When you look at online shops and get greeted by a plethora of fashionable items, it’s easy to think you want them all. After all, who wouldn’t, when they look great on the models wearing them? Nevermind that you’re not the same height or body shape as the model–you want them because you imagine yourself wearing them, and the imagery looks good.

That’s the power of marketing. You want items you see because great marketing helps you imagine them on you. But when it comes to clothes and makeup, you should be more particular, especially with the colors you choose. Here’s why:

You Learn to Understand Your Own Style

It’s important that while you’re shopping for the best discounted items online, you’re also thinking of how you’ll actually wear the items. The great discounts still count toward expenses if you don’t make the most of the items you buy. And if you buy clothes that don’t look good on you, there’s a very low chance of you wearing them. This is also true for makeup and even Korean sheet masks. If you don’t like how they smell or how they feel on your face, you wouldn’t buy them, right? For clothes, look at your current wardrobe and find the pieces you gravitate toward when you want to look effortlessly beautiful. Note the color and cut, and go for them in your new shopping haul. 

You’ll Curb Impulsive Shopping

The hottest fashion item of the season could be everyone’s latest must-have, but they don’t have to be yours if they’re not in your color or cut preference. There is power in saying no when it comes to purchases, but sometimes, that no can easily be overpowered by the call of fashion. When you are firm in your set style and you know how to work around that style, items that will simply not go with it are not enticing for you, which makes it easy to say no to impulsive purchases.

Everything in Your Wardrobe Goes Together<

When you’re starting to build a cohesive wardrobe with all the pieces and styles that fit you, in the colors that go well with your complexion, you might think it’s boring, but watch as you start to dress more effortlessly when all the pulls from your wardrobe easily go together. This could be your favorite black cardigan with a flattering pair of jeans and your favorite boots also in black, or it could be your favorite printed top with a neutral skirt–there is still variety in the outfits you can create, but they will be more aligned with your personality and style. It’s not boring, it’s structured.

With the endless number of fashionable items you can see online and in stores, the only way to stay away from the impulsive call of the trends is to know who you are and what kinds of clothes will fit you best. Start with the colors that make you smile when you look at yourself in the mirror, and everything else will follow.