So, you’ve decided it’s time to upgrade your wardrobe but are wondering how to start investing your hard-earned dollars!
A great place to start is by focusing on pieces with low cost per wear ratios. Cost per wear ratio is calculated by taking the price of the item purchased and dividing it by the number of times you will wear the item in a year. For example:
- $500 special event outfit at 2 wearings per year = $250 cost per wear
- $500 seasonal handbag at 65 wearings per year (5 days/week for one 13-week season) = $7.69 cost per wear
- $10 blouse bought on sale/impulse with tags still on a year later = $10 in the trash
Low cost per wear pieces often include:
- Shoes and Boots
- Handbags and Small Leather Goods
- Jeans
- For professionals: A suit in a dark color (black, charcoal, navy)
- For cool climates: Outerwear
- Sunglasses
As you elevate your personal style, choosing to invest in these items first makes a ton of sense as you will get repeated wear and a variety of styling options out of these pieces.