Shop smarter and find things you’ll love for a long time thanks to these helpful tips.
Autumn’s here and for many of us that means it’s time to take a look at our wardrobes, pulling out trusted pieces and old favourites, finding gaps, realising you may need something new for
Designers working to a traditional schedule are now releasing their new collections to the public: launching campaigns, updating websites and filling rails in store. And for designers and makers that have a more evergreen or single-category focus — knitwear, perhaps — autumn is an important time for them, as their goods command attention and relevance as the temperature dips.
It’s easy to get swept up and over-excited by a fresh season; new ideas are inspiring, and we find ourselves feeling renewed love for coats, jackets, knitwear and everything that comes with autumn outfits.
Adding to that, the increasingly fast churn of trends propagated by content creation and social media algorithms, and amplified by commentators and media, can make it seem like there is a new and different way to dress every week.
Feeling overwhelmed, confused and distracted by it all is understandable — we’ve all asked ourselves, “Do I actually like this thing, or have I just seen it in too many Instagram posts?” — and there’s a reinforcement in repetition.
All this can create a sense of overwhelm, and you run the risk of buying something that’s not true to you, may not honour the quality you need of it, and go unworn; compounded by feelings of guilt that you’ve wasted money and contributed to fashion’s environmental issues.
Much has been made of growing consumer demand, clothing waste, and the impact of trends on shopping habits, with the trend cycle and pace of production rising in tandem with other costs — and the impact it has on both the environment and the people who make our clothes.
How to update your wardrobe while navigating all of the complexities outlined above, buying what you need (and love) and making a good purchase?
The advice of the late, great Vivienne Westwood, “Buy less, choose well, make it last,” is as relevant and universal as ever. Adding to that, taking time to understand your personal style and how you want to express yourself to the world will help you build a collection of clothes that you’ll wear a lot, keep a long time, and love.
So, by aquainting yourself with these tips as you navigate autumn fashion, and practising slower and more thoughtful shopping, we hope you’ll find things that are fit for purpose and bring joy to your life. And, though the following advice is timely for a new season, it’s valid all year round too.
What Do I Need?
Take a stocktake of what you have, how often you wear things, and under what circumstances. This can help you create your own personal criteria for getting dressed and choosing clothes.
What do you have already, and why does it take up space in your wardrobe?
Do you own a lot of colour? That’s great. When shopping for new-season knitwear, if you know you’ll wear a bright yellow cardigan more than a “practical” grey one, then go with your gut instinct and invest in the former. While a grey jumper might seem like the sensible choice and an “essential” item, if you never want to wear it, then there’s no point in owning one.
By acquainting yourself with what you have already (and what you actually wear regularly) you can become more attuned to your own uniformity and personal style, and what the rhythms of your wardrobe are.
Take time to understand what you love about something — this will give you clarity on the attributes you value in clothing, and what brings you joy. Perhaps it’s the weight and texture of a fabric that makes something appealing. If so, you know to prioritise these details when shopping for new pieces.
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Advertise with NZME.This activity is also a good time to assess what you’re no longer wearing or loving; put these away out of sight — you may come back to them with renewed love in a few years — or rehome them so someone else can enjoy them.
What gaps need to be filled — and why?
From looking at what you currently own, you’ll be able to see some holes or opportunities. Perhaps it’s a deep-seated desire to wear something red, or coming to the realisation that you really do need a raincoat after all.
Ask yourself, “Why do I feel like I need this?” Is it because you saw it on somebody else, looking fabulous, and felt a surge of jealousy or admiration? That’s okay, and there’s so much inspiration to be found in the people around us — people-watching is a pleasure! But be honest with yourself, and question whether their taste, life and appearance are similar enough to yours that it would suit you too.
Does that need come from somewhere personal, functional and fulfill some kind of a brief, like smart loafers that you can walk to work in? Or is that gap simply a result of change? Remember, we’re not static beings, so neither are our wardrobes; we change and our lives change. So, it makes sense that our wardrobe might not feel quite right anymore. When this happens, take time to consider why — what’s not working and how come?
How can I fill that hole?
Sometimes the answer isn’t as literal as you think. You could scratch that itch for something scarlet with red nail polish instead. But if the solution is more direct, then it’s time to start looking.
Don’t think of it as shopping
You’re cultivating your look and expressing yourself, and you’re shaping how you move through the world. Approach your wardrobe accordingly. What will fill a gap, or reflect a change in a way that soothes your soul and communicates a more true sense of yourself? How do you want your clothes to make you feel?
Where Can I Find It?
