Trust me. I get it. I’ve fallen victim to buying new products, clothes or the latest trends on my feed, thinking I just need another piece for my closet. I look at my Pinterest and TikTok feeds, seeing all the girls wearing the latest, most trendy outfits, perfumes, jewelry, makeup etc. They look absolutely stunning, expressing their unique styles through their appearance.
Every girl wants to feel beautiful and confident with how they leave their home. Maybe, just maybe, buying the new, top-trending or expensive pair of jeans will make us feel that way
Now, for me, and for lots of girls in college, buying a new top every time before going out, or the most expensive product to feel happy about ourselves, is a quick way to lose the hard-earned money we’re trying to save, all to only maybe wear clothes or use the makeup a few times.
After a long debate with myself about my own confidence and embracing my personality/style, here’s why I stopped buying only name brands and why you should too.
The struggle with buying name-brand items, such as clothes or makeup, is that you’re not only paying for the product itself, you’re also paying for the label. Popular, luxury and expensive brands such as Christian Dior, Golden Goose or even Edikted all up-charge products solely because of the brand they are coming from. Yes, these clothes or brands are stylish and cute, but the material is no different from that of more local or less popular brands.
A SKIMS long sleeve shirt that costs around $58 and is made with 90 percent cotton and 10 percent elastic is also sold by a small brand on Amazon, having the same material and costing around $20, costing $38 less.
Once I realized that the same products are sold at discount stores, Amazon or thrift stores, I started focusing on why I would want the big brand in the first place. It’s not that the clothes are necessarily cuter or more durable; half the time, big brands and “dupes” use the same material. It goes back to the idea of how I want to pay for the name, so others know I got it from a popular store.
I’m not afraid to admit it because I know I am not the only human to go through this; there’s an internal sense of approval when wanting to buy from a popular brand, knowing you are involving yourself with others and therefore making yourself feel better.Â
Thinking about my self-esteem towards a brand and whether I’m paying for better quality or style, or just for the brand name, has completely changed my spending habits. I remember initially putting a gorgeous pair of Free People kitten heels on my Christmas list, but after a bit of hesitation, I took them off. Instead, I went to T.J. Maxx, found a wide variety of shoes, and I could get six pairs for the price of one. All of them were cuter and more unique to my style.
At the end of the day, having name-brand items can be nice sometimes and feel like a special treat, but the actual point of fashion, clothes or accessories is to express your individuality in a way that makes you feel like yourself. Finding unique patterns, styling accessories differently and finding personal style is what makes you feel beautiful, not spending huge amounts of money for a name-brand.Â