Photography by Dennis Trubeville
Shop My Look:
Dress | SammyDress (sold out, but this and this are similar)
Earrings | Mallory Shelter Jewelry
I don’t know where my desperate need for a giraffe print maxi dress came from, but when I saw this dress on SammyDress I instantly wanted it, but waited a few days just to make sure it wasn’t too absurd of a purchase. Now that I have it, it’s safe to say I’m obsessed with its unique print and flattering silhouette. Stylists and magazines often teach us not to buy quirky things on a whim because they usually just sit in your closet with the tags on them — resulting in what we like to call a case of buyer’s remorse. I’ve been the frequent victim of buyer’s remorse and I’m trying to get better at avoiding it. Then there’s the flipside of buyer’s remorse — when you really like something but you decide not to get it because of some reason or the other (it’s too expensive, I don’t really need it, where would I ever wear that?) only to end up nonstop thinking about it for the next month and it goes out of stock before you get the chance to purchase it. Both buyer’s remorse and the alternative suck, so I’ve put together some dos and don’t to help you out the next time you find a funky item and need some help rationalizing it.
DO GET IF:
- You can think of three different ways to style it. For example, I’ll wear this giraffe dress sans accessories for a more formal event, with a fur vest for something casual like a brunch, and my suede moto jacket when the temps drop
- You try it on and instantly do a little happy dance. You know the feeling, you put something on and you can’t put your finger on it but you just KNOW you will rock the ish out of that piece some way or the other
- It’s under $20. Will it fall apart after 2 washes? Possibly. Will $20 break the bank? Not if you can rationalize skipping your morning latte for the week. I know it’s hard, office coffee is gross, but if you really want something in your closet then you’ll give up your premium caffeine for the week
- You can justify the cost per wear. Let’s say you typically wear an item of clothing an average of 10 times. If the dress is $100, would I be willing to pay $10 to rent it for the day? If so, then you’re good to go
DON’T GET IT IF:
- You think to yourself “this will look great if I just lose 5 pounds.” WE MUST STOP DOING THIS! It’s literally just torturing yourself. PUT IT BACK!
- You have to ask 7 of your friends for their feedback. Sure, we all snap a fitting room selfie from time to time and send it to our group chats for approval, but if you have to ask that many people, you know in your gut it isn’t right
- It will go with nothing in your closet. If you have to buy new top, shoes, and potentially a matching purse to go with a trendy skirt, then is it really worth it?
- You’re only getting it because it’s cheap. Do you know how many $10 bodycon dresses with the tags still on them I have from college just “because it was so cheap!”? It’s embarrassing, especially considering I can’t stick more than one leg into them now. If you wouldn’t be willing to give up your daily coffee habit for a week to purchase something, just leave it on the rack
District Damsel 