An image consultant colleague recently posed the issue of quality to her Facebook friends and followers and it generated several responses including my own. This all came about because a Nordstrom sales associate [who she referred to as a “clerk”] said to her, “Buy quality, cry only once.” So the colleague wondered what anyone thought of this statement.
Another image consultant responded that she could buy quality but that, “it may still be wrong for me – wrong color, wrong style, wrong scale. So I’d still cry more than once.” She went on to say that some of her clients can’t throw away garments that have never been worn because they feel like they’re throwing away good money.
What’s with all this crying over buying quality?
When I caught wind of the conversation, I wrote that “there is quality, and there are qualities. I educate each client to shop for quality and for items featuring the appropriate qualities for each of them.”
Why would anyone kvetch about paying for a certain superiority of excellence in their clothing and accessories? When you pay more for a clothing or an accessory item, you expect the item to wear well. However these expectations often fall short. Anything you pay good money for that you equate as being high quality could also have other qualities that affect how well it wears, how well it fits, how well it looks on you. This is how people confuse quality and qualities. Characteristic qualities are different than a quality of superiority.
Quality, price paid, durability, and personal style requirements are not always symbiotic. Today, it’s possible to shop retailers like H & M for an item you intend to wear only this season and be done with it. There’s enough quality to get you through the season and it serves its purpose. Another way to shop is with the investment approach where you’re thinking more of the long term. Quality has a lot to do with your mindset.
Someone who prefers more structured garments or stiffer fabrics should not walk out with something too soft and too flowy. It won’t feel right; it won’t wear right. Someone looking for something more informal shouldn’t be talked into something too dressy. But anyone should make certain to understand the appropriate mode of dress for any occasion so any money spent on something new is money well spent. All of this speaks to qualities beyond the obvious line and design that tend to trap people while trying on clothes in stores.
When it comes to clothing selections for yourself, think about who you are from the inside out. What do you want to tell the world about yourself? Look for those qualities in clothing before you buy anything new. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in figure flaws and whatnot. But there’s no body without a soul. Dress for who you are, and the body will cooperate. This is the secret to finding quality clothes with the right qualities for you.
Designing and managing your image is the secret science of your success.
Joseph Rosenfeld helps professional men, women, and corporate workgroups create effective visual brands. Visit JosephRosenfeld.com for details.