When I graduated from college, I landed a job as an Associate Project Manager, making way more than a 22 year should make. I had never made so much money in my life and I honestly didn't know what to do with it. I had no problem paying my bills and for the first time ever I actually had money left over! Where did all this money go? Clothing and shoes mostly. I had such an amazing work wardrobe. For the record, I didn't go super crazy; I wasn't buying designer clothes, but I had a ton of cute work clothes from Banana Republic, GAP, NY and Company (this was ten years ago when they had better clothes), Petite Sophisticate (before they went under) and Marshall Fields. I just didn't really think about my purchases. If I liked it, I bought it. I don't think I put a dime in my savings account. I had $100 knee-high Nine West boots. And possibly the worst thing I spent my money on was a Ralph Lauren grey wool suit with cigarette pants. I never wore it. the pants were too long (I'm 5'2") and I never got them altered. But how could I pass up a suit that was on sale for $100? Regular price $400. Such a deal! At the same time, I bought a floor length black satin Ralph Lauren skirt for $75. Regular price $200. This was also never worn. It was way too long and where would I actually wear that? At the time, I was sucked into the fact that it was a good deal. Fast forward eight months later, and I was fired from my job. I was stuck with a closet full of amazing clothes, no where to wear them, and a pretty small savings account. I managed to live off my unemployment and didn't buy clothes for a year and a half (this was torture!).
I found temporary work as a receptionist and finally full-time employment in retail. I consigned my Ralph Lauren purchases and the rest of the my glam career wardrobe went to Goodwill. I got over my compulsion to buy clothes I didn't need ( or so I thought). I developed a new obsession: the clearance racks. "It's such a good deal, I have to buy it" became my personal motto. This was probably just as bad. I ended up with a closet full of random, odd pieces that really were not me, but a good deal.
Working in retail, at first, was bad. I had access to super cute clothes before the general public. I impulsive bought garments. Over time, I wised up and realized that my impulsive buying led to a closet of random pieces. After six years in retail (yikes), I've learned my lesson and only buy the stuff that I really like.
What are the lessons I learned here?
- Don't buy something just because it is on sale. You need to really like the item to buy it.
- Impulsive purchases are generally a bad idea.
- Buying something just because you like the designer is bad news bears (think Ralph Lauren party skirt and sleek suit).
Even though they are really dated, I still have my black Nine West Knee-High boots as a reminder of my careless shopping days. Although, the boots were probably the one thing I wore the most. I just can't give them up; it's my reminder of my reckless shopping days.
Working in retail and living paycheck to paycheck made me really think about my clothing purchases. I began to rely on my existing wardrobe and turned to thrift stores for quirky clothing, coats, and accessories. Most importantly, I actually thought about my purchases. A year ago I moved from Minneapolis to Chicago and for the first time in 12 years I've had to pay tax on clothing. YIKES! 10.25%, to be exact. This has really curtailed my shopping habit.
There you have it. I think I've got bargain shopping down to a science and I can't wait to share my tips with you!
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