To be transparent, your Indiana Image Consultant recently took a six-month break from retail. This idea came from one of my friends who previously took a break from buying clothes. She had been buying too much — items she didn’t wear or need — just because she loved the thrill of the retail hunt. After not buying clothes for a long enough period of time, she was able to evaluate her buying habits. She then successfully reset her habits to become more intentional with purchases.
Retail Withdrawal for an Indiana Image Consultant
Being an Indiana Image Consultant and personal stylist means I am around clothes and style all the time. Often, I found myself scouring the Internet for new clothes, identifying looks that I like, and pinpointing outfits that might work for an upcoming personal shopping trip. I’d buy clothes on a whim and at more levels, including fast fashion.
Did I enlarge my own wardrobe during this process? Of course.
Did I occasionally buy outfits that I don’t wear? Yes, but not often.
Do I have too many clothes? At times I think I do, since I am always cleaning out my closet.
So I decided to see if I could stop, and I did! This included purchases from QVC, Amazon, Instagram, and other fast fashion I saw online. However, I did buy clothes when I needed replacements. I also bought shoes and jewelry in moderation. Consignment clothes were fair game as well.
When you stop a habit you immediately feel that something is amiss. I certainly did in this case. But I soon realized I had not been buying the quality of clothes that I wanted to own and I had been ignoring items that I really needed. I noticed that some of my favorite clothing pieces were worn out, like my slim faux leather skirt and wool wrap winter coat. I had worn the skirt for a couple of years, and it actually had a hole in it. I had simply worn out the winter coat and needed a new one. So I replaced those items.
The coat was hard to find, as I searched high and low online and in person. But I did find the perfect replacement in a beautiful taupe color when I was in Chicago at Bloomingdales.
Finally, when I stopped making quick purchases and put some thought into what I bought, I was quite surprised by how much money I saved.
Get Help from an Indiana Image Consultant
For help identifying clothes that fit your personal style and mastering your shopping habits, contact Beth Divine Style.
Keep it sassy, Indy.
Beth Divine, MA, AICI-CIC,
Indiana Image Consultant
