When do you decide to ditch that “amazing find” you unearthed in the bargain basement? Here are your top “just say no” moments. I’ve bought a few of these in my time (fine, a lot).
1. When it’s the wrong size.
Are you guilty of saying “It’ll fit next spring?” I feel like we’ve all been there before, and it’s not easy to admit when the loveliest piece doesn’t quite fit (and probably never will). However, if you do know someone who’s about that size, you could always
buy it and hope they like it. But you really need to have confidence that they will appreciate your purchase as much as you do.
2. When it has a rip in it that you don’t know how to fix.
Trust me, you won’t go to get it sewn. The piece will sit in your closet, ripped, and then you will give it away. Unless you are exceptionally industrious, don’t go that route: you’ll just be disappointed in the end and you will have wasted money.3. Something that is out of style or almost out of style.
You think you have a couple of months to wear it before it totally goes out of style, but then... you realize that you can’t wear it here, there, or there... or there, either. All of the sudden, the piece is woefully out of date, and you think that maybe you can get a couple of wears out of it next season. You don’t, most likely.4. Something that can’t be mixed and matched.
If you have standalone
matching pieces, then you won’t get great cost-per-wear from it at all. Instead of trying to pull off something that won’t look fresh because you can’t mix thing up, why not get something that will let you blend some piece from you existing wardrobe together?
5. Something that needs to be worn with super-high shoes.
Does the necessity dictated by your newfound cheap outfit correspond with your shoe needs and your shoe likes and dislikes? Don’t get a pair of pants that require four-inch heels if you only like flats, for example, or if you need to wear casual or comfortable shoes to work.6. A piece that needs a barrage of foundation garments isn’t the best, either.
Your dress will pucker with the wrong underwear; cling with the almost-but-not-quite layers; tuck itself under when you are sitting. If the fabric is wrong or the dress is simply too revealing, don’t bother. It’s not worth the trouble, and it’s definitely not worth the energy or investment, either.7. Something that somebody else pressures you to buy because it’s sooo... cheap.
Is that a good reason to pick something up? Only if it is
super-cute as well, and that’s not always the case. Don’t get anything just for the price -- there’s a good chance that you will never wear it.
8. Anything with a sewn-in underlayer.
Do you know those camisoles sewn into dresses, or those skirts in two layers that are sewn up the side seam. Think I’m being tough? I’m not. They are hard to care for, look tacky, and they often rip anyway. And if they are contrasting colors? Forget it! The washing and caring alone will tire you out. Also, even if the piece is really expensive, it will always look cheap when it features those special layers.
