Here goes – my first fashion-related post on Greenwich Lane.
With so many trends coming and going in the fashion world, it seems like every season you need to update your wardrobe as last years clothes are no longer fashionable. With such updates comes expenses so I thought I’d share my tips for
- Neutral colours – For my brothers engagement party I bought an expensive dress from Kookai, I think it was close to $200. I was in love with it. It was a dark green with a pattern on it (almost like a peacock pattern), and I felt great in it. I’ve never worn it since. Why? I hate the pattern and the colour. Also, being such a distinct pattern there’s not a whole lot of ways I can wear it – I can’t accessorise it because any accessory will clash with the pattern and be too much, and I can’t wear it a cute jacket or scarf because it’s busy as it is. I’ve made a conscious decision from that purchase onwards to buy neutral colours that are easy to mix and match and wear a multitude of ways. Also, I don’t find myself getting bored with the item as it’s neutral and can easily feel like a different piece depending on how I wear it. Another bonus? Patterns are memorable, neutrals aren’t. Meaning you don’t look like you’re wearing the same outfit again!
- Planning outfits – I find when I’m in a rush in the morning I’ll rummage though my wardrobe and find the first thing that catches my eye. This gets me in to a pattern of wearing the same thing all the time. When I consciously plan my outfits for the week on the weekend I find I have more time and I actually look through my entire wardrobe. This means I find pieces I haven’t worn in a while and suddenly I’m feeling like I’m wearing new clothes! If we’re putting this into a cycle it means I’ll feel less like I “need” to shop. The best store is in your wardrobe!
- Investment pieces – I’ll put my hand up and claim that I am often guilty for sticking with the trends and buying cheap clothes so that I have every trend and a bursting wardrobe. Overalls were in last year so I went to CottonOn and bought a cheap pair – I would not be caught ever wearing overalls again. Khaki pants were also big – I bought two pairs, one from Kmart and one from Target – they really don’t suit me and Khaki hasn’t been big this year. Quality also plays a role in the price for some of these stores and I find after a few washes my fad piece no longer holds its shape or its stitching! I’m not saying everyone needs to shop at high-end stores (and I definitely don’t), what I mean is that I think we can avoid buying as many clothes and keeping up with the fashion fads, and instead investing in a few pieces that are versatile (i.e. neutral), and of high-quality. Meaning they will last for seasons to come. I have had great experiences with shopping at Country Road, Witchery and Seed. Fair enough I walk out with a bag full of clothes, but rather one or two pieces that will last and I will get my moneys worth.
- Work/Life balance – When I first started working full-time I was adamant that I would keep my work and social wardrobe separate. It worked for a while, until I started slowly wearing some of my favourite pieces to work and vice versa. I have the luxury of not having to dress strictly corporate as I am teacher, however we still need to dress professionally (pants, pencil skirts, suits for meetings etc.). What I’ve decided to do is buy pieces that are transferrable across both wardrobes. Buy something for work that I could easily dress up or down when heading out to dinner or a bar. It’s a delicate balance, and I’m still working on it – stay tuned!
- Online shopping – Some people might disagree with me here, but I actually believe online shopping leads to less impulse purchases than actually shopping in store. I find I leave items in my cart for days and days until I can convince myself to buy them. When I’m in store I make rash decisions and end up buying things I probably wouldn’t have bought online. If I do shop in the shopping centre then I make sure I leave the store, go elsewhere, have lunch, and then if I’m still thinking about the item, go back and buy it.
I hope these tips help. Any other obsessive shoppers out there? Let me know your tips in the comments below 🙂
Lis x
Greenwich Lane 