To Quality, or to Quanity? That’s the Question!

Welcome back to this week’s fashion column, fabulous divas! My sister has an addiction to rings. We both went home a couple of days ago, and she had received a package which contained a set of, you guessed it, rings. I asked her if they would tarnish and she said no they’re from Francesca’s, and I asked if they were expensive and she said no, and then I said, “well girl then they’re going to tarnish.” Hey, maybe they will be of the most exquisite quality, and I will be the fool, but I have a feeling her fingers will be turning green in a month or so. In any case, this brings up the conversation of quality over quantity.

I understand the draw towards inexpensive, convenient-to-buy pieces, and trust me, I sure can’t throw the first stone. I have fallen into the diabolical trap of ordering clothes from online fast fashion stores like Cider, Pretty Little Thing, etc. In the past five-ish years, though, I’ve really tried to find stores online that sell good-quality, ethically made and sourced pieces that don’t drain my bank account.

I gotta admit, I haven’t found a go-to site that checks all three boxes, for clothes at least. My websites of choice for jewelry, though, are Mai Desiree and En Route. I wear earrings and necklaces from these stores every day, and they haven’t tarnished at all. I wouldn’t say they’re inexpensive, but for good jewelry, they’re reasonably priced. From what I have researched, they claim to be ethical brands in their sourcing, environmental impact and manufacturing process. I always stay wary, though, because these brands can say all they want on their website and blogs, but you never know if that’s the full story.

Back to the topic of clothes, a good way to find nice pieces without breaking the bank is, of course, to thrift. In order to be successful in your thrifting outing, you need to have patience, time and willingness to comb thoroughly through the racks to find the needle in the haystack. The rise of thrifting also decreases the demand for mass fashion production (fast fashion). However, there are unexpected problems tied to high amounts of thrifting, so it’s important to be mindful no matter where you buy from.

As mentioned, ethical and goodquality fashion is typically expensive, and if I had the money, my dream
brand to wear would be Mirror Palais. The designs are so dreamy and seem like pieces of art. Furthermore, they are hand-made in small batches and ethically sourced. If you take a look at the website and see the prices, though, you’ll understand why the average person doesn’t have the reasonable ability to purchase anything from this store. The head designer for Mirror Palais is a man, but you can tell through his pieces that he understands the nuance of femininity and beauty and art and expresses this through the clothes. I may discuss Mirror Palais further in future articles, so stay tuned!

I find that to rationalize buying pricey, high-quality clothes, it’s helpful to think of it as an investment. Well-made clothes can potentially last a lifetime if they’re taken care of. This investment mindset helps me discern what I’ll actually wear if I’m spending a pretty penny. In other words, I try to be mindful and imagine in what settings I’d wear said piece, if I have pieces that go with the potential one and if it coincides with my style—not that I limit myself to certain styles, but I may be less likely to wear a piece if it doesn’t feel like me in some way or another. So, for me, this investment in quality over quantity increases my mindfulness and appreciation for what I buy.

High-quality fashion is also more enjoyable to wear—the material, the way it fits, etc.—it’s like a little luxury. I understand that some people don’t care about experiencing this luxury, and that’s totally okay, but I feel like if you’re reading this far down in a fashion column, you maybe do care at least a little. You may have the preoccupation that it’s harder to have variety in your wardrobe if you choose quality over quantity. However, being strategic with layering and recognizing your pieces’ many potential styles (e.g., a silk scarf as a
headscarf, a neck scarf, a sleeveless top, a belt, etc.) increases your closet’s “volume” exponentially. As Lizzy McGuire courageously stated, “it’s far better to be an outfit repeater than an outfit rememberer!” So, make full use of your pieces without reserve! And don’t forget to stay stylin!