2 Keys to Shopping for Modest Clothes

When I was twelve and thirteen, I honestly had no clue what I was shopping for, or even how to shop.

      Why does it matter if we know how to shop? Isn’t that kind of frivolous?

      This post is about keeping you from being frivolous.

      There are two things that I have found that have made me a much betters shopper. I rarely come home now from the store with things I only wear once—or never. 
      These are great keys for shopping for modest clothes, though they can apply to any shopping trip.

1.       How to evaluate the price

      I went shopping recently looking for a pair of black leggings at a second-hand store. I found an awesome pair of black jeggings, but they were $10. To me, $10 is a little more than I want to pay for second-hand leggings. But they were in great condition, were thick, and had pockets, so I decided to get them.

      I have worn them probably around thirty times since I bought them. I wear them under dresses, to bed, around the house, and, since they’re thick enough, I wear them with long tunics or flannels with boots out of the house.

      If I were to divide the price by the number of times I have worn them, I find that it cost me about $0.33 per times that I wore it. Plus, I plan on wearing them a lot more in the future.

Even though it was a tad more than ideal, I’ve gotten GREAT wear out of them. Knowing what I know now, I would be willing to pay $15 for them.

      If you buy a pair of shoes for $50, but then they pinch around the toes, and you wear them twice, that’s $25 per time you wore the shoes. I know I can’t afford that.

If you’re buying a really pretty, but fussy blouse, think about how many times you could see yourself wearing it. I’ve found that I don’t wear fussy clothes very much, even if they’re really pretty. They’re just too uncomfortable to wear often.

      The next time you’re buying something, estimate how many times you will wear it. Then divide the price by that. If you were renting it, would you want to pay $15 per time you wore it?

      This is how I evaluate the price of something I am buying. I will pay more for the things I know I will wear a lot, but I won’t pay much for—if I even buy—pieces that are fussy or uncomfortable.
       Shirts that require tank tops can be fussy, and it might be worth it to hold out until the next time to find a fuss-free modest shirt.

2.      Frequent trips over long trips

      By this, I mean that frequent shopping trips are better than one long shopping trip. This semester I drove my siblings to their piano lessons and would take them places during their breaks. My sister and I would get to go check out our favorite second-hand store every other week.

      We had less than hour, so our time was focused and productive. I always had a mission. One day my mission was to find a pair of skinny jeans because my good ones busted a hole in the knee. When I didn’t find a pair I liked, no problem. I would be back again soon.

      If you have the pressure of needing to get your entire modest wardrobe in one shopping visit, you’ll do a lot more “settling” instead of “adoring.” You won’t get excited about everything you get. It’ll be much more about having enough long sleeve shirts for the winter.
      You will probably end up with things that are a little more frumpy, or you might end up with things that aren't as modest.

      I understand that not everyone has the luxury of frequent shopping trips. But if you have an opportunity like I did, then go for it!

      I can’t think of a single purchase I made last fall that I wasn’t very pleased with.

      If you want more shopping tips, check out this post!

Do you have any shopping tips to share? What are your favorite places to shop? Share in the comments!

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10 Clothes Shopping Tips

 

1.         Don’t buy used tank tops. Tank tops don’t last very long, and if you buy them used, you’re not going to get much wear out of them. And plus, it’s kind of gross.

2.         Buy shoes that are YOUR SIZE. I buy a lot of my shoes second hand at Plato’s Closet. My thought was always, “If they’re one size too big or small, it’s not THAT big a difference, especially with closed toed shoes.” I may be the only person who’s thought that. But honestly, don’t do it. I’m a size 6.5, and I got a super cute size 5.5 pair of $14 dark brown Sperries that were in great shape. It was hard to beat. But I never wear them because they kill my feet. Even if it was a great deal, it was a poor use of my $14. Another pair of $14 shoes was a pair of red Kedds that were 8. Again, I didn’t think the size mattered because they were closed toed. But I never want to wear them because they’re so big on my feet! I had had my eye out for a pair of red Kedds, and I didn’t think I’d find another pair at Plato’s in such good condition… But again, I ended up wasting those $14 because I’ve worn the shoes once.

3.         Do you want to iron a ton? With button downs, don’t forget most of them have to be ironed every single time before wearing. I don’t wear most of my button downs very often because of that.

4.         If you live somewhere where the summers are really hot, do not buy a bunch of cute shirts that need tank tops. I found out the hard way they add a lot of extra bulk and heat. Instead, if you don’t want to wear t-shirts every day, buy ones that don’t need a tank top. I recently invested in three cute tops that don’t require a tank tops and I wear them all the time. Definitely worth it.

5.         Go for less, but more versatile. It’s better to have less STUFF, but have everything be extremely versatile. A good example of this is chambray. You can use it for dressy and for casual.

6.         If the shoe fits, don’t ALWAYS buy it. At the Plato’s that I shop at, they have this sign everywhere that says, “If the shoe fits, buy it.” I disagree. I found out that I don’t need five pairs of brown flats. If you already have a nice pair of black heels, don’t buy another.

7.         Wear a tank top under your shirt when you go shopping. If you want to try on say a dress with a low front, or a see-through blousy top, you’ll be very glad for that tank top.

8.         If it’s fussy in store, it’ll be fussy out of store. You don’t want to always be adjusting things. That can be very distracting and it’s not very discreet. I’m learning more and more the value of fuss-free clothing.

9.         White pants. Make sure they’re thick and not see-through. I know it is SO difficult to find good white pants, but you do not want to settle for see-through because you cannot find a good pair.

10.     Have a game plan. Good shopping is knowing exactly what you need and going for it. If you just want to go peruse, I’ve found it less likely to find something that you will actually really love. Shopping with a goal is also way more efficient.

 

Do you have shopping tips? What is a great tip that’s missing from my list? Share in the comments!

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