.: Splurge vs. Save: Cost Per Wear :.

I view every purchase on a cost per wear basis.  I look at the items price tag and divide it by how many times I think I will wear it.  The more you wear an item, the more of an investment it can be, and the cheaper it is with each wear. If I know I will have something for years and will wear it tons, I don't mind investing in it.  On the other hand, if it's a super trendy item, it needs to be cost effective.

I've realized that I only wear my Forever 21 pieces once (before I wash them & most of the time they fall apart).  Sadly, these pieces end up being about $20 each for only one wear.  It feels like such a waste of money unless you are after a trendy piece.  That said, sometimes, if you search hard enough,  there are some real hidden gems at Forever 21.  

On the other hand, I don't really hesitate to buy more expensive basics as I know that I will have them for years to come.  While that J.Crew blazer may seem expensive at first at $150ish, if you wear it just thirty times in the span of a few years (equating to under $5/wear), it is already cheaper than that forever 21 version that fell apart the first few times you wore it (equating to about $20/wear).  That said, that same J.Crew blazer will still be timeless and in your closet ten years from now.  

A good example of how I have used cost per wear in my closet is when purchasing a handbag.  I used to buy quite a few purses every year.  A few years ago, I added up what I had spent in the last year on those said handbags only to realize that I had spent an amount that equated to a Louis Vuitton!  I was astonished and annoyed with myself.  I decided to stop buying all of the handbags that I was impulsively purchasing and save for one special handbag.  That special handbag was the Louis Vuitton Delightful MM.  I have literally used it every single day for almost 2 years.  It already has an amazing cost per wear of a dollar and some change.  My old handbags were a much higher cost per wear.  I've learned it is better to have one great piece rather than a million "just okay" pieces.

Next time you are shopping, be sure to look at the price tag and divide that number by how many times you will wear it!  You may rethink whether or not to purchase!

Happy Shopping!

xoxo,

Abbie