When you’ve settled on something you need, or truly want to wear, it’s time to find something fit for purpose. To do this well can require some effort.
While passively consuming digital content is an easy route in a stressful world, it removes agency and input from the process. Algorithmic social media serves us up trends, influencers wearing gifted or sponsored garb, and an increasingly narrow view of what to wear — flat, feed-friendly fashion and logo-heavy statement pieces that grab attention have both proved popular for a reason.
But finding things that resonate with you is half the fun, and often makes the end result more satisfying. If you have the energy, time and means, making an effort to find something you really love can make the outcome far more rewarding.
Cast your net wide for inspiration
Again, don’t just rely on your social media feed, take some time to look beyond that. Are you finding yourself drawn to the new power dressing we’re seeing on the runways? Seek out the original source material — watch films from the 1980s, look up some old magazines, and search the names you find in the credits of the pages on eBay, Etsy or Google for ideas. While you don’t need to buy the vintage you find, it can help train your eye to see and understand design, finishing and quality.
Save and categorise what you find so you can come back to it later. Pinterest is great for this (it can pull from any website or app) and you can create a secret board that only you can see.
If you actively save things in one place, you not only prevent them from being lost in the endless, ephemeral scroll of social media, but you also become a more active agent in finding things you like. Reflecting on this, you will see patterns emerge, and be able to understand the garments, aesthetics, colours and silhouettes you’re drawn to.
Follow brands and designers that resonate with you — whether it’s an aesthetic, their ethos, the manufacturing process, or location. Connecting with businesses that have some commonalities with your own approach to getting dressed, and similar values, will make it easier to find things worth having.
Seek out people that have an approach to getting dressed that resonates and is relatable to you, rather than makes you feel bad or jealous. Cull your hate follows, and instead, keep tabs on a handful of people that truly inspire.
Go to the library.
Should I buy new or vintage?
Pre-loved or new-to-you clothes are often a great, budget-friendly way to update your wardrobe or find something really special, but it does warrant the same critical decision-making and honesty as shopping new — a huge vintage haul isn’t helping anybody if you won’t wear it all, or end up throwing it out. If you don’t really love or need it, leave it for someone else.
Some items are well-suited to second-hand sourcing. Vintage is a great option for cold-weather clothes; high-ticket items like coats and knitwear can be considerably more affordable if pre-owned, while the quality of older-model items is often higher than their newer counterparts.
However, vintage sizing can be restrictive; fits often run smaller than contemporary standards, there aren’t multiple sizes to try on, something may have shrunk or been altered by a previous owner, and buying online can be tricky. To avoid the risk of buying something that doesn’t fit, learn to measure yourself, and gain an understanding of vintage sizing and which brands made their clothes well.
Is this garment “the one”?
Rather than buying five “that’ll do” iterations of an item second-hand that you don’t really wear, taking the time to find and invest in a new version that fits you well and will garner a lot of use is smarter.
Likewise, an organic cotton T-shirt that doesn’t get taken out of the wardrobe isn’t necessarily a sustainable purchase in the long run: find it a new caretaker so someone else can enjoy it.
Do I even need to buy this?
Consider rental options or swapping with friends — particularly when it comes to special-occasion events.
Is This What I Need?
Going back to our first question, does this item fulfil your requirements, tick boxes, and make you feel something?
Be practical
While fantasising about being the kind of person who wears stiletto heels to dinner can be nice, in the long run, it’s generally better to be realistic. That way, you’ll prevent snap purchases and “one-day” items.
Take a look at your life. Where do you go and how do you get there? What do you do in a week? What’s the weather like in your city? Do you take the bus? By being honest with yourself — ask yourself what you actually wear regularly and why — you’ll be able to build a wardrobe with things that fulfil their purpose and enhance your experience.
It also helps you to understand where to weight your spend; if your office is freezing, then having a roster of light, tidy knitwear that can fit in a work bag is a smart idea.
That said, you can still take a romantic approach to your own life. A great pair of boots or a fantastic coat can make walking to work a joy.
Understand a garment’s qualities
A good coat should have pockets and provide warmth or protection (ideally both), winter boots should have walkable tread, and underwear should breathe well.
Learning to judge the quality of fabric, manufacturing and utility, while also assessing which are a priority to you, can help you navigate your budget accordingly. Is this going to last, will it age well, and what can I do to ensure that it does?
If your jeans wear out frequently, investing in sturdier, more expensive pair with thicker fabric can provide savings in the long run; catching wear and tear early, and acting on it, can help extend the lifecycle of a garment and prevent worse damage.
