Madsen Monday : #OOTD Under $100

In junior high my family moved into a new house and for the first time in my life, I had a walk-in closet. Right then I knew I wanted to fill it to the brim with beautiful clothes!  I was hooked.  Fast forward to my first job out of high school working for a local retailer.  I soon started taking advantage of my incredible discount, and my younger self’s dream of a closet full of beautiful clothes began coming true. Like every dream, there is a challenge and, I soon discovered the majority of my co-worker’s paychecks were going straight back to the retailer in exchange for the latest trendy pieces.  There was a lot of pressure to be the perfect walking mannequin and represent the company’s brand. This creates quite an unhealthy habit of people going into debt.  Thankfully, my parents taught me about finances starting at an early age. I wasn’t following in their footsteps, but it did open my eyes.

There is a myth about fashion that you need to spend a lot of money on quality trendy pieces. I can tell you from industry experience this is not true, especially when it comes to quality standards.  Target is a perfect example.  They have the same quality standard expectations as several highly acclaimed retailers including Nordstrom.  What does this mean you might be asking?  This means that every clothing item in their store must pass a series of tests for carrying in their stores!  This is huge!  That means your $15 t-shirt from Target is the same quality of shirt being sold elsewhere for $30 and up!  I’m not saying every piece of clothing sold at Target is the same quality as the designer labels sold in the nearby retail stores. I am saying that several retailers have the same minimum quality standards.

The next time you head out to shop, take advantage of your local boutiques or Target, your wallet will thank you.

-Rachel

Top: Target | Pants: Target (Similar & Plus Size) | Bag: ASOS (Similar)