Save money and frustration
So, the whole idea with today’s video is to help save you money, frustration and the guilt that comes with making bad purchase decisions. And truth be told, I almost made this mistake myself a couple weeks ago. So, if you follow me on Instagram, do you remember seeing this in my Story feed? I was out farting around in Carlsbad and I popped into a shoe store to have a look around. I saw these shoes and I was trying to justify a reason to buy them. But I couldn’t.
So, back when I lived in Seattle I used to attend a lot of fancy events and fashion shows because of my blog, 40 over fashion. Events like that are a great excuse to play with bold items like this and Peacock a little bit because everybody else is. And, don’t get me wrong, I would totally wear something like that to a fashion event, but only once. And that’s the point here. Because once you wear that, and even if you wait 6 months to wear it again, people will remember that. So unless you’re gonna buy a new crazy pair of shoes to wear only once, it’s a complete waste and you’ll regret buying it.
I “might” wear it someday
So that’s my first tip, Avoid buying items that you think you MIGHT wear someday. When I was looking at these shoes, I was trying to think of what event I had coming up that I could wear these shoes to. But I got nothing coming up. So it doesn’t make any sense to buy them hoping that I MIGHT wear them someday.
Too trendy
Next is buying items that are too trendy. I talk about this quite a bit because, our age demographic gets ignored by mainstream clothing companies. The simple fact is, very few companies market to this age group. All the marketing dollars are targeted to the younger demographic. And, while there’s nothing wrong with that, per say, it can get a little confusing when it comes to what’s appropriate for the 46 year-old guy.
I’m not saying that you can’t incorporate trends, and I even made a video talking about that two weeks ago and how to do it correctly, but the really trendy-trends come and go so fast that you’ll only have time to wear it maybe twice before it’s no longer trendy, and everyone’s moved away from it. And if you’re still wearing it, it can be a little weird, especially as an older guy.
Just because it’s on sale
Okay, let’s keep it moving to the next reason you might regret a clothing purchase, and that’s buying something just because it’s on sale. I’ve done it so I’m sure some of you have also. Right, we’re cruising the sale racks and we see something that’s just okay…. Like it’s not what we’d normally go for, but hey, it’s only $35 when it’s normally $85. Great deal right? Not if you never wear it.
It’s only a great deal if you already have something very similar that you need to replace. Or you have a specific hole in your wardrobe that that item would fill perfectly, THEN it’s a good deal. But just because it’s on sale, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good deal. Really think about it…. How does it fit? Does it need to be tailored? And can you see yourself wearing it on a regular basis? If so, awesome…. If not, think twice.
Buying the wrong size
This next one is becoming more and more important with on line shopping. And it’s buying the wrong size item and being stuck with it. And, because I help promote some on line clothing retailers, it’s in my best interest to help you make a good purchase decision. Because, if you like something you see in one of my videos, and I leave a link to it and you go buy it without checking the sizing chart on the website, and you get it and it doesn’t fit. Now you’re mad at me, or you maybe just lost faith in on line shopping all together because you got the wrong size.
Most retailers right now are providing as much information as they can when it comes to sizing, because they don’t want returns for improper sizing. They might even show a photo of a guy wearing something, and they’ll have a little blurb saying the model is 6’ 1”, 175 lbs wearing a size Medium. They might also have feedback from customers if the items tends to run large or small, and also have precise measurements and fit guides. Pay attention to that stuff. I’ll even say something about the fits in my videos if they run large or small just to help you. Also check the company’s return policy to see if it works with you if you get the wrong size.
Uncomfortable shoes
Let’s talk about shoes for just a second because I guarantee you’ll regret buying shoes that are uncomfortable, just because they look cool. I’ve bought $400 boots before that were super bad ass, but they hurt my ankle bone when I tried them on at the store. The salesperson told me they’d loosen up over a few wears and break in, but that never happened. I even tried wearing 4 pairs of socks, and using a hairdrier to try to stretch it out and make the break-in process faster and loosen up the leather, but it never happened. It was a huge waste because I could never wear them.
I even tried ‘em on a few months ago just to see if they somehow, magically got better, but they didn’t. But listen, the same goes for dress shoes and sneakers. If they hurt your feet when you try ‘em on, they’re probably always gonna hurt. So it doesn’t make sense to drop your cash on ‘em. Look for something else because always gonna be something else.
Poor quality
Next is buying poor quality clothes, and that could be anything. I mean, sure, that shirt only cost $15 and it looks decent, but it only cost like $0.10 to make. So don’t be surprised when the buttons pop off or the seams come apart after 1 or 2 trips through the laundry. Fast fashion like that is a great way to dip your toe in the water and try new styles just to get a feel for it and see if you like wearing it, but it’s not for building a quality wardrobe that’s gonna last.
I got no problem with trying stuff like that just to see if you like it. But please don’t think this stuff is made to last. I can see getting pissed if your $150 shirt falls apart 3 weeks later, but if you only paid $15, you should expect it. And if it doesn’t fall apart, that’s just a bonus.
