hopping after the holiday sales can be
very rewarding! Here are some suggestions when buying ready-to-wear clothing:
Find a store that specializes in the kind of merchandise suited to your
individual needs.
Find a department in a large store where the buyer’s taste coincides with
your taste and your pocketbook.
Recognize and shop in stores that specialize in "fashion merchandise"
suited to your lifestyle.
Be able to recognize fashion. Study fashion magazines, store displays in
your part of the country/locale, attend fashion shows, etc. Discriminate
between fashions that are well designed, functional, beautiful and becoming
and those that are merely "new and different."
Consider style, fashion and wear ability factors in relation to original
and upkeep costs.
Be willing to go with a garment size(s) based on comfort, wear ability and
fit.
Read garment label(s) for information about fiber content, possible
shrinkage, colorfastness, type of finish, care requirements, etc.
Plan the purchase of more costly garments (suits, coats, etc.) for
different years. Buy the best you can afford. Quality is often economy.
Buy more non-seasonal than seasonal clothing. Consider items from such
fabrics as gabardine, rayon suiting, cotton knits, etc. Avoid seasonal trims
such as suede, fur, organdy, etc.
Keep to a basic color for more expensive accessories (shoes, belts, etc.)
and outerwear garments (coats). Plan color around your own personal coloring
and the colors you wear most often. Basic colors should blend or harmonize
with other colors in your wardrobe.
Discipline "impulse buying."
Think and plan around wardrobe capsules or units. Ask yourself what other
garments/items in your wardrobe can be mixed and worn with the new potential
item?
Remember, the lowest priced garment is not always the most economical.
Evaluate quality based on good design, lasting fashion, durability of fabric,
ease of care, and suitability to the individual and his/her environment,
rather than on the original cost alone.
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