Shopping As An Investment
Wardrobe Investments
Sometimes, you’ll have to make an investment. This means that you’ll have to pay more for certain items in your wardrobe. Now don’t think of this as unnecessary luxury. You’re not spending extra because you want to feel special. Instead, you’re spending a bit more money because you want this wardrobe staple to last for years. As mentioned repeatedly, you’re building your foundation. If your foundation is weak, nothing else you pile on it will work out make it work. Since you are working on something as important as your fashion foundation, you can’t afford to deal with disposable pieces that won’t last past more than one season.
So when buying an investment piece - the last thing you should care about are labels. Instead, you should learn to look at the fabric, the craftsmanship, and all the small details that contribute to the item’s longevity. There are two things you want in a wardrobe investment. One, the item has to remain in good shape for years to come. Two, the item should look classic and timeless – it should never go out of style. Your goal is to become an educated consumer,. where unnecessarily expensive items no longer sway you. You want to pick out items that are classic and well made. Quality and timelessness are all you need for your investment pieces.
One thing you’ll have to work on is the matter of identifying the difference between cheap and inexpensive. The two seem like synonyms, but they are not. There are a people who use these words interchangeably but that’s only because they don’t understand the difference. When using these words – as pertaining to fashion – you will realize that these are far from synonyms and in fact have very different implications.
Cheap does not always pertain to the price. When something is “cheap”, this can refer to the poor quality or shoddy material used. Some designer brands are guilty of creating “cheap” products even when charging very high prices. Something can look “cheap”, too, by being too risqué. Sometimes, it’s the material that makes the item look cheap. If, of example, you buy a clothing item that’s completely made of synthetic materials it can often look cheap.
Inexpensive items, on the other hand, are affordable but well-made items. They are high quality, and can even look expensive because of the materials used. While people look at “cheap” items and wonder which flea market they came from, inexpensive items can still to wow people. They may even ask you for advice to see if they can buy the same item for themselves.
Your goal is not to fool people into thinking you bought something designer-made or expensive. What you want is to find something relatively affordable but made from of good materials and with high quality craftsmanship. And for me, finding these timeless well made items is worth investing time in.
Happy Shopping!
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There are indeed a lot of clothes out there that we can choose and pick without having to worry about our wallets. Clothes, dresses and accessories that are made of quality materials but offered on affordable costs. Not bad for someone who needs a lot of wardrobe change in my line of work.
Okay, I gotta admit, I have often used those words, interchangeably, not fully aware of their meanings. I always thought cheap and inexpensive are the same. I am so wrong. Thanks for clarifying that.
Come to think of it, I always commit this same mistake. I’ve been using them wrongly all along. Thanks Heidi. See, I always learn a thing or two whenever I’m here, that’s why I love hanging out on your blog. Grateful for all the help!
Cheap vs inexpensive.. Now I know the difference. Thanks so much for enlightening me, Heidi. As usual, you always look really beautiful in black and white!
Happy to help. Thank you Belinda!
Thanks for this great post. I never thought about having clothes as an investment. Come to think of it, that’s very feasible and realistic. In the near future, you wouldn’t have to worry about clothes and given the usual comeback trends, I am sure those dresses that you/we had purchased a year ago would soon be back in fashion in 8 years. 🙂
Never thought of shopping as an investment before. I think it’s is a good idea. Being able to invest on clothes and other items that can be used long term is practically the way we ladies could earn and save at the same time.
Been doing this for the past couple of years, shopping clothes and shoes for investment. My friends sometimes tease me for always thinking ahead and not enjoying the moment when I purchase some clothes. I don’t usually buy expensive ones, but when I do, I want to make sure that they’re of the finest quality and can be worn even after how many years, notwithstanding trends or latest fashions.
I often do this, shopping high quality clothes that I can wear in the long run and can be considered future investment. A great tip for the woman on the go of today.
I don’t mind paying more or buying expensive clothes or products, as long as I know that these are durable and can be worn/used for a long, long time. That’s what I consider practical.
I hate to admit it, but I also thought cheap is synonymous to inexpensive. Now my mind’s opened and finally learn my mistake. Thanks so much for this Heidi.
I cannot afford expensive clothes or jewels, but I have an eye for pieces that are of high quality at a fair price. I know when to draw the line when I see cheap ones, too. In this age and time, it is indeed advisable to make intelligent purchases so we won’t have regrets in the end.
It’s a wise decision to go for clothes that you would be using for such a long time (not necessarily all the time). Wardrobe investments had always been my practice and I am hoping in the future, that my daughter would get to see their value or even wear them.
Guilty here, too. I often interchange and misuse those words – cheap and inexpensive. I should have known better.
I also go for affordable pieces. Even if I want to buy the expensive quality ones, I cannot because I don’t have that much to begin with. But I know how to check on those quality items and clothes that are worth every penny. All you just need is patience hunting them down.
I don’t really go for high-end clothes or the expensive ones, I would never be able to afford them in the first place. But I can be trusted when you want to find the ones that are inexpensive but exquisite.
This is a very interesting article. We recently published a post on our blog about the 6 investment pieces for the perfect capsule wardrobe, check it out here and let us know what you think: https://www.silkarmour.co.uk/blogs/saj/94099907-6-investment-pieces-for-the-perfect-capsule-wardrobe
This is something I’ve been trying to do more because I’m so sick of buying that $10 blouse that rips after two washes. Sometimes it can be hard spending up to $30 on a shirt as a recent college grad, but I know in the log run I’ll be saving on replacing it soon thereafter.
Miranda | SlashedBeauty.com
I like shopping a lot, I often go shopping every week and buy a lot of stuffs for myself and sisters. I admit, sometimes, I go overboard and buy items that I don’t really need. But one thing I learned from my excessive shopping is that I can still make use of those items I may not be using by gifting them to my friends or colleagues. That way, I can save myself from cramming for holiday gifts because I already got something stored in my closet or stash.