Thrifty Tip #15: Know Your Brands

I love J. Crew. And Coach. And Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs. 

In actuality I love a LOT of different brands and labels. And honestly the only way I have so much access to them is through resale, consignment and thrift.

And I'm perfectly ok with that. 

I've never claimed to be nor have ever been the woman to walk into Neiman's, Nordstroms, or any of those other super stores of glamour, pick what I want off of the shelf and slam my little credit card on the counter and say "Charge it." Far from the truth.

In fact I remember a time in my life growing up when Gap was a luxury, when Prada was a dream, and when hand-me-downs were a vital necessity. 

But now, after shopping thrift for over a decade, every brand is achievable. And I've gotten to see which brands I love as opposed to loving all brands and purchasing them simply because they may be high end and are at the thrift costing less than my morning cup of Starbucks. Remember the 2nd Thrifty Tip is Don't be a label whore and the 4th is Don't be a hoarder. 

DONT BUY IT IF YOU DONT LOVE IT. BUY IT BECAUSE YOU LOVE IT. Buy it because it fits, because it's great quality, and because it's produced by a brand you like, admire, and respect for quality.

So what does knowing your brands actually mean?

1) Knowing your brands means knowing how they produce items. If you're the ethical shopper who wants to make sure labor eras are paid well, look into the practices of certain brands. If your the animal friendly shopper, look into how different materials are produced or procured.

2) Knowing your brands means knowing which brands cater to your lifestyle. If you're a laid back, sweatshirt and chucks or athletic apparel type of person (like I am) look into the brands that produce a style that most reflects who you are. For me, I love Lululemon and I find plenty of it in amazing condition. I also need the occasional dress or pants and we all know how I feel about blazers. Look into different companies. I know I love the fit of Valentino Blazers but I love structure of Armani Blazers, and both I've found in resale for way cheaper than you think.

3) Knowing your brands means knowing what fits your body type. For me, I know that H&M pants DO NOT fit me. I have a thick lower body (and I'm not complaining either) and I just don't fit in their more narrow cuts. However, Joes Jeans, Seven for All Mankind, and Gap fit me like magic. It doesn't mean I beat myself up, starve myself, or try to augment my body to try to fit the one pair of H&M pants at the thrift. If means that if I see them on the rack, since I already know their cuts are more narrow, I need to look for a larger size  than I wear typically (if they have multiples), or keep it moving into other pants.

Essentially, knowing your brands means doing the research. It means doing the work to craft and create you own personal style instead of being a cookie cutter of what everyone else is wearing. It means being committed to who you are and letting the clothes speak about that instead of letting the clothes tell you who you are.

I guess the price I pay for not shelling out hundreds of dollars on quality items in typical retail is tons of research and knowledge of brands. But at the end of the day, my bank accounts, credit cards, and closet, and a few friends benefit from that. So I guess I'll pay that price, gladly.