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Quality vs. Quantity: How to Approach Shopping for Clothes

by Alex Evjen


[photo credit]

We have all heard the phrase “quality versus quantity,” and quality is what the emphasis is usually on, right? Well when it comes to style, we don’t necessarily need to have a battle over the two. We can have a full closet of quality pieces if we wish—it just depends on how we spend our money and where we shop.

I personally have fallen into the trap of impulse buying just as much as the next person, and to make it even worse the clothes are never quality. It’s HARD not to buy too much when stores like Target, Walmart, Forever 21, Charlotte Russe, and Old Navy make the prices so low and appealing.

Did you know that Europeans shop for each season, but tend to rotate only 9-12 pieces in their wardrobe for half of the year because their closets aren’t very big? They have their basics like jeans and tanks, and everything is well-made, and high quality because it has to hold up over time and last through many washes. This is not the case for us in the US. We usually have pretty big closets AND dressers to stash our clothes, so we buy more than we need.

What I want to say is this: just because we shop at Target and Old Navy doesn’t necessarily mean we have to sacrifice quality. Quality pieces can be found anywhere! To help you navigate your way in the store, below is a checklist to help you figure out whether something is quality when you shop:

  • Are the buttons sewn on strongly?
  • Are the seams even?
  • Are the seams loose?
  • Are the edges jagged?
  • How does the fabric feel? Rough? Itchy? Plastic?
  • Does the fabric drape well on your body?
  • When trying it on, does it pull or is it too loose?

Make sure the garment holds up to the tests above, and you’ve got yourself a quality piece clothing. Just be mindful of what you can afford and what you really need. God asks us to be responsible with what He as given us, and that includes the money we spend on clothing.

What inexpensive but quality piece of clothing has stood the test of time in your closet? Where did you find it and how did you know it would last?

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