There are some lies from the fashion industry that they have been pushing in a bid to put their hands in our pockets and get us to spend more. They tell those lies through social media, TV, magazines, and the media. Once you know these lies, you can walk away from them and control how you spend money on fashion and beauty products.
What are these lies from the fashion industry?
Lie 1: Expensive Is Better Quality
I have also fallen for this lie before because, in an ideal world, you would expect that an item costs more because it costs more to produce. The fashion industry has perpetuated this lie and used it to its benefit.
A lot of brands sell expensive products that have very low-quality materials. You can find a costly jacket with 90% polyester and 10% wool.
Checking what makes up the product you want to buy helps to determine if it is worth the money you are paying for it.
Before making an expensive purchase, ask yourself:
What is the quality of the fabric that makes up the dress you are trying to buy?
What are the ingredients of the beauty product you are trying to buy?
Lie 2: Brand Name Is a Guarantee of Quality
The fact that you are wearing or buying a Balenciaga t-shirt does not mean it will last longer than an M&S brand. Most times, what they are selling to you is a brand name.
They feed into your need to belong and look rich when you are not rich by selling that Balenciaga t-shirt or Gucci belt, which are not necessarily better quality.
Lie 3: When Something is Hyped, it is Better
I blame fashion influencers for selling us this lie because they get paid to hype these products. Sometimes, some products get good publicity, so everybody starts using and buying them.
You may automatically think such products are better. Then you jump on the bandwagon for fear of missing out, forgetting that the fact that something is being hyped and in vogue does not make it better or necessary.
Lie 4: If It Fits You, Buy More Of It
There’s this particular pair of trousers from Zara that comes in about 20 colors. You may want to buy more of that trousers in different colors.
It was designed to make you look good because of its perfect fitting, and many fashion stylists are going for it in different colors.
The fashion industry is lying to you that you need multiple clothing items in different colors because it fits you.
Lie 5: You Need More Clothes
There are people who, once you see their wardrobes, can easily conclude that is where all their money is going. Sis, you do not need more clothes!
You do not need all those blazers in different colors, especially when you don’t go out often. Before you know it, these clothes are out of season, especially for those living in places with different seasons.
You wear the summer pieces for two months, move on to the autumn pieces, and keep buying more clothes for different seasons.
Lie 6: You Need To Be on Trend
The fashion industry tells you this is a new trend; you don’t need to wear straight jeans anymore, skinny denim is the new fashion, and so on.
The best way to stay on top of this lie is to buy classics like white tees, blue pairs of jeans, good leather shoes, and bags. Wear things that have nothing to do with trends.
Your classics never go out of fashion. Show up daily looking good in high-quality pieces, and stop shopping till you drop.
You can buy one or two trendy pieces in a season, but constantly being on trend and ensuring all your outfits are in vogue is a way to get you to spend more.
Also, you may spend more often if you have the black girl luxury aesthetics. Keeping up with those aesthetics and not feeling left out would impact your finances. Walk away from that life.
Some brands sell affordable clothes that enable you to be in trend, but after spending so much money on them, your wardrobe becomes full. You keep buying them because they are cheap. In the end, there is nothing left to save and invest. Don’t fall for this lie anymore.
Photo by Godisable Jacob on Pexels.com
Lie 7: You Need To Wear New Clothes
The fashion industry makes you feel like you need to buy new clothes. They make it look like repeating clothes is a terrible thing. So for every event you have, you feel compelled to buy new clothes, bags, and shoes.
This concept of not repeating clothes is a lie that the fashion industry tells to keep you buying and consuming. Ignore that lie; clothes are to be worn repeatedly.
While growing up, if you do not wear your clothes more than once or twice, we believe you probably borrowed them. Funny as it sounds, it was a common belief back then. So repeating your clothes is a sign that they are yours. Repeat them, and style them differently.
Don’t be someone that has a full wardrobe and an empty pocket. Break away from this habit.
Photo by Godisable Jacob on Pexels.com
Lie 8: You Need To Wear Designer Pieces
There’s this lie that wearing designer wears is a sign that you are rich, comfortable, and you love yourself. A designer product does not always mean quality. You don’t have to wear expensive pieces to look good.
It is not a measure of whether you are doing well. The sign that you are doing well is when your pension is in place, your investments are doing well, and you have an emergency fund.
You cannot have all the expensive pieces in your wardrobe without a single investment or emergency fund. Walk away from this lie.
You can mix some designer pieces with your other wears if you love to and can afford them, but wearing designer all through is unnecessary.
Look out for high-street brands that make quality fabrics that are kind to your body and your environment, like cotton, wool, and linen. Go for them; they tend to last even much longer. Watch out for good leather and durable pieces that are less expensive also.
Photo by Godisable Jacob on Pexels.com
Lie 9: You Need To Own or Wear A Lot of Makeup
I love wearing makeup, but I do not own a lot of makeup. Sometimes, you forget that makeup products expire in 12, 18, or 24 months. However, these companies have found a way to use influencers to make you buy more.
Some beauty influencers display about twenty different foundations, ten eye shadow boxes, and 25 different lipstick colors and brands. They want you to buy five or six foundations and mix them on your face. You don’t need that much.
Identify the ones that suit you the most and get one or two. Accumulating these products is hurting your pocket because, for every 20 pounds you spend on makeup products that you don’t need, that is 20 pounds that could have gone into your investment or savings ISA.
You can have nice quality makeup products in just two or three pairs at a time; you don’t need six or ten.
Photo by Andy Coffie on Pexels.com
Lie 10: Facemask is Good For Your Skin
Facemask is a beauty industry lie. If you like to wear a face mask because it makes you feel good, that’s fine. But really, they do not do anything for your skin. You are just being kind to yourself by pampering your skin.
Photo by Sam Lion on Pexels.com
Now that you the gimmicks of the fashion industry, I hope you make more wise and informed purchases when next you enter a fashion store.
If you would love to learn how to invest for your children, join me tomorrow as I host a ‘invest for children’ webinar where I would be sharing everything you need to know about children investment. Register here.
Till next time.
With love,
Ronke O.
