Iwant to buy a shirt but really want something else

September 2, 2024 12:29 PM

Hi, I am enamored of an REI long sleeved shirt that is on sale for $55, today only. Please help me defuse my delusional thinking, which is as follows (continued below)

1. If I buy this shirt, or buy four of them, I won't have to iron shirts for work
2. I can ride my bike in more frequently, without further damaging my arms from the sun. It looks like vitiligo
3. It will give me permission to embrace thee "Geology Professor" vibe with no apologies
4. I can pretend to be more fit and young than I am as 60 approaches.

The problem is that the shirts will cost $240 shipped. I can afford it, but I feel like I am using the shirts as a substitute for something else.

posted by mecran01 to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (24 answers total)

Nothing here seems delusional to me. If these are shirts that you will get a ton of use out of, that will make your life easier (1), improve your health (2), and make you feel good about yourself (3,4), then I see no reason not to buy them. Unless you are badly in debt and have a history of making frivolous purchases of clothing that you never wear?
posted by heatherlogan at 12:35 PM on September 2 [7 favorites]

Sounds like a pretty good purchase, especially if it protects you from sun damage.

I mean it’s hard to know how excessive it is without knowing more about your economic situation but this doesn’t seem unreasonable to me! (I probably wouldn’t buy four of them personally.)
posted by osmond_nash at 12:35 PM on September 2

Here’s what I do when my cart is full and I can’t pull the trigger because I wonder if I’m indulging something unhealthy: Split the difference. Buy two of them, not four. That way you are buying for practical reasons but not indulging the “overbuy to fill holes” thing.

If the two are as life-changing as you hope then buy more at full price because you’ll have determined they’re worth it.
posted by kapers at 12:38 PM on September 2 [6 favorites]

How long does it take you to earn $240?

Will you get that many hours of use out of the shirts?

Then get them.
posted by phunniemee at 12:39 PM on September 2 [3 favorites]

Unless you are actually already a geologist, buy 1-2 shirts and spend the rest on a geology trip / class / book etc. for legit Geology Professor vibes
posted by momus_window at 12:59 PM on September 2

I find REI clothing, when on sale, to be pretty good deal generally - $55 for a long-sleeve shirt, especially if it's designed to be moisture wicking/cool, is a reasonable price. It sounds like you don't have many long sleeved shirts already that are work-appropriate? If so, I agree with people that this seems like a worthy investment. If you already have a bunch of shirts that serve this purpose, then maybe you're being overly tempted by the fact they are on sale - REI has sales pretty regularly, so if you don't need them now it's ok to wait.
posted by coffeecat at 1:13 PM on September 2

Another reason to buy: REI has an excellent return policy (for 90 days, or a year for members), if you end up not liking them. (Of course, you do have to send them back, which I know from personal experience is sometimes a roadblock. I WILL send those pants back tomorrow, I swear.)
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 1:45 PM on September 2 [7 favorites]

Yes, buy them. And as a bonus, you are helping grow the cooperative economy. Why yes, I am a long term member of REI and my local food co-op.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 2:02 PM on September 2 [1 favorite]

That's a toughie, speaking as someone who does in fact make emotional clothing purchases. This is the emotional manipulation part of sales!

I guess my thought would be that if you can afford it up front and you do in fact return purchases you don't want, you should buy them, wear-wash-wear one and then see whether you still feel that you want to keep the others. That way, you're only out $55 plus shipping and you'll probably get enough use out of the one shirt that it won't really be a waste anyway.
posted by Frowner at 2:25 PM on September 2

Not clear from OPP ... Are these shirts that you already own one of and have direct experience as The One True Shirt? If not, I'd buy only two. Once you're sure, then yeah buy more. (I know the sale might not happen again for a full year.)
posted by intermod at 2:28 PM on September 2 [1 favorite]

If you're identifying that you might really want something else, think about that a little bit. What's missing in your life? From your uses for the shirt, maybe adventure? Comfort?

The money you save by not buying the shirts could be put toward something else. Something comforting or adventurous!

Don't be tricked by the blinking SALE sign. They will have another sale. Very soon. Black Friday at the latest. If you're signed up for emails, you will find out about it.

1. If I buy this shirt, or buy four of them, I won't have to iron shirts for work

Two would be enough for that purpose, don't you think? A simple shirt can be thrown in the washer after work. If you forget, worst case scenario, you have to wear a different shirt. You can forget to wash three shirts just as easily as you might forget one.

2. I can ride my bike in more frequently, without further damaging my arms from the sun. It looks like vitiligo

A thrifted long-sleeved shirt would protect your arms, too.

3. It will give me permission to embrace thee "Geology Professor" vibe with no apologies

One shirt is enough for this purpose.

4. I can pretend to be more fit and young than I am as 60 approaches.

Again, one shirt is enough.

