I love this. Nearly my entire wardrobe is secondhand, and I've found incredible linen, cotton, and wool items, some from major designers, for just a few dollars. My favorite purchases are an authentic leather cross-body bag and an Italian-made pair of Oxfords, for which I paid a total of $16. Amazon could NEVER.
Great insights here, Evan! I have a few staple items like shoes, belt, and bags that are high quality fully tanned leather and last forever. You've inspired to go through my closet and again and see what needs to be let go of in favor of getting back to basics and high quality standards.
Another great article, appreciate it. A question for you guys: within the framework you’re proposing, how would you deal with high temperatures? Wool trousers and jackets aren’t the best fit for those climates, but I haven’t found a suitable replacement.
Someone asked this in our subscriber chat, and I mentioned that spring editions of What's In a Fit will cover this in-depth. There's even going to be a "James Bond Guide to Summer Style"!
I buy nearly all of my dress shirts at Goodwill and thrift stores and I sometimes get quality brands I wouldn't normally afford, but the low cost of things does tend to have the effect of leading me to purchase too many items, many of which I never really wear.
I periodically do cleanouts, where I sort through, try on, and then get rid of items that don't fit well, look good on me, etc. I know from experience that too many items in the closet does make it difficult to dress well and that unintentional purchasing leads to owning clothing that you end up not liking and getting rid of quickly.
I'm trying to wean myself away from unintentional shopping, but it's a challenge because I find thrifting exciting and fun, and as an older single guy, it distracts me from having to go home to my empty house and figure out what to do with my time. I recognize, though, the value of contentment and that it's what our faith commands.
I can understand that struggle. Once you get good at thrifting, it’s a real dopamine spike to go on the hunt and find yet another great deal you can’t pass up.
There’s definitely a temptation when we do anything out of boredom to do it to excess. Whether it’s eat too much, sleep in too long or buy too many things, it comes down to stewarding our time well and recognizing we’re filling a void with too much of the wrong thing and not enough of the right.
I do generally prefer natural materials, and I buy mostly second-hand. But synthetics can also be very good quality and well-made. I have a 40ish-year-old sweater which is 72% cotton and 28% polyester, my mother handed it down to me and it's still in great shape. I also have a second-hand vest (100% acrylic) and it pills as much as my merino wool garments, so wool also pills, both materials need the same amount of care in my experience. As for mending, you can absolutely mend polyester garments; Patagonia, for instance, offers free repairs, and I can attest their stuff is very durable :)
Exactly right. As quality worsens and many of the people making the clothes want them to be that way, it’s become imperative to do your due diligence and recognize the trap they’re laying for all of us to keep replacing items that used to last.
I love this. Nearly my entire wardrobe is secondhand, and I've found incredible linen, cotton, and wool items, some from major designers, for just a few dollars. My favorite purchases are an authentic leather cross-body bag and an Italian-made pair of Oxfords, for which I paid a total of $16. Amazon could NEVER.
Those are some great finds. Amazon WISHES it had deals like the secondhand market!
I agree wholeheartedly! And I shared your article to my Facebook account.
Thank you for helping get the word out!
Glad you liked it and thanks for sharing Suzanne!
Great insights here, Evan! I have a few staple items like shoes, belt, and bags that are high quality fully tanned leather and last forever. You've inspired to go through my closet and again and see what needs to be let go of in favor of getting back to basics and high quality standards.
Same here! The best thing about quality leather is that it ages beautifully and develops a character all its own through use.
Glad the article inspired you to trim down your closet!
Another great article, appreciate it. A question for you guys: within the framework you’re proposing, how would you deal with high temperatures? Wool trousers and jackets aren’t the best fit for those climates, but I haven’t found a suitable replacement.
Someone asked this in our subscriber chat, and I mentioned that spring editions of What's In a Fit will cover this in-depth. There's even going to be a "James Bond Guide to Summer Style"!
Excellent!
Great article. Many potent thoughts. Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I buy nearly all of my dress shirts at Goodwill and thrift stores and I sometimes get quality brands I wouldn't normally afford, but the low cost of things does tend to have the effect of leading me to purchase too many items, many of which I never really wear.
I periodically do cleanouts, where I sort through, try on, and then get rid of items that don't fit well, look good on me, etc. I know from experience that too many items in the closet does make it difficult to dress well and that unintentional purchasing leads to owning clothing that you end up not liking and getting rid of quickly.
I'm trying to wean myself away from unintentional shopping, but it's a challenge because I find thrifting exciting and fun, and as an older single guy, it distracts me from having to go home to my empty house and figure out what to do with my time. I recognize, though, the value of contentment and that it's what our faith commands.
I can understand that struggle. Once you get good at thrifting, it’s a real dopamine spike to go on the hunt and find yet another great deal you can’t pass up.
There’s definitely a temptation when we do anything out of boredom to do it to excess. Whether it’s eat too much, sleep in too long or buy too many things, it comes down to stewarding our time well and recognizing we’re filling a void with too much of the wrong thing and not enough of the right.
I do generally prefer natural materials, and I buy mostly second-hand. But synthetics can also be very good quality and well-made. I have a 40ish-year-old sweater which is 72% cotton and 28% polyester, my mother handed it down to me and it's still in great shape. I also have a second-hand vest (100% acrylic) and it pills as much as my merino wool garments, so wool also pills, both materials need the same amount of care in my experience. As for mending, you can absolutely mend polyester garments; Patagonia, for instance, offers free repairs, and I can attest their stuff is very durable :)
Exactly right. As quality worsens and many of the people making the clothes want them to be that way, it’s become imperative to do your due diligence and recognize the trap they’re laying for all of us to keep replacing items that used to last.