Look at (and beyond) the label
Not every pair of boots are equal and, while a trendy following and high price point can make something seem premium, it doesn’t always equate to high quality.
Take a good look at the care label. A wool blend is more likely to pill, while a dry clean-only care instruction will alert you that this garment can’t just be chucked in the washing machine.
Manufacturing locations can also explain a price point — the cost and scarcity of skills, time and labour in New Zealand contribute considerably to the price of garments made here — however, many global countries produce high-quality garments worthy of their price tag, with specialist skills and technology that we may not have here.
Check the seams, and the lining, and see how securely the buttons are attached; all of these things can give you an idea of how well a garment will hold up to wear, and it’s good to have some simple mending skills like fixing a hem, or reattaching a button. Consider care that may be required, and whether something is designed to be repaired; can these boots be re-soled easily?
Does this item stand alone?
Or do you need to buy something else to make it work? If that’s the case, perhaps it’s not what you need now. Go back to question one.
What does this say about me?
Here at Viva, we’re big supporters of the role that clothing and adornment play in self-expression, communication and culture — it can be a powerful tool indeed. When looking for something new, ask yourself what you want it to represent. What do you want to say and why?
Clothing is a form of visual communication and identity creation. Thinking about the messages and meaning in our clothes can help us make purchases that are more satisfying and purposeful, while also being more likely to stick around in our wardrobes for a long time.
A new season is an apt time for some self-reflection. Consider why you feel drawn to a leather jacket or an ultra-feminine dress — are you reflecting or projecting? The right garment can help you respond to what’s going on externally and internally, so don’t dismiss those feelings.
Can This Wait?
We buy things for myriad reasons, not just because we need or like something.
Sometimes it’s a sense of urgency — that “last” item in stock, or 24-hour sale — while other times, making a purchase comes out of the need for a reward or a sense of control, as a balm to a bad day, or from a behavioural scarcity mindset.
Click something other than “buy now”
If you discover something great, and fear never seeing it again, rather than buy it on the spot, save it somewhere or make a note (again, Pinterest is great for this, and I have a “shopping” board to save things that I think I want) or even just put it on hold at a store and come back.
By waiting it out, and giving yourself the chance to ruminate, you get to see whether that initial rush of desire wanes. If you forget about something entirely, it’s probably not the one. But if you keep thinking about that one perfect pair of jeans, then they might be just the ticket.
Think about it
By waiting, you can also prevent shopping while in the wrong frame of mind. It’s important to be in the right headspace; carve out some mindful time to shop, look and purchase — rather than shopping while hungry, sad, or in a rush.
Have You Done Some Research?
Another benefit of waiting it out: you can buy yourself time to do a background check.
See what the experts say
Find some trusted sources, whether influential people or media, and see what they recommend. Many of these people have spent their lives working in the fashion industry, and know it inside out. More often than not, most people want to give helpful advice and good recommendations, so build a list of advice portals that you trust.
Do your homework
Here’s where the internet comes in handy, and there’s a lot to be said about its powerful role in sharing information, challenging traditional silos of knowledge and access, and fostering communities — especially when it comes to the traditionally exclusive hierarchies of fashion.
Read customer reviews on different websites, and compare product information and sizing details; these can differ for different stockists, with some providing more helpful details than others.
Lurk on Instagram; check the tagged post section of a brands page, or search hashtags, to see people who’ve worn an item in the wild — this can help you see it on different body shapes or contexts, and get a vision of it outside of studio lighting, retouching and marketing material.
Dig around on Reddit and other forums. Particularly when it comes to fan-favourite brands, vintage, or high-stakes purchases, there can be a wealth of information to be found in these places. There are a lot of fashion obsessives out there, many with their own communities and networks, and you can find a revelation of honest advice, helpful discussions and differing opinions.
Take yourself offline too
While e-commerce websites and forums can have great information and anecdotal advice, nothing compares to trying something on for yourself: experience the fit, compare sizes, feel the fabric, sit down in those pants, talk to the sales assistant — walk in those shoes!
Again, don’t rush. Take a friend with you, go back a couple of times, taking some of your own clothes to try on with it: this will help you know if it works with your current wardrobe.
And, importantly, if you like what you’ve found, buy it. Don’t go online to buy it later from another website — or even worse, while you’re still in the store — even though it might be 10 per cent cheaper. That difference in prices covers the experience you’ve just had trying something on in person, getting first-hand help, and supporting brick-and-mortar employers in your neighbourhood.
Slowing down our shopping goes beyond your next purchase.
