Making the Most of Your Wardrobe: Cost Per Wear

My handbag, for sure. I adore bags and have quite the collection, but 9 out of 10 days I’m carrying a $200 Sigrid Olsen (I KNOW!) jobber that is just as gorgeous and soft and stylish as the day I bought it. That was 4 years ago, so we’re looking at about $0.16 per wear!

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My Eileen Fisher wool boucle coat. It’s timeless and just the right weight.

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You paid under a hundred dollars for the Miu Miu bag?? DUDE!!

The best cost per wear for me is probably my Merrell boots. I paid 150 and have worn then literally every other day since I got them in October.
I also used to have a b&w stripe shirt from h&m that was 15 bucks and I easily wore it 50 times before I had to retire it. I loved that shirt.
le sigh

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I definitely adhere to a cost-per-wear rule. If I don’t expect I’ll get less than $1 per wear out of an article of clothing or accessory, I won’t buy it.

I’d rather invest in a pair of shoes that I know I’ll be wearing for 10 years than a pair that will be uncomfortable and fall apart within a few months. My Frye engineer boots were about $200, but I literally wear them every non-rainy/snowy day. And they can be repaired if they get damaged (I hate the idea of clothing being disposable).

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This is a great concept for clothes buying, I’ve been thinking a lot about buying some ‘investment’ pieces lately… you know, a decent leather jacket that would last for years, a bag from one of my favourite designers etc

Unfortunately I don’t have the money to splurge right now, but when I do I really must keep CPW in mind!

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I totally agree with CPW. My long wool winter coat I’ve had for a good 18 years. I just lost a button but other than that it’s perfect. I’m probably in the negative CPW now with it.

I am also pretty good with shoes too since those are my main splurges. I think CPW is important there but also longevity. I have some shoes that I’ve had for a good 7+ years and, (and this is key) because I take care of them and they style is classic but unique they still look and are great.

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Sal: Awesome investment! That’s great to hear that your handbag has held up so well.

Auntie Nubs: Of course. All of your Eileen Fisher pieces are timeless. 20 years from now, they’ll still be going strong!

Hillary: No, not even close! Haha, that was a typo and I just fixed it. And I still have some H&M pieces 8 years later…some of their stuff is so well made for the price.

Katie: On the shoe subject, I completely agree with you. I won’t buy any more cheaply made shoes. I’d rather drop a few hundred dollars on a pair that’s completely resoleable and wear them for the next 10 years!

kim: Good for you for making the consideration so when you do finally invest in some pieces, you’ll get a great CPW.

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This ideology works on other purchases too – haircare, skincare, