very little money. Another thing I love about Thrifting is that you can find a much larger selection of colors than in stores.
How to find the best deals online and offline?
– You should check sales and discounts to find the best deals. I always suggest making sure you get emails from your favorite stores so you know when the sale is going on.
Another tip I have for online shopping. When you find something you want to buy, put it in your cart and don’t pay for it. Many times smaller stores will send you a discount code to entice you more to buy it. Or search for the discount code online in the “Store”. Sometimes you will find someone who will work for you.
And if you find an item that has repairable tears or small stains, be sure to ask the clerk for a discount.
