What makes you buy something?

[GinJarRogers]

Thinking about this today as I’ve bought a few things online recently and looking at them together they are a completely random collection of clothes in different styles /colours which don’t go together particularly well at all. The same could be said for most of my wardrobe!
Latest buys include two Zara dresses which look lovely on but one is only suitable for a hot holiday (which I have no plans for this year sadly) and the other is for a smart occasion - again which I don’t have coming up and isn’t really my style anyway.
I will send both back but it’s got me thinking why am I buying these things and what would make me keep them? Yes they look nice on but I have no need for them and they don’t really fill any gap in my wardrobe.
Interested to know why others buy things:

• need for a particular event/occasion
• to fill a gap in your wardrobe
• because it’s your style
• or just because it happens to look nice on the day you buy it/try it on?

I’m trying to stick to the first two only and avoid things that fall under the last category - but keep failing.

Re colours, no that's not what I meant. A colour will be a no go because I don't like it - full stop but there's no colours which are no go for me.

I online (mostly Vinted) shop out of boredom to entertain myself.

I have no defined style so my purchases are, um, eclectic. I also have no grasp of what cut or colours suit me so I buy a constant stream of clothes that don't fit well nor go together. It's a mess and I know that I need to stop shopping and sort out my wardrobe!!

I do try to wear everything I buy at least once, and everything mostly goes to the charity shop after. But its still all a waste of money and space :0(

I thought I didn't have a style but when I took everything out of my wardrobe it soon became clear that I did
Sort through the items you enjoy wearing and put to one side.. Donate, sell or recycle everything else... you'll feel much more clear minded
visualise yourself and note what your wearing and make a mental " mood board.
Look at the colours you are drawn to and the tones and shades you like
As I said above instead of navy, light blue, Red, dusky and pale pink
white instead of black and navy
Taupes, creams, caramel and beige
Enjoy creating your new style on Vinted!
I am getting so much pleasure out of my new clothes and I've paid £4 for tops and jeans
£10 max for pristine Clark's trainers and clogs with back straps which I'm in love with!

Unfortunately, for the last how long, what's made me buy something has been:

Dopamine hunting
It's a 'bargain'/ on sale
I'm stressed
Im bored/ entertainment
Shopping for my fantasy life
It's a popular item/ seen on someone who's style I like
I love the colour/ print, with no regard to whether I actually want to wear it.

I'm trying to eliminate as much of this as I can, and as a result I'm still shopping too much, but I honestly think that barring one or two items, everything I've bought and kept this year has been worn and I've felt good in it.

The broke generation podcast has really helped with a lot of these issues for me.

Back in the 20th c when I bought clothes in physical shops, I more than once or twice had Knightsbridge shop assistants shimmy up to me as I scrutinised something on a hanger - proffering the information that such and such famous personality had bought that exact item. That always caused me to hand back the garment and probably exit the shop.

These days, the very hint of an influencer near anything I’m interested in sullies it for good. I’m as careful to avoid ladylike pieces by big name designers - for fear of seeing a royal personage modelling my newly bought treasure - as I am of super popular, noticeable items from High St shops - for fear of spotting them on a soap, or wherever. (This would be easier to monitor if I watched any soap regularly, but still, the fear is there.)

It’s not the primary reason I seek out lesser known or emerging brands, but it’s definitely a consideration. So I’m always both astonished and bewildered when posters on S&B praise an item by saying ‘so and so wore that on instagram’ …

When I lost all my excess weight I started off buying random things but soon realised I've never worn half of them.
I had to work out what I'm realistically wearing from day to day.
Work: I wear a uniform day to day so all I need are two casual suits for meetings and training days.
Day to day: I wear jeans or joggers with a teashirt when it's hot or a sweatshirt or jumper when it's cold.
I wear a dress occasionally maybe once a month, so I have a denim dress and a nice uniqlo dress and can wear those with a jacket or cardigan if it's cold.
Those are my basics along with a camo shirt and a denim.shirt.
Anything else has to be able to be worn with those basics.

