The items you'll always regret buying, according to a personal stylist.

And what to buy instead...

Jul 03, 2024

Not to sound dramatic, but shopping is an art and not everyone is good at it (no offence). If you don’t believe me then take a look at all the things you’ve purchased that you deeply regret.

It can be easy to get caught up between the racks of clothes and shelves stacked with shoes, and it’s even easier to drop a few hundred dollars on items you don’t really need.

We live in an era of trends, which means every week there’s something new and shiny calling our name. When we see people on TikTok telling us to lean into our inner “mob wife” or some other made-up fashion aesthetic, we feel the need to jump on it right away.

Don’t get me wrong, trends can be fun, but it also means we’re spending a good chunk of our pay on clothes and accessories that will only last us one season, resulting in buyer’s regret.

On this week’s episode of Nothing To Wear, Leigh Campbell is joined by stylist Emelia Morris who talks about how to avoid that dreaded feeling of thinking, “why did I just spend $200 on this dress I’ll only wear once?”

Image: Instagram @emeliamorrisstylist.

If shopping is an art, Emelia is an artist and understands the importance of feeling confident in the clothes you wear.

Which is why she helps other women feel exactly that. With over 30,000 followers on Instagram, Emelia dedicates her time to teaching women nifty hacks and easy ways to style their outfits.

Image: Instagram @emeliamorrisstylist.

Her work has been featured in publications like InStyle, Vogue Australia and GQ, and she’s the fashion editor over at GT Magazine.

She’s also a regular contributor to the style collective at Mamamia.

Listen to the 9 Items You’ll Always Regret Buying here. Post continues below.

So let’s dive into Emelia’s top advice to make sure you never have buyer’s regret again.

When buying a handbag, make sure your essentials fit.

There are so many styles of handbags on the market right now, and as cute as they are, if they don’t fit your phone, keys and wallet, you’re just not going to get any use out of it.

“If you invested over $1,000 on [a micro-handbag], are you going to be wearing it every day? Probably not. It's all about more practical sizes of bags especially if you’re a mum,” said Emelia.

Don’t allow trends to dictate your wardrobe.

Emelia isn’t saying to never buy into trends, but to make sure that your wardrobe is a good mix of classic and funky pieces. When you exclusively follow trends, it can be hard to define your personal style, especially because in this day and age, fashion moves at such a rapid pace.

“There are some brands that are bringing down over 400 to 500 items of clothing every week. We don't need that many. And I think that is why we're making so many regretful purchases because we're just so overwhelmed with choice,” she said.

Before investing in designer sunglasses, find a good dupe.

Sunglasses are one of those accessories that can make or break your outfit, but they don’t have to be super pricey to elevate your look.

“I have a high rotation of duped sunglasses around the $100 mark, Rhodin is a really great brand for sunglasses. I really love their styles. And I've bought a couple of pairs from Billini as well,” said Emelia.

Hiring an evening gown is better than buying one.

There are only so many weddings and black-tie events you’re going to attend throughout your lifetime, and if you are someone who regularly wines and dines at fancy places, you probably want to wear something new from time to time.

Emelia recommends hiring formalwear instead of dropping hundreds on a new piece. You’re spoiled for choice and they don’t take up room in your wardrobe.

“There are so many hire businesses now, but the one I find to be a standout at the moment because of their stock levels and diverse sizing is Glam Corner,” she said.

If it’s taking longer than a month to break in a shoe, it’s not worth it.

I know you’ve been desperate to break in those loafers you bought over a month ago, but sadly, sometimes it’s not worth the effort.

“If it's taking more than a month, it's not worth it. I have a pair of sneakers. I want to love them. They're made of recycled materials, but they just hurt so much. They're just not worth it,” said Emelia.