What's Worth the Splurge (And What's NOT!)

Sometimes it can be tricky figuring out which pieces to add to your wardrobe that will be worth your hard-earned cash. A question I get often from friends is how to shop smart when it comes to high-end and designer pieces and which pieces are worth the splurge. When I think about making any purchases, I always consider cost-per-wear. I’d rather buy something $$$ and use it consistently for years than something $ and wear it twice.

Today, I want to share with you all how to find the balance, which pieces are worth your hard-earned dough and some of my favorite tips and tricks!

Worth-It

Denim

I used to hate wearing jeans and lived in my Zella leggings. Unfortunately, after college that attire doesn’t really fly in the real world. I’ve recently fell in love with jeans and it all has to do with purchasing the right pair of jeans!

Denim is something you wear almost every day and is so versatile. (People will notice if you don’t change your top for three days straight but you can get away with wearing the same jeans all week.) Jeans also don’t need to be washed as often as your other clothes, so a good pair will last you longer than your last relationship. The reason I’m such a big fan of premium denim is because you will get your cost-per-wear out of them. You only need a few basic pairs of jeans and you’re all set! Premium jeans tend to be a lot softer and more comfortable than your standard pair of $50-90 jeans and that will want to make you live in them. Once you feel and know the difference you’ll never go back to those high school/college jeans again. The cut of premium jeans is usually more thoughtful, making your legs looks slimmer and your butt look bomb.

Tips: Between washes you can put your jeans in a zip-lock bag and put in the freezer overnight. This will kill the bacteria and help you get more wear out of your denim.

Handbags

My biggest weaknesses are handbags and shoes! A good handbag and pair of shoes can elevate any outfit. If you’re anything like me and like to bring everything with you all the time, you wear a handbag every time you leave your house. A good handbag will last you forever and is a constantly used piece in your wardrobe. A versatile one can be used all year long, with almost every outfit, and for almost all occasions

There a few investment bags (such as the Chanel Classic Flap or the LV Neverfull) that will be worth more in the resale market than you paid for them if you bide your time. Fashion houses go through frequent price increases which will make your bag more valuable in the future. If you’re looking for a “safe” purchase that you can get your money back on if needed, go for one of the few “investment bags.”

However, there are many bags you can score on the pre-loved market for a much lower price than buying in store! This is how I like to buy most of my handbags. My favorite re-sale sites are Vestiaire Collective, The RealReal, and Fashionphile.

Shoes

Shoes can make or break a look! Make sure your wardrobe has some well-constructed, high quality classic pieces in timeless silhouettes. Good shoes don’t need too much upkeep besides the occasional wax/cleaning, and heel/sole replacement. Some of my high-quality shoes I’ve had for over 4 years and they are still in great condition.

Tips: Don’t buy shoes that are not repairable. Buy something that you can take to cobbler to touch up every once in a while. Sneakers can be a little hard to bring back to life once they’ve been worn out and materials like canvas can be hard to restore as well.

Also remember that no matter how much your take care of your shoes, shoes will eventually get worn out and become unpresentable. Your handbag will definitely outlive your shoes by a long stretch, so make sure to be aware of that when choosing to spend a lot of money on a pair. Designer shoes also don’t sell too well on the pre-loved market, so think of them like a car – they depreciate the minute you take them out for a spin.

Living in the city, I’m very picky and need comfortable shoes to walk around in. Remember that designer doesn’t always mean comfortable, so make sure you do your research!

Coats/Outerwear

This is super crucial if you live in a cold climate. A good quality coat not only looks great, but will keep you warm during your winter treks to the subway. Plus, during the winter, it covers most of your outfit and will be the piece people will see the most of.

High price does not always equal high quality! Always look at the materials used on the inside tag of the jacket (down feathers vs synthetic fill, how much of the composition of the coat is wool/cashmere) as a coat’s composition is a tell of how warm it will be. Since this is something you’ll be wearing every day in the winter, it’s important to make the investment in something that will keep you truly warm throughout the season.

Tips: I love to wait until Black Friday/Cyber Monday to purchase my winter coats. Department stores usually offer some great deals on outerwear during this time!

Pieces Not Worth Investing In:

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Trends

When new trends emerge, I set a rule for how much I can spend on what I consider a “trend piece.” If you’re not sure you’re going to love snakeskin after the snakeskin trend blows over, set a rule you will not spend more than X-dollars on a snakeskin trend-inspired piece. The piece might bring you joy for this season, but it might not make it back into your wardrobe next year, so don’t waste your fashion budget on temporary pieces.

If you really really love a trend and just must have it, try it out first! So many fast-fashion companies like Zara or Forever 21 sell designer-inspired pieces of lesser quality for a fraction of the price. Spend some time wearing the inspired piece, then you can decide if it’s worth the splurge or if you’re already growing sick of it. For example, before I went for my Gucci Princetowns, I bought a very similar pair of loafer slippers from Steve Madden to see if they would fit in my lifestyle. I loved the Steve Madden pair so much I ended up taking the plunge, bought the Princetowns, and used them almost every single day last Spring/Summer!

Tops

I tend to hesitate spending on spending too much on a top that’s not knitwear. Blouses, cotton shirts, and graphic tees are all items you wear once or twice then must be thrown in the wash. Additionally, their re-wearability is much lower than some of the Worth-It pieces I spoke about earlier since a top is generally something everyone switches up from day-to-day.

My favorite trick for changing up your tops without spending too much is buying a basic style from Uniqlo in multiple colors! I love buying their button-downs and turtlenecks to layer and pair with other fun pieces in my closet.

Always consider how much value a piece will add to your daily life when thinking about how much you feel comfortable spending on it! I always love a good blend of high-end and high-street when creating my fits