Thank god you've said what I couldn't put into words

I have a wardrobe full of dresses that wouldn't look out of place at a royal garden party,with a cupboard full of matching shoes

I never go anywhere-if I'm not at work,I'm at tesco or (mainly) at home in my pyjamas

Closest I get to a royal garden party is when we go to my mils house and she adores a trip to waitress

I've built my fantasy wardrobe for my fantasy life with not that many clothes for my real life

I buy clothing that's generally made of natural fabrics & neutral colours.
So in summer I can get away with Mango/Zara/Tk Maxx Boho styles in Cotton/Linen. In Winter that means Cashmere & much bigger costs.
I've lost a lot of weight & have been replacing trousers & skirts by necessity. I am heavily influenced by a couple of Instagramers in terms of buying everyday clothing that's fits well & is practical for my lifestyle.
Mainly because we have no decent shops left In our county any more. No Uniqlo, Zara or Mango & only a M&S, Primark & H&M. I actually love shopping & would much prefer to shop in person but unfortunately that's just not currently possible.

1. its something I really need
2. its a bargain! (usually its brands or items I love anyways so I get use out of the items)
3. its a fabulous pattern/print/colour (I do have magpie tendencies and am easily swayed by bright things!)
4. I stress bought it off Vinted (this is primarily a work related thing and where I make the most mistakes!).

Yes! Yes! Yes! This is definitely me.

I've certainly bought things I've never worn. There is no other point. I don't necessarily buy things for a "point". And that's ok.

I have a vision now of the pair of you in Waitrose wearing Ascot dresses with hats haha.

I used to buy things I like, not thinking do they go with anything I already own,and have wasted so much money over the years, the number of sequin clothing I have brought and then resold unworn, as I don't have that life style, I now am trying to buy better quality and less clothing, just had a wardrobe declutter, 35 items to sell on a car boot mostly cheaper stuff, and another 20 on ebay .

And the next thing you know you’ve spent £9Million on a top, shorts and flats.

Yikes.

I took early retirement two years back, after redundancy and decided to up my game, having got into a bland safe rut for work, although more stylish/ smart outside work. I threw every item I owned onto the bed, tried it all on, in front of a full length mirror and if it didn't bring me joy, suit me, fit well, or had been worn relatively recently (dressier items) I dumped it. Then I embarked on an upgrade purchase journey, so only buying items that fitted in with my 'now' life, and enhancing my wardrobe, upgrading well loved but worn items, alongside embracing my love for colourful comfortable footwear. Definitely now have a wardrobe which fits my life and where I buy less, but better and only keep if it goes with other items in my wardrobe, so no one trick ponies!

I don't understand how that's possible. I never buy and don't wear things.

You’re part of a very small and select minority. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t, including me.

I buy things definitely because I like them. The past two dresses I’ve bought I’ve seen them in shop windows, one was vintage one was charity shop.

Humans are hunter-gatherers, so it makes sense that we enjoy tracking down fabulous things. All those who buy stuff that they love but don't wear, don't be too hard on yourselves! You probably would have been amazing at locating beehives or digging up edible roots back in the day.

HundredMiles that sounds like a beautiful outfit!

I used to be a retail manager in the 80s and loved clothes...now I dress functionally. I don't like prints, never wear dresses and skirts and never go to " occasions". Doesn't help that at 6 feet tall, shopping is a nightmare. Footwear too...slim size 9/10.
I have decluttered my wardrobe massively and although I have an unlimited budget for clothes....nothing out there sparks joy.

If I were 6 foot and had an unlimited clothing budget I would be haunting Savile Row (geographical and metaphorical) and putting together a fabulous collection of tailor made suits (in casual cuts and fabrics if I had no need for formality) along with beautiful sea island cotton or silk shirts.

And I would have my shoes handmade.

It’s a real shame you’re not enjoying your enviable shopping freedom, @Nomedshere.

I have no need of tailored suits! I'm retired, am very active and go to lots of gigs. Hate formal wear and "dressing up".
Live in gym gear, wide trousers and trainers

Tailored clothes do not have to be ‘formal’.

You mentioned finding no joy in looking for clothes. If you don’t actually want anything new then that’s fine, surely?

🤷‍♀️

I definitely shop “for fun” which I don’t think is particularly helpful or productive.

i also veer towards filling my wardrobe with basics to fill perceived gaps for everyday and then buying really special things for particular occasions that don’t get the use my boring stuff does.

Frustrating to see something in a shop and liking it...then realising it wont fit! I have lots of holidays booked this year and my summer wardrobe is almost non existent. I will look into getting some trousers made!