"Whether you consider yourself a lover of fashion or not, it’s always shocking how easy it is to get to a point where your closet is overflowing. A couple of sales happen and all of the sudden, what was once an organized masterpiece is exploding and in need of a purge—been there, done that too many times to count.
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In the name of sustainability—and, to be totally honest, my sanity—2024 has had me aiming to do fewer closet clean-outs and instead to shop a little more strategically than I have in the past. There’s nothing more rewarding than adding a piece to my closet that I’m actually excited to see when I do my seasonal closet swap, and with a little bit of forethought, I have more of those pieces in my closet than ever before.
The next time you go to click “add to cart” or head to the checkout line, these are the questions to ask yourself before entering your credit card information. Your “thought I loved it but have never worn it” pile is about to get a whole lot smaller.
1. Can I style this with pieces I already own?
All too often, we fall into the trap of buying something new to wear because you have one killer outfit in mind to style it for. And if you can do that, that’s great—but you should be able to style a piece more than one way in order to justify buying it. Try to think of three different outfits you can wear with it that you’d actually enjoy wearing. If it requires buying even more pieces to style it in ways you’d like, it isn’t the right call to purchase it.
2. Would I buy this if it were full price?
I know, I know—it’s hard to resist the temptation of a sale. But one of the most game-changing mentalities to have with sales is this: If something is marked down from $100 to $60, you aren’t saving $40—you’re still spending $60. If something you know you’ll love and wear is on sale, by all means, add it to cart. But if you’re buying something just because it’s on sale, that’s another story.
The best question to ask yourself is if you would be considering purchasing something if it were still full-price. If the rush of the discount is the thing that’s enticing you, it’s best to pass.
3. Does this fit me right?
Especially in the post-pandemic age of online shopping, it’s easy to order something in a size that ends up being not quite right and end up keeping it because returning it would be too much of a hassle. Ask yourself: If you were shopping in-store and were trying the piece on in a fitting room, would you go grab a bigger or smaller size? If you would, it’s best to return or exchange it.
If you are shopping in-store and your size is out of stock and you’re trying to make an ill-fitting piece work, trust me: It’s best to wait for something that actually fits you right, unless you have the intent to tailor it. When possible, I also recommend shopping in-store for pieces that have finicky sizing—jeans, bras, etc. That way, you can try on multiple sizes off the bat to see which you prefer. You’ll be surprised by how often the piece you ending buying isn’t the size you would have ordered online.
4. Am I only buying this because it’s trendy?
With different trends and aesthetics going viral on TikTok by the week, it’s easier than ever to buy something just to hop on the bandwagon of a trend. While I’m a victim of this too, the key is to make sure you actually like the piece. For example, if you like the idea of the sheer top trend but actually wearing it makes you uncomfortable, that’s a trend you should pass on. Fashion is subjective; don’t buy something just because everyone else is.
5. What will the cost-per-wear be?
One of the most useful things to consider when purchasing something is its cost-per-wear, or the cost of the item divided by the amount of times you’ll wear it. It might sound better to buy a $200 pair of statement boots than a $500 pair of classic loafers, but if you only wear the statement boots a couple of times a year while you’d wear the loafers multiple times a week, the cost-per-wear of the loafers is much lower.
A great example of cost per wear is a wedding guest dress. If you know you won’t be able to get more wear out of it than one wedding, it’s better to rent a dress or borrow one from a friend to avoid it taking up closet space for all of eternity after one night in it.
Madeline Galassi, Senior Fashion & Beauty Editor
Madeline has been covering fashion at The Everygirl since 2018. She edits all fashion content, writes in-depth trend reports, and curates the direction of the fashion and beauty sections. She’s worked with top brands like Nordstrom, & Other Stories, Sézane, and Everlane.