Okay, so I’m standing in the middle of the toddler clothing aisle at Target with my daughter, Emma, yanking on my leg screaming for Goldfish crackers.
When I finally remember something that’s made me laugh out loud ; the conversation I’d had with my former public relations colleague Sarah about six months prior to our conversation. She had left her husband after a divorce, and was living her best life in NYC. And she had managed to land this “dream” job working with celebrity stylists for magazine photo shoots. We were Facetime-ing; I was smudged with what appeared to be applesauce; Sarah was looking chic beyond measure in her Brooklyn apartment. And then Sarah casually drops this bombshell: all of these fashion stylists are shopping at… wait for it…. regular stores.
“Taylor,” she said lowly as if she were sharing government secrets, “You won’t believe this.” These stylists who have access to A-listers’ wardrobes? They’re pulling basics out of grocery bags and cutting the tags off.
I knew the fashion world was built upon smoke and mirrors. My PR experience showed me that. However, hearing Sarah talk about seeing a stylist take plain black tights out of a grocery store bag backstage at some posh photoshoot? That was like discovering the wizard of oz was simply a man hiding behind a curtain. Which, okay, not the greatest comparison, but I think you understand what I am saying.
Ever since I started rebuilding my wardrobe after becoming a mother and basically forgetting that I had a body and that I was a person who existed outside of being a food dispensary and jungle gym. This is the thing; we are all out here believing we have to pay outrageous amounts of money to be attractive, when clearly the individuals responsible for making everyone else attractive are purchasing their basics at the same locations we already visit.
Sarah explained how this one stylist – let’s call him Marcus because I’ve forgotten his actual name and I don’t want to get called out by Sarah for getting the details wrong – was working on some editorial project for a large publication. You know the type of publication I speak of; they produce photographs that appear to be effortless yet likely required twelve hours of effort and the participation of five additional people to create. The shirt needed to be a “simple” white t-shirt that seemed to be expensive and luxurious. The seven dollar plain white tee from the local store had photographed better than the $80 designer version they initially tried.
I’m sitting here listening to this with Jackson bouncing on my hip eating a teething ring and thinking about how long I agonized over deciding whether I should spend $40 on a basic sweater from Madewell. Meanwhile, these industry experts are proving that sometimes, the affordable option is…better?
It brought back memories of a moment from when I was working in PR, before children and when I believed that spending $60 on a camisole elevated my sophistication. We were preparing a presentation for this client, and my boss Janet – who always presented herself with that effortlessly put-together style I desperately wanted to achieve – complimented the silk blouse I was wearing. I had purchased it at this small boutique and was so proud of my “investment piece.”
“Oh, this old thing?” she laughed when I questioned her regarding her stunning cream-colored sweater. “Target Clearance. $8.00. I bought three.”
$8.00.
Janet, who I had been attempting to emulate for months, was shopping the clearance rack while I was spending my entire paycheck on individual purchases that I feared washing would ruin. The irony was not lost on me; however, somehow this lesson completely escaped me once I became a mother and began re-evaluating each purchase as if it would either save or destroy humanity.
Thus, Sarah’s insight into the world of fashion inspired me to rethink how I view basic garments. Not just the obvious things – although let’s be honest, great undies are great undies regardless of the price ; but the foundational elements that create the remainder of the outfit. The things that are not intended to be the stars of the show but will instead make or break the overall image.
For example, according to Sarah, the photography community is obsessed with how various materials photograph under light. Sarah shared an anecdote about a shoot where they had tested four different versions of “white” T-shirts due to some whites photograph poorly ; too transparent or blue-tinged or dirty-looking even when fresh off the shelf. The version that ended up working? Simply basic cotton from a big-box store – no frills, perfect weight and weave for photographing crisp and clean under light.
This is so typical of the fashion industry, isn’t it? So much mystique surrounding what makes something “good”, when ultimately it boils down to such practical considerations as thread-count and fit. Not romance or history or whatever fantasy story they are peddling to you in those glossy advertisements.
However, the tights situation really stood out to me. Sarah recalled witnessing a model doing jumping jacks in these supposedly superior designer stockings, only to see them completely disintegrate. Meanwhile, the backup pair – basic drug-store tights — endured through an entire day of filming including a series of scenes where the model had to squat repeatedly for some candid moments.
I thought about all the tights I have ruined solely in an attempt to wrestle my children into their car seats. How many times I have been running late for school pick-up only to discover a run right up the back of my leg. Perhaps I have been overestimating the importance of this specific category of wardrobe item.
And then there is the issue of thermal underwear which appears to be roughly as glamorous as talking about diaper brands but is allegedly vital for creating those beautiful winter fashion spreads featuring models dramatically windswept on mountain tops wrapped in coats that exceed my vehicle’s value. According to Sarah, they typically layer up in basic thermal tops and bottoms underneath, the type of garment you would normally locate in your local department store's camping section.
"No one gazing at those beautiful images would ever assume,” she stated, "but without good base layers, those outdoor shoots would never occur."
It makes sense when you consider it logically. Fashion is visually-driven; what matters is how clothing appears, not necessarily how much it costs or where it originated. However, somehow we have become so consumed with brand names and price points that we have neglected the ultimate objective: looking good while remaining comfortable.
As a result of this conversation with Sarah, I now approach shopping for basics differently. Rather than worrying endlessly about whether something is "worth" the money spent or attempting to determine which costly items truly represent better quality options, I concentrate on what functions properly. Does this white tee drape flat? Is this Lycra tight enough? Will these socks remain intact throughout my daily activities without constricting my blood flow?
Sarah mentioned that several stylists favor using affordable basics as they provide less stress. In case a $7 t-shirt becomes stained with makeup or rips during a shoot, they can obtain another one. Conversely, when working with sample garments costing hundreds or thousands of dollars per piece, every minor mishap creates a significant production process.
“The pricey items are frequently far more delicate,” she explained. “Perfect for red carpet events and exclusive occasions; however, for ordinary styling purposes? Hand-me-downs please.”
This resonates with me profoundly as a mother. As a mother, I require clothes that can endure in reality ; spilled juice boxes, dirt from the park play area, unanticipated toddler hugs with chocolate-smeared fingers ; not anything that requires me to constantly worry about ruining it.
Additionally, Sarah discussed fit. Apparently, expensive does not always equate to better fitting garments. Many designer basics are constructed specifically for extremely narrow body types or designed to appear appealing on hangers rather than actual humans. On the contrary, mainstream retailers perform extensive testing to ensure that their basics function properly across a broad array of bodies and lifestyles.
“A $30 sweater that fits perfectly and washes well,” she stated, “is preferable to a $150 sweater that shrinks or develops unsightly pills or causes you to appear boxy.”
Perhaps this may be the most practical advice regarding fashion I’ve ever received; considering all those years I wasted assuming that expensive automatically translated into higher quality product when in fact it merely represented better branding.
Therefore, whenever I am searching for basics ; which, let’s face it, accounts for nearly all my shopping today ; I consider what industry professionals would select for themselves. Not the clothing used for high-profile photo shoots nor the clothing worn on red carpets; but rather those everyday essentials necessary to create every other element of their wardrobe.
Those products that photograph well; fit comfortably; wash easily; and are inexpensive.
