I am a huge fan of the cost per wear formula. I have a lot more trouble buying a cocktail dress for $200 than I do a pair of great jeans for the same price, knowing that I will wear the dress at most twice/year and the jeans… well I live in jeans. Anyway, I think if everyone used this formula when they went shopping, the world (and more specifically your closet) would be a much happier place. Thanks whatiwore!
WhatIWore: When on a lean budget and building a wardrobe, a lot of women will opt to get as much as possible for their dollars. I love thrift stores and Target for that purpose - getting a lot of quality pieces on the cheap. But sometimes, makes more sense to spend more upfront, what might seem a lot more, to have an item that last for years.
Here’s an example. When I was pretty poor (read: college student) I bought a pair of $100 Marc Jacobs rain boots. I was in New York for the summer and really wanted something “designer” but also timeless. Yea, I could have bought some cheap wellies, and they may have lasted, but the boots I spent so much on, and have lasted 6 years have come down to a cost of less than a dollar each time I wear them. Plus they are hella cute and keep my feet dry. I remember thinking “I could take my kids to school in these” when I purchased them. And that’s the kind of thing to spend money on.
Other items worth spending:
Winter Coat
- If you live in a harsh climate, or lets just say you have a cold winter, its worth it to buy a coat with the extra bells and whistles (hello Thinsulate!) vs. just getting something cute and cheap. Anyone who lives in Chicago will agree with me on this one!
- For your day in/day out coat I’d recommend a dark color (black/brown/navy/charcoal) in a longer length
- Expect to spend $100+
- Wear 5 times a week from Oct-Mar = $0.83 per wear (and that’s only for one season!!)
Winter Boots
- All of my boots have lasted through multiple seasons - I have two pair from Banana Republic that have been to the cobbler and re-soled twice each. They cost $200 and I bought them in consecutive years after college. Trust me, it was about the only thing I bought that season, but now they’ve ended up being $0.25 each time I wear them. That’s a good deal!
- I’d recommend real leather
- Take your boots to be re-soled and polished each season
- Store them with empty wine bottles inside to keep them upright
- Expect to spend $150+
- Wear 3 times a week from Sept-Mar for 2 years = $0.89 per wear
LBD (Little Black Dress)
- My favorite LBD was a reward for staying late and running all over town to get Jennifer Hudson a Betsey Johnson dress we were loaning her. The gal in charge of PR told me I could pick anything off the rack as a thank you from her. This has been a GREAT choice! I’ve worn it to black tie charity events and neighborhood dinner dates. In this case it was a gift, but a quality, timeless LBD is a must and worth spending on.
- To make the most of it, a sleeveless scoop or V neck that hits at the knee will work for almost any occasion!
- Expect to spend $100+
- Wear 8 times a year for 3 years = $4.16 per wear
Great Jeans
- Retails have been really pushing denim for the past few years and prices have been dropping, don’t feel bad buying a novelty pair of jeans that you won’t wear everyday, but its a good idea to have a classic, “nice” pair in your closet too.
- Look for a dark wash and a leg opening that will work with heels or tucked into boots.
- Expect to spend $60+
- Wear twice a week for a year = $0.58 per wear
Let me caution that we all have different definitions of expensive and this guide is meant to show that no matter what you spend, its a good idea to estimate how often you’ll wear something (and if you really need to buy it)!!
What else do you invest in, wardrobe wise?
