Clothing is big business the world over. Here in the U.S., the average adult spends approximately $161 per month on clothing and related services. That amounts to more than $1200 annually. Do you spend that much? And if so, what drives your purchase decisions?
There is no denying that people are different. One person’s sense of fashion is different from another’s. Likewise, we all make purchase decisions based on our own criteria. It would be a fascinating anthropological study to follow a handful of people around to record what clothing they buy, why they buy it, and how much they spend.
Below are some of the things that influence clothing purchases. Do any of them apply to you?
The Budget
There are some among us who view clothing as utilitarian and functional. They do not care what it looks like as long as it fits and does what it’s supposed to do. These are the same people whose purchase decisions are driven mainly by the budget. They do not want to spend more than is necessary to get the functional clothing they need.
This is not a bad way to shop. Focusing on the budget pretty much guarantees you won’t spend too much on clothes you don’t need. The wise budget shopper is also more likely to find those great deals no one else knows about.
Fashion Trends
The opposite side of the budget coin is fashion. There are those among us who view their clothing as a fashionable way to express themselves. To them, no price is too high to pay if a piece of clothing conveys the latest trends. It is all about being as fashionable as possible with every outfit purchased.
This also isn’t a bad way to shop if your budget can support it. Staying on the cutting edge of fashion guarantees that you lead the way rather than follow others. It also pretty much guarantees you will always have new clothing to wear.
Career Paths
For some people, their careers dominate their lives. Most of their time is spent in the work environment. As such, their wardrobes are largely determined by the clothes they wear to work. That could mean anything from business casual to executive suits.
Buying clothing based on your career path can limit your choices to some degree. But hey, there’s always room for radically different clothing on the weekends. That is, if you spend your weekends doing something other than working on your career.
Supporting a Cause
Some people base their purchase decisions on supporting a cause. A brand’s ethos is important to them. For example, a person might buy LatinX clothing from Plurawl in support of the brand’s goal to help the LatinX community promote the sin verguenza lifestyle. It is a cause the company believes is important to their customers.
Whatever Feels Good
We could go on and on, but the last thing this post will discuss is buying clothes based on whatever feels good. There are people who shop this way. They do not go to stores and boutiques looking for anything in particular. They buy whatever strikes their fancy at any point in time.
Like the fashion trends strategy, buying whatever feels good requires having a good budget to work with. Otherwise, shopping trips turn into disappointing days spent browsing racks for clothing you will never own.
So what drives your purchase decisions? Are you the utilitarian budget shopper or the fashionista on a mission? Whatever your motivation, the clothing industry won’t let you down. There is something for everyone, both online and at brick-and-mortar stores.
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