A lot of people are asking me these days, “How will you shop differently when the diet is over,” which by the way is in approx 168 days. Well, I have been thinking a lot about that question lately. One thing is for sure, I will attempt to buy quality over quantity, in all things, new and vintage. You?
Quality? I know, it’s a word we all throw around like “superior,” “craftsmanship,” and “high-end.” But I’m not talking about those marketing words…I’m talking about quality as in durability, sustainability and enduring style—perhaps even hand made (go figure).
“Yah, yah, yah,” you say…”Quality like that costs money.” Sure slapping down a Benjamin on a great sweater that you might wear for ten years sounds foreboding. But the alternative is simply deadly and quite frankly bad for everyone involved (can you say Chinese labor? Landfill? Excessive carbon footprint? The possibility of looking tacky?). Go with me on this. What would you rather have….ten cheaply made pieces in your closet that you paid a total of $500 for? (You know what I’m talking about those trendy items that will likely last a season or two?) Or an amazing piece of something or other that will take you to 2015 and beyond?
So what is my “quality” litmus test? In order to pass my “buy or reject” standard I must know the following before I buy it.
1) Where is the company based who is selling the item.
2) Who made the item?
3) Where was it made? Was it made in a country known for its quality? Does that country tend to value craftsmanship and detail? Are the people who work in the factory treated well?
4) Where will the product be shipped from?
5) Is there a guarantee from the brand?
6) Is it cute?
I suspect that my cost per item may go up in the short run but that I will save money and time in the end. My hope is that I will end up with a “lasting” wardrobe that will endure the test of time and not go out of style within a few months.
No more crap to wade through in my closet. Just well made, core items that always look great!
In the past few months I have uncovered some companies who produce and design amazing, high-quality products–some are local companies too. These companies are commited to creating products that last, (who knew?). Some of the gems I have uncovered are:
Farinaz a rockin’ high quality blouse maker. Products are designed in Seattle and manufactured in Vancouver Canada. Farinaz is owned and operated by a local Seattle woman committed to quality and style. Think Anne Fontaine meets Pink.
The other company is Hillary Day. A high end raincoat company in Portland Oregon. Hillary Day is committed to creating amazingly beautiful raincoats that are on par with Burberry and Nanette Lapore. Gorgeous designs, technical fabric and amazing craftsmanship. A Hillary Day raincoat may be the first thing I buy when I’m off the diet. All products are designed and made in Portland Oregon. Fabric is from Schoeller in Switzerland.
“My first collection includes three styles,” says Hillary Day. “Each raincoat is hand tailored here in Portland, Oregon. All are satin lined with a silver piping inside. Because, as we all know, a silver lining reminds us to look past the clouds, embrace the rain and sing.”
Lastly a company that I am really excited about buying from is an online company called Howies, a British company who is adamant about creating products that are so durably made that they can eventually be handed down to the next generation. Their website boasts “These products have been made to last. So that one day you can hand them down to someone else. And they can carry on their little journeys.”
And of course there is Etsy. www.etsy.com. Hand made and often home made products by local (as in USA) designers.
Now the question to you….will you shop differently when this diet is over?
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