So I thought I'd share my own fashion saves & splurges -- please share some yours in the comments!
My top cheap-outs:
Things I can't stand paying full-price for or buying fancy brands...
- Sandals (they're just going to get beat up, besides, there's hardly any there there)
- Underwear (plain cheap cotton bikinis in a 3-pack, thanks)
- Most accessories (hair pins, scarves, belts, flashy jewelry; I might make jewelry out of expensive materials, but I'll rarely buy it)
- Skin care products (plain drugstore stuff only)
- T-shirts & similar "layering" pieces (solid color, boring-but-necessary basics that will be worn underneath sweaters & jackets -- why spend more? I buy a bunch of cheap ones in black & a few other dark colors, replace as needed)
Things I have a hard time passing up, even tho' they're pricey...
- Lipstick (so creamy, such deep pigments, so many colors! hard to find all that in the cheaper ones)
- Tights (I'm a convert -- expensive brands tend to last longer & also have a wider range of sizes, unlike the "one size fits some" cheapos)
- Perfume & scents (I don't wear them often anymore, but what I do like is always high quality, such as Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs or a couple designer scents like Anna Sui; my husband has this same addiction, & oh boy, does he smell great!)
- Hangers (Joan Crawford was right: No more wire coat hangers! they wreak havoc on your clothes -- but that said, I sometimes find my fave. padded, reinforced steel hangers on sale at Ross or TJ Maxx...)
- Jeans that fit (my petite plus-size holy grail, especially if they're black! I will pay any amount of money if/when I find jeans that feel & look good on me; they're so dang rare)
I show on my blog that I have splurged in a big way with handbags. I'm trying to quit.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post!
ReplyDeleteI definitely wouldn't skimp on skincare (pure ingredient health store brands for me) and though I buy cotton undies now and then, I prefer designer brands for looking sexy and lasting longer.
I had never bought nice lipstick (not from a drugstore) until this week--bought MAC online (so much cheaper that way!).
I love good perfume too.
I skimp on: salon visits (I prefer to do things myself) and eyeshadow (cheap ones do just fine).
I spend more on boots, purses, foundation and concealer, and hair products, especially hot rollers on irons.
It's embarrassing that it was much easier for me to think of splurges than saves.
ReplyDeleteSaves: Salon visits (most hairdressers don't know what to do with my hair anyhow, so I've just been trimming it myself), pantyhose (the cats just destroy them), and casual socks.
Splurges: I spend more on purses and shoes because the cheap ones tend to fall apart on me. My ultimate splurge is Fluevogs: their Mini heel is the *only* heel I can wear comfortably all day, so while I stalk eBay and the Fluevog sales page to get cheaper prices, those purchases do add up quick. (The red Dollface heels were so worth it, though!)
Wow, I just found your blog and I love it!
ReplyDeleteI just started blogging about being a Goth in the Grown-Up World myself and here I find someone who's been there and has done that. :)
Sal
from stilldark.wordpress.com
Well...I really don't splurge on anything! I have come to appreciate higher quality in many things, but when I want them, I look hard for ways to get them for less. For instance:
ReplyDelete- BPAL I only buy in imp size (it takes me a long time to go through scent).
- I never remember to put on lipstick and I'm very mixed on how it plays on me anyway, so I don't spend on it!
- Underwear: find good brands retail, then buy on eBay (bras) or TJMaxx/Ross (bottoms)! As a 34F I can't just buy normal-range bras either. And, unlike a lot of people, I couldn't care less if my undergarments match or not.
- I also don't give much of a fig about handbags. I have a few, bought them at a discount, my attention to them stops about there.
- Makeup: I now prefer certain high quality, high performance Wet n' Wild, E.L.F., L'Oreal H.I.P. etc. for shadows. No more department stores.
- Skin care: olive oil from the supermarket, couple of Paula's Choice items, a few other carefully vetted things with few ingredients. I pay serious attention to what's in things and not paying for the sham stuff that is marketed at us.
- Salons: I go to mid-price places because they are better than the cheap ones, but no more often than twice a year.
And so on!