8 Questions You Should Ask Before Buying New Clothes

The phrase? Buy new clothes? can in itself generate enormous euphoria in some women. Even more so if it comes with the word "settlement". Often buying a new outfit is on impulse and this can cause damage: an overcrowded wardrobe, overflow credit card, feeling empty, among others.

The personal style and organization consultant, Fernanda Maranho, advises that in order to avoid unnecessary purchases and accumulation of useless items, it is necessary to make the purchase a conscious act? internal. Trying to plug a hole with purchases certainly generates waste?

Over buying can also be a sign that something is not right. The psychologist Raquel de Mello advises "logically, dressing is a social act and a healthy concern about the appearance we are going to show, but when this concern is excessive, it can cause financial and emotional damage."


When buying, therefore, we must take into account the need, the durability of the piece and whether it satisfies personal taste. The best pieces, according to Fernanda, are the ones that yield a lot of new combinations, which will add some nice style information, that you don't have anything very similar or similar and that are of good quality to make the money invested. .

8 questions you can and should ask yourself

To avoid waste it is important to be certain that the purchase will be worth it. With the help of fashion consultant Fernanda Maranho and psychologist Raquel de Mello, here are some questions to make buying easier and more responsible, check it out:

Read also: 10 tips for you to produce less waste at home


1. Is my priority a wardrobe that is overcrowded or with useful parts?

It may seem like a dream to have a crowded wardrobe, but Fernanda points out the pitfalls of overcrowding: “When we have a lot of clothes and accessories, especially with little storage space available, it is very difficult to maintain the organization. When we stack our clothes, it's hard to see and access everything we have. And if we do not see, do not remember and do not use !?

In addition, overcrowding allows the accumulation of pieces that no longer fit, or even pieces that are not part of your current style. “We don't need visual reminders that the dress you wore before you got pregnant no longer suits you,” says Fernanda. So, before you buy a new outfit, check your wardrobe and make sure you have only the useful stuff in it, as Fernanda points out: "Take away anything that doesn't suit you, either because it's too small or too big, or because it doesn't represent it anymore." your current style or why? went out of style ??

2. Will this piece make a difference in my wardrobe?

It is important to make sure that in your wardrobe there are no other parts similar to the one you will buy, if any there is no need. For an outfit to make a difference, it also needs to complete the pieces you already have and make great combinations. “Remember that all the pieces you buy should deserve to be in your closet,” Fernanda gives the hint.


3. Does this outfit value my physical type?

It is important to be self-aware of your physical type and to feel good about the clothes you buy. It is necessary to consider whether later, at the time of use, clothing will be an instrument to make you feel good or if it will highlight any unwanted characteristics.

4. Does the garment match at least three other clothes I already have in my wardrobe?

Fernanda points out that "the secret of a coordinated wardrobe (concise, versatile and intelligent) is to have the fewest pieces with the greatest possibility of combinations". Therefore, before buying a new outfit, consider whether this garment will match your other outfits or be isolated because there is nothing to match it.

Read also: 10 mistakes we made when choosing and wearing a bra

5. Do I already have something similar?

"No one needs 4 black skirts or 15 pairs of jeans," says Fernanda. It's much more profitable to spend money and time choosing a piece that will make a difference in your wardrobe than buying something you already have.

6. Does this piece match my style?

Often fashion trends can cause euphoria and lead you to believe that you need to buy a piece that has nothing to do with your style. Fernanda exemplifies "If you do the most romantic sporty style, it is no use buying a pair of high-heeled jaguar shoes that you will not have to wear with."

7Isn't it better to wait until next week to make sure I need it?

In cases where the urge to buy is just an impulse, waiting can make that urge pass and may even be forgotten. It's a good self-control exercise too.

8. Can I pay for this?

This question is of paramount importance as no one wants to acquire a debt they cannot repay. So think over and over before you break your credit card limit on something you might not want that much. Settlements can also lead to overspending, as often at the discount there is the illusion that if you are half price you can take several pieces. The cheap can be very expensive in these cases.

How to tell if you already have everything you need

Periodically you may need to check your wardrobe to find out if it houses everything you need or even to remove excess. The number of clothes for each type of occasion should be commensurate with how much you attend these occasions. "If most of your week (or life) is spent working, that means most pieces should belong to your professional wardrobe," Fernanda recommends.

Read also: 15 cool ideas to have fun while getting ready

The consultant adds: “From there, I suggest taking paper and pen and recording everything you have. Divide by part types. For example: social pants, jeans and patterned pants, etc., and write the amount of each. This will give you a clear idea of ​​what you have.

The next step is to remove excesses. Remove pieces that no longer fit, that are not part of your style or very similar pieces since, as Fernanda points out, "even if you have a job that requires the use of formal pieces, nobody needs five white shirts."

The last step is to find out if you have basic pieces, as they are the basis of any wardrobe, even the most modern ones. ? Plain t-shirt pieces, straight pants, jeans, cardigans, purses or shoes in neutral colors act as a blank canvas where we can? Colorize? with our personality ?, guides Fernanda.

Having basic pieces is not synonymous with having bland pieces. The consultant teaches how to have basic but modern pieces:? How about investing in a navy blue leather jacket instead of the black blazer? Have you ever thought that the smooth beige bag can be replaced with a super stylish snake texture? How about replacing the white cotton shirt with a nude silk crepe shirt ??

Tips for Conscious Consumption

A very rooted way of thinking for many people is that to practice conscious consumption you only need to have timeless clothes, that is, those that never go out of style. But this is just one of several ways to consume consciously. Check out more tips to consume without guilt:

Also read: 20 Essentials You Should Carry In Your Bag

Know where the raw material comes from

Many fabrics are produced from chemical processes that cause damage to the environment, whether synthetic fabrics or even cotton, which in their production can leave many pesticide residues in the environment. If you are looking for a conscious consumer try to buy from brands that give information on labels about your products, such as origin and composition of the raw material.

Give preference to handcrafted products

Buying from a person or even a small-scale, hand-crafted brand helps move the local economy, and gives you the ability to know where all the raw materials came from, how the product was made, and yet why. top, takes a single piece.

Buy products made with quality materials.

A quality product can last much longer than a poor quality product. If the product lasts longer, the need to replace it will take time to appear, which reduces the consumption and the amount of waste on the planet.

Prefer environmental conscious brands

As more people seek to buy from brands that are environmentally conscious, more brands will seek this differential feature to attract customers. In addition to the other various reasons cited in the topics above.

Seek to know if the product is the result of slave labor

Unless you are buying from those who made it, it can be difficult to be sure that a product is not the result of slave labor. Fernanda recommends an app called Free Fashion that lists companies and brands of clothing that make use of slave labor. The app is available for free download on GooglePlay.

Raquel points out that rampant consumption can cause serious damage to emotional health - buying can become an addiction like eating, using drugs or drinking, so it's important to reflect on this behavior. Buying involves a number of factors, and planning the act responsibly and consciously can do you, your pocket, and the planet well.

8 Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Buy New Clothes ... (April 2024)


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