Short answerBefore buying, I ask: can I wear this next week with three things I already own? If the answer depends on another purchase, a special occasion or the sale price, I leave it behind.
Start with a real week
I picture the places I will actually go in the next seven days, not an imagined version of my life. Work, dinner, travel and an ordinary weekend are better tests than a dramatic campaign image.
Build three complete outfits
I name the trouser, layer and shoe that will work with the garment. General answers such as “jeans” are not enough; I need to know which pair, which colour and which proportion.
Photograph all four sides
The fitting-room mirror rewards the front view. I take a quick photo from the front, side and back, then one sitting down. Collar gaps, pocket flare, pulling and excess trouser fabric become much easier to see.
Ignore the discount for ten minutes
A lower price does not make a difficult garment more compatible. I decide whether the piece works before I look at the saving. If the discount is the strongest argument, that tells me enough.
Leave when the answer is unclear
There is no penalty for waiting a day. A useful garment usually becomes easier to justify away from the store; an impulsive one depends on the atmosphere disappearing as slowly as possible.