Buying clothes strategically vs. ad-hoc

[alt.don]

Evening,

I have dumped some decent coin as of late into buying some clothes. It occurred to me though that I may not be building my wardrobe properly. By that I mean, should I buy my new clothes strategically (buy an entire outfit at once (shoes, pants, belt, shirt,...)) or should I buy what hits my fancy (nice shirt, cool sweater and so on). I will eventually end up rebuilding, from scratch, my wardrobe, but what is the most efficient way to do it?

 

[sho'nuff]

do it when you need it. or when you see something you need/want. ad hoc.

 

[globetrotter]

I don't buy anything ad hoc. I plan exactly what I want, and then shop that way.

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

I don't buy anything ad hoc. I plan exactly what I want, and then shop that way.

I do precisely the opposite. I came to the conclusion that I never find exactly what I'm looking for when I'm in the market for something - if I need to buy something, I will without exceptions end up over-paying for something that I will eventually replace with a better version found at a better price.

So I buy stuff I like when I see it, not when I need it.

 

[ktrp]

Well, lets ignore what I've done in the past.

What I'd like to do is plan out what pieces I'd most like to add over the next year or so, and then if I see one of them at a bargain price, be ready to move.

I don't target 'outfits' per se, more building blocks.

 

[bananananana]

**** that. Kop at will.

 

[SpooPoker]

Originally Posted by bananananana

**** that. Kop at will.

+1

 

[SirGrotius]

Originally Posted by SpooPoker

+1

 

[alt.don]

I'm more impulsive in nature and thankfully can afford the cash hit to buy stuff in season. All that said, I want my duds to fit into a grand sartorial scheme of interchangeable outfits and color coordination. What savvy monkey wouldn't!

 

[Beaune Head]

Originally Posted by alt.don

Evening,
should I buy my new clothes strategically (buy an entire outfit at once (shoes, pants, belt, shirt,...)) or should I buy what hits my fancy (nice shirt, cool sweater and so on).

I don't know about buying an entire outfit at once, but I am convinced that buying individual items without having an outfit in mind is a costly mistake. You end up with a closet full of stuff that you never wear because none of it goes together. Resisting the impulse to buy, for example, a shirt, just because it seems like a cool shirt, is a discipline that is oddly difficult to acquire.

 

[Guero]

Originally Posted by Beaune Head

I don't know about buying an entire outfit at once, but I am convinced that buying individual items without having an outfit in mind is a costly mistake. You end up with a closet full of stuff that you never wear because none of it goes together. Resisting the impulse to buy, for example, a shirt, just because it seems like a cool shirt, is a discipline that is oddly difficult to acquire.

This is not the case when you have developed a comprehensive sense of your own wardrobe, though. While I don't buy entire outfits at once, I do buy discrete pieces knowing precisely where they fit in and without worrying about whether it "goes together." It takes time and a little investment in the process, but I haven't had many impulse buy regrets in a while -- unless you count shoes.

 

[Knucklehead]

Copping @ will and having a plan don't seem mutually exclusive. I like to think I have a balance between the two; I cop @ will if it fits into my personal style. I think its easy to do if you already have a good stock of the basics that work best for you. For me that means quality, simple items like solid ties, white shirts, grey flannel slacks, etc. So now if I come across an item thats more of a statement piece, I cop at will and pair it with my basics. I get some of the thrill of copping @ will without the regret.

 

[alt.don]

@Knuclehead, very well said Sir. I salute your eloquence on the matter as it largely encapsulates my own thinking.

 

[Dewey]

ad hoc, but always edit ... once you get to a certain (you'll know when you are there), practice one thing out, one thing in ... this will help you focus your style and grab ad hoc more strategically

 

[BoomDiggs]

I sat down and made a list of things I thought would fill holes in my wardrobe. I tried to adhere to the Mafoofan philosophy, that I would be better served to get fewer things that could be used in conjunction, as opposed to buying "outfits." I will also revise that list quarterly, to account for changes/evolution in my style. Now, I just look for those items, or if something off the list pops up and I like it, I consider whether I would have put it on the list had I thought about it. If so, I buy it, if not, I skip it.