Where I splurge and where I save
The clothes I will spend decent money on, and items that I often buy second-hand...
If you’re a regular reader of WithPockets, you’ll have noticed that the clothes and accessories I feature range from high-end designer to high street – and they aren’t necessarily aligned with ‘trends’. This is because expensive doesn’t necessarily equal interesting (or well made… I can think of a few very overpriced designers…). But also I like a bargain (I mean, who doesn’t?). And there’s nothing more satisfying (and more smugness inducing) than being able to say you got something really great second-hand.
I don’t tend to buy clothes in charity shops (however, I’m proud to say my donated clothes have graced the window display of our local Vinnies Op Shop for 16 consecutive weeks now, which feels like the ultimate vindication of my taste…). I know a lot of women who adore shopping in charity shops (including a surprising number of very senior female executives) but I don’t have the patience for it. When I’m shopping, I’m usually looking for something specific. It’s not unusual for me to walk into a regular shop, scan the racks and walk out again in 20 seconds if nothing piques my interest or the clothes are badly displayed (I mean, just buy a clothes steamer…). Also, I normally don’t have time to shop when shops are open because I frequently work ridiculous hours.
So, most of my second-hand buys are from eBay or specific second-hand online retailers. And I’m strategic about how I shop; or rather, I’ve learned from bitter experience to only buy certain items second-hand. I’ll tell you more about this below…
I also buy a lot of my clothes from archive and outlet sales because I’m not tied to what’s ‘in’ this season. If I like something, I’ll wear it regardless of whether it’s ‘on trend’. And frankly, if you have enough patience, clothing trends are cyclical and the styles you like will come around into fashion again sooner than you think.
If this all sounds like you, read on…
WithPockets x
WHERE I SPLURGE
Here are the items I’m guaranteed to spend proper money on and I never buy second-hand:
Knitwear
I never buy knitwear second-hand because knitwear requires preservation, and most people don’t take care of their clothes. Even if you don’t have the money for an Acme sweater, these days cashmere and merino wool are so ubiquitous and cheap in places like Uniqlo, it isn’t worth not buying it new. The other reason I never buy knitwear second hand was that years ago I bought a jumper from eBay that looked from the pictures to be in immaculate condition, and when I finally received it in the mail it transpired it had been shrunk in a dryer to about 1/3 its natural size and would probably only fit a cat.
Jackets
I’m generally pretty good at gauging if something will suit my body shape from pictures online but somehow jackets are my blind spot. I have made many bad online jacket purchases over the years so now I have a rule that I always need to try them on. An ill-fitting jacket or one with cheap fabric is always the first thing people notice (and it’s even more noticeable on men) so this one matters.
Flat shoes
My father used to buy his shoes from a Shoesmith in Jermyn Street because he was raised on the old saying that people judge a man by the quality of his shoes. By the way, they were always Oxford Brogues, which Guy Ritchie is completely wrong about in the movie franchise Kingsman.
I don’t know that saying holds true anymore, but I do know that it’s worth investing in a decent pair of flat (or low heel) shoes because they last. When I was younger, I bought a number of cheap shoes, and they never stood up to the amount of walking I do (which is a lot). Lesson learned.
Bags
This is a matter of personal preference, but I’ll never buy a bag second-hand because I don’t want to think about what’s been in it in the past...
WHERE I SAVE
Dresses
I have a very good track record of success buying designer work and event dresses on eBay. This is because many women only wear a ‘nice’ dress a couple of times before they grow out of it or grow tired of it. This has worked to my advantage for years.
High-heeled shoes and boots
For the same reasons above, I often get these second-hand. But they’re often not actually second-hand because many women buy high heels and wear them once, if at all. Especially post-Covid. I don’t wear heels all the time but if I have an important meeting I find they give me a confidence boost (OK, maybe I just enjoy intimidating short men…). I also wear heels if I’m going out with my husband because he is ridiculously tall and I don’t want to look like a child who’s being taken out for a treat.
Trousers
I buy suit trousers in the sales, but I will never buy them second-hand. Woollen suit trousers become shiny with wear, and no one wants to turn up to work with their backside looking like a public statue that people rub for good luck.
El Vecino Curioso statue in Madrid (picture credit: Alberto Andrés, TripAdvisor)
Glasses and sunglass frames
It’s not unheard of for me to buy second hand designer sunglasses and then get the lenses replaced by an optician. If I see frames I like I’m going to do that anyway because I have a prescription, so why not get something no one else has? After all, only the frames are ‘designer’ – the glass inside them is the same no matter what.
What do you spend money on and where do you save? What are your red lines? Also, I could write a whole article just on the strategies I use to save time and money on second-hand clothing websites, let me know if you’d be interested in that…