It is no secret that I love a good outfit. And accessories. Give me a new bag or shoes and I am one happy girl. Gifts are my love language and I just really love stuff. I don’t know another way to say it, I love stuff.

Now, short disclaimer, I don’t love random stuff - decluttering and throwing/giving stuff away is the name of my game but I do love stuff that is intentional, thought out and will fit into my lifestyle. So, before you go giving me the side eye on loving all the things, just know that I am intentional with my shopping and purchasing.

Which brings me to another Keeping Up with Kate this time, #OOTD! Because while I love clothes and shoes and all the things, I am a little particular about what I purchase and I think you should too!

There have actually been times where I have talked women out of buying something from my boutique. Why? Because I want you to actually wear what you buy and love it. It doesn’t matter if that was a “lost sale” for me because at the end of the day, I want you to come back for more, not have a piece that just gets stuffed in the back of your closet never to see the light of day.

So, what do I look for when shopping for the right outfit? What do I encourage the women to think about and check off while they shop at my boutique?

It is really simple. Here are the 5 questions I ask myself before making the purchase…

1. Does it fit me?

   • Ladies, please for the love can we stop buying stuff that doesn’t fit us. Buying the jeans you “hope to” fit in one day doesn’t do anyone any favors and only makes us harder on ourselves. Buy what fits. Cut out the tag if needed but I promise, when you purchase the size that fits your body today, it will be way more flattering and you will actually wear it.

2. Will I actually wear it and when?

   • I know I am not the only one guilty of buying something only to wear it one time or, buy it for an occasion not wear it and then just have it sit. That is a waste of money and space to be frank. We need to wear what we are buying so I challenge you to think through when and where you will wear something and how many different ways you can style it to get the most use out of it. If something does not fit into my current lifestyle the chances of me wearing it are slim.

3. Do I love it?

   • Seems simple enough right? But, how many times do we buy something because it is on trend, in style or because we saw so and so wear it and loved it on her? Do we love it on us? Because I can tell you as someone who is 5 foot tall, not everything looks great on me that I love on others. I have to love it before I buy it and you should too…otherwise, see question 2, will you actually wear it?

4. Can I afford it?

   • Okay this one gets a little deeper. I am never in favor of going into debt to keep up with the Jones’. Do I have some luxury items in my closet. Yes! And I don’t regret them for one second because we saved for them and they were purchased for a special occasion. Can I afford to only purchase those items? No way. I pair my Golden Goose with Walmart and Target stuff, I wear my Louis with my Denner wallet. Make sure you are buying what you can afford and not killing yourself financially to keep up. It isn’t worth it ladies

5. Can I borrow it?

   1. This question does not always apply but it is something that I have started asking myself when it comes to those one off pieces that we need. A wedding we are going to needing black tie. A trip that needs a huge coat when I live in Florida. If these are large purchases that will only get used once, I think, can I borrow it. Something like Rent the Runway is an amazing option. A friend of mine is borrowing one of my coats for an upcoming trip. I borrowed a purse from my friend to go to Disney because I wanted a Minnie Mouse purse. We don’t need to buy everything especially if it is a one time need.

I hope this helps you be more thoughtful in your purchases especially if you are like me and love stuff. It has helped me tremendously purchase things that I love and will use over and over.