A big part of our job at Fashion Journal is to be across the latest collections, collaborations and news from our favourite fashion brands – which, of course, means temptation is everywhere.
Working from our Brunswick office that’s a five-minute walk away from Goodbyes and Mutual Muse is another danger we face everyday.
For more fashion news, shoots, articles and features, head to our Fashion section.
To avoid overspending and inevitable buyer’s regret, myself and the team always consult the group chat before tapping our cards. If an item you’re eyeing up gets a resounding ‘yes’ from three ruthless editors, you can probably buy it.
With the cold change causing our winter wishlists to stack up, here are five rules we’re implementing to steer clear of impulse purchases.
Rule #1: Don’t buy for the sake of buying
A toxic trait I’ve noticed in myself, especially while travelling, is that I often pressure myself into buying something just because I’ve expected to. For example, when I put in hours of research mapping out the best vintage designer stores in Rome, traipsed across the city until I got blisters on my feet and I still didn’t find anything I loved, I started talking myself into liking clothes that just aren’t right.
(I knew this was happening when, in one store, I seriously contemplated buying a black batwing cardigan with leather patchwork that my boyfriend said made me look like a “granny gorilla”).
In such instances, I find a good balm for the retail therapy itch is to literally buy a new lip balm, or a cheap beauty treat like a sheet mask from a foreign pharmacy. It’s low stakes, and at least I know it’ll get used. – Lara Daly, Features Editor
Rule #2: Shop for you, not an idealised version of you
I always see pieces I love but that would only work if perhaps I was four inches shorter, owned the pants and shoes the model is wearing, had a blunt blonde bob and spent a lot of time on a yacht in the Amalfi coast… All of which is to say that I try to buy pieces I could put on and wear out of the store feeling good, not something that would require me to change five things first.
I also think about how I would style it five different ways with items I already own. The store is usually where you like the new item most, so if you don’t absolutely love it there, you won’t wear it. – Molly Griffin, Advertising and Partnerships Manager
Rule #3: Ask a trusted advisor (AKA the group chat)
When it comes to impulse purchases, a second opinion is invaluable. Reach out to someone who’ll play devil’s advocate, the kind of person who’ll remind you, ‘Yes, that top is great, but didn’t you say you never wear yellow?’ It might just save you from splurging on a sunshine-hued cashmere knit destined to live at the back of your wardrobe (guilty). – Holly Villagra, Branded Content and Production Coordinator
Rule #4: Don’t buy it just because it’s on sale
As a chronic over-thinker, I’m fairly safe when it comes to impulse shopping. I have a list in my Notes app of wishlist items I’ve thought about over and over, pieces that I’m actively saving for. If I come across an item of clothing, it has to tick a lot of boxes before I’d consider buying it. My weakness is when I come across a really good sale.
I think it’s partly FOMO – when I see that sizes are running out and the website tells me there’s only one left in stock, I feel like I’m missing out if I don’t immediately jump on it. Or if it’s heavily discounted, it might be that it’s just too good to pass up.
Unless it’s a piece I’ve already been eyeing, it often ends up becoming a regretful purchase. Buying something just because it’s 60 per cent off doesn’t mean it will work with my wardrobe, and doesn’t mean I’ll actually wear it – it just means it’s a good sale.
I’ve found I’m far happier when I stick to a thought-out wishlist, rather than frantically adding to cart just before I feel like, in some twisted way, I’m saving money. – Daisy Henry, Assistant Editor
Rule #5: Wait at least a month
I’m well aware this seems like an absurd amount of time before making a purchase, but it’s proven my very best tool in curating a wardrobe with longevity. Most of the pieces in my regular rotation I’ve owned for at least three years, and last year I bought nothing new except a pair of sunglasses and a pair of shoes.
Still, I love my wardrobe and never struggle to find something to wear. Typically, I’ll wait closer to three months, but one month is usually enough to move past the initial ‘thrill’ of finding a new piece. In fact, most items on my wishlist I’ll have forgotten about within about a week.
If I find I’m still thinking about a piece, I’ll usually go back online to revisit it several times. Once I’ve seen an item of clothing that much, it starts to lose the shiny appeal of being brand new, and I‘m left with a much clearer vision of whether or not I actually love it.
Items that pass my one-month test usually have an interesting cut or design feature that sits outside the trend cycle, and take much more longer to feel dated. It’s how I ended up with my perfectly shaped Essen flats, my favourite boxy Harris Tapper dress, and my heavily worn E Nolan trousers. – Giulia Brugliera, Managing Editor
For more on shopping smarter, try this.
This article Five rules the Fashion Journal team follow to avoid impulse shopping appeared first on Fashion Journal.
2025-06-13 07:53:00
#rules #Fashion #Journal #team #follow #avoid #impulse #shopping
Source link
