If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve definitely heard me talk about cost per wear before. It’s a concept I always have in mind when buying new pieces — especially luxury or statement items. I’m a proponent of intentional shopping, and at times, that means dishing out a bit more dough on higher quality, more cost-effective options, versus filling my closet with a wide variety of more inexpensive items that may get less wear or (the horror!) rip or shrink before I get good use out of them.
The more uses (or wears) you can get out of an item, the lower its cost per wear, and the better your investment.
I recently posted about one of my favorite jumpsuits, noting that its cost per wear is about $0.01! And that was after only about a month’s worth of wears. I got so much interest surrounding the topic that I decided to put this post together rounding up some of my favorite items that were purchased with the cost per wear method in mind.
The White T-Shirt
A double-digit price tag for any white t-shirt might cultivate a bit of sticker shock at first, but hear me out. If you’re like me, a white t-shirt is an absolute essential in your wardrobe. Low-quality versions are all too easy to come across, and they might get you two or three wears without stretching, shrinking, or falling apart. A high-quality option, on the contrary, could last you for years, and immediately looks chic and put together. One of my favorite brands, Cotton Citizen, sells a $90 white t-shirt that I’ve worn about 40 times in the past 2 months, bringing its cost per wear down to $2.25. I’ve washed it about 10 times and it looks as good as new each time!
Classic Denim
Some of the denim I wear (and I’m guessing you, too) is vintage! Which means a good pair of jeans can last a LONG time. I even have a pair of Levi’s my mom wore in the 80s. The cost per wear is *almost* immeasurable! Suffice it to say, a quality pair of jeans is a no-brainer investment that will last you wear after wear, and may even make their way onto your future child one day.
The Investment Bag
We’ve all heard the marketing ploy (likely spun by luxury retailers themselves to incite purchases) that Chanel bags are now worth more than what they were purchased for a few years ago. For me, as you might imagine, they key metric is — you guessed it — cost per wear. There’s no doubt that luxury bags can put a dent in your bank account, but if you choose right, you could be wearing this bag for years and years to come. My theory is, if it’s a trend, don’t invest. For example, everyone loves the cute beach bags that are coming out these days. You know the ones: straw, canvas, shells, you name it. If I’m going to indulge in a trend like that, I’ll go fast fashion. But if I’m going to invest, it’s going to be a classic silhouette that will stand the test of time. So, not only am I thinking of cost per wear, but also likelihood of wears.
What are some of your favorite cost per wear items? Let me know in the comments below!
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