Smart Clothing Investments
Most of us don’t see our shopping trip to Nordstrom or Saks as financial investments, I mean, we wish that was true. But in a way, certain items are investments. Of course, precious designer pieces value over time, as does fine jewelry. However, here I’m referring to buying quality pieces that last you several years rather than yearly repurchases.
Quality is the foundation of a functional and versatile wardrobe. Quality means you can use your clothes often without fearing they will tear or lose their luster. It also means saving money in the long run. It may be cheap and convenient to pay $60 for a pair of boots, but you’ll be spending $60 every year since the synthetic fabric will crack over time. Generally speaking, quality has a higher up-front cost, but it will last you for years to come and save you money and time finding a new item.
Before we get into some great investment ideas, be cautious on spending a premium on some clothes (unless you want to). Take a basic white tee shirt as an example, the frequent wear and unavoidable underarm stains aren’t worth spending lots of money on.
So, what should you invest in?
Shoes: As we mentioned above, high quality shoes will last for a while and are worth splurging on good leather.
Coats and Jackets: Investing in quality outerwear is essential to brave the cold but also since these pieces rarely get washed, they tend to see little wear and tear and can last for a decade.
Jewelry: Jewelry is one of the few fashion investments that can actually go up in value. We are, of course, speaking about fine jewelry. But just investing in higher quality jewelry that doesn’t tarnish will save you both money and time. Avoid buying jewelry from fast fashion brands, as it is equivalent to throwing away money.
Bags: Genuine leather and quality vegan alternatives are always good investments, for shoes, jackets, and especially bags. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a designer bag, there are plenty of brands that sell quality leather without the name. It’s actually important to be wary of buying anything for the name brand, and pay extra attention to the materials when buying luxury because it’s not always worth the price you’re paying.
Pieces that are usually hard for you to find a good fit: If it’s hard to find a good pair of slacks that fit you just right, when you do, why not splurge on something you’ll get great use out of?
Pieces that transition: Clothing that can transition through seasons deserves investing since you will wear it often. For example, a black dress, good quality jeans, a skirt that transitions through seasons, and even bags.
You don’t have to spend money on everything you buy, but there are a few key pieces that save you money in the long run with an initial upfront investment. And remember to take good care of your pieces so they last as long as they can and look as good as new.
x
Lili