For the majourity of my life, the price of an item would determine whether or not I bought it. I was raised to be money conscious and always make sure that I was getting a good bargain. In my early twenties I grew tired of fast fashion’s sh*t. My t-shirts were quickly losing their shape and getting those tiny holes in the middle; my jeans had the annoying rippled stretched out spandex in the thigh. I was tired of spending my money on clothing that didn’t last and being left with figuring out how to dispose of the worn-out-too-soon items. I started to look for good, quality basics that would last and, YOU GUYS, I FELL IN LOVE. It’s the best. ;)  

It takes time to shift your mind to look for quality over quantity, especially if you’re used to fast fashion prices.

Low prices are appealing. We get it! Going from buying fast fashion clothing to looking at slow fashion prices makes it seem impossible to afford anything. Also, there’s no judgement here. Please treat yourself with all the love and grace if you’re in a tough financial spot and can’t shop slow fashion yet. Life is expensive, and all we can do is the best that we can in the moment. If you’re living that budget life, thrifting for vintage clothes is a great way to save money and have your new-to-you clothes last longer than regular fast fashion items.

When you’re debating over whether an item is worth the price tag, look beyond the retail price and find out the ‘cost per wear.’

This is a super fun (and addictive) shopping habit to form. I love calculating the things I’ve purchased and worn for months, and seeing that it’s already been worth the money and they’re still going strong. (Pssst. Franc’s long sleeve box tees are my tried-and-true favourites.)

Just because something is high priced doesn't automatically mean its quality made. If you’re shopping online and you’re questioning the quality of an item, you can read reviews, ask questions, or do a call out on social media and ask for feedback. It’s worth the time researching to make sure you’re getting what you need.

Any tips and tricks to share about how you’ve retrained your brain when it comes to quality over quantity?

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Jade is a writer, potter, and gardener living in a sleepy town in Northern Ontario. They love growing food, creating functional stoneware, and hermiting with a book as much as possible.