I use to buy fabric just because I liked it. I put it in my stash just waiting for the right pattern to come along. Unfortunately, I still have most of that fabric (bought at least 8 years ago!) and wonder why I ever bought it! What made me think I liked it back then is beyond me because now I don't like it and some of it is "cheap" (I got most of it at WalMart) and ugly. I don't even like it to use it in a scrappy.
Now I buy fabric (mostly Moda) when I have a specific project in mind.