I think you really like this shirt and want to get it. You should. But getting multiples is often a sign that you're frantically trying to take advantage of the sale. It's probably about loss aversion. Don't give in! There will be another sale.
posted by toucan at 2:30 PM on September 2 [3 favorites]

I am a geologist and I endorse this purchase, but maybe get 1-2 instead of 4. They will go on sale again I’m sure.
posted by cakebatter at 2:52 PM on September 2 [1 favorite]

I think the something else you want is to ride your bike to work more.

You can do that without buying anything new, and there might be other ways to spend $240 that would make it easier.

That said, I could be completely overthinking this--you want some shirts, you can afford some shirts, maybe just buy some shirts.
posted by box at 2:59 PM on September 2 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I often almost buy things from Title Nine. Then I realize what I am wanting is the lifestyle the people modeling the clothes are representing - it is less the clothing I am yearning for than to be outside jumping from rock to rock in a creek you know?

So yeah if it is really about riding your bike, just put on an ordinary long sleeved shirt and some sunscreen as needed and go for a bike ride. ❤️
posted by hilaryjade at 3:57 PM on September 2

You say you can afford it so I would buy four. And wear one for a determined period of time. If you love it, break out the others. If you don’t love your new vibe, REI will happily take it back.
posted by inevitability at 4:51 PM on September 2 [1 favorite]

I think we can’t possibly answer this without knowing what the shirt is.
posted by bq at 5:21 PM on September 2

Best answer: (Is it this one? I feel like it might be, but also there are some similar but distinct options.)
posted by box at 5:32 PM on September 2

"1. If I buy this shirt, or buy four of them, I won't have to iron shirts for work"

If it is the shirt that box linked to you may have to iron it. I own one.

I'd like to add a photo here since I just laundered it today, but can't figure out how to do that.
posted by FerrisWren at 6:50 PM on September 2 [1 favorite]

I can't speak to current REI brand gear quality and durability, but I did buy a bunch of their lightweight wicking t-shirts and some shorts just this spring. The reason that I bought them was because the last time I spent a bunch of money on REI shirts and shorts was about 7 years ago, and I'm still wearing those clothes after lots of wear. They're just a bit sunworn at this point. I'd say buy at least a couple.
posted by mollweide at 7:46 PM on September 2 [1 favorite]

I can't speak to REI, but I was obsessed with this space-dyed rainbow "sweater" (basically it was just a mesh cardigan, did not keep you warm in ANY way and was quite expensive for what it was) in a catalog for years and years. It was beautiful but utterly fucking useless as a clothing item and I could not get it out of my head. Finally they lowered the price and said they were getting rid of them entirely, so I bought one. It was terrible! The dye was awful, it was not beautiful, it was a saggy-ass POS and I actually bothered to take the time and tedium to return it.

BUT at least I finally knew, and satisfied my curiosity about the damn thing.

I'm not sure why you have to get four shirts or nothing at all, but if you never buy it, will you always wonder?
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:27 PM on September 2

Hmm. I know what you mean about how you want to avoid buying thing A which is actually a symbol of thing B that you really want. That's something I had to train myself out of recently.

But it doesn't sound like you're entirely doing that. It sounds like you're afraid that you're trying to "buy" youth or a geology-professor vibe - but if you look at the list you've given us, the very first thing you say is that if you buy four shirts, you won't have to iron as much for work during the week. And that is a very practical consideration.

If you're still uneasy about this, then I agree with everyone else about maybe getting two shirts. Or - try to find these shirts on eBay. That way you get the shirts with less of the expense.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:38 PM on September 2

Response by poster: Thanks to everyone. I ordered four shirts because I just want to wear the same shirts every day. I will wear one and see about the ironing and if my cycling increases. The unspoken thing is that I have the best job in the world but like a rock star who is tired of touring I have been at this gig for 20 years but can't quit so I'm always trying to reinvent myself and the job in minor ways that keep it fresh, hopefully, for 18 more semesters. Sometimes that involves long-term pranks and high jinks. Wearing the same shirt for nine years is one of those pointless acts of silliness. For my final year I will wear a suit every day.
posted by mecran01 at 8:48 PM on September 2 [10 favorites]

If it helps you feel good about your decision, I just bought four pairs of the same trousers in the same REI sale yesterday. I've been wearing the same type for years. I don't even live in the US and haven't visited in years. Their stuff is that good. I either cough up for the shipping or have friends who are travelling collect them for me. Worth it.
posted by automatronic at 5:42 AM on September 3

IMO, most people spend too little on their clothes, considering this little thought experiment:

IMO I have found that modern clothes are pretty darned durable, even if they are fast fashion, but these are not, and so think about it on a per wear basis: at $55, at 10 wears, that's $5.50 a wear. At 100, that's $0.55. IMO, most clothes will last 100+ wears, so is the top half of your body worth between $5 - $.55 cents a wear for today? Yes it is.
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:17 PM on September 3 [1 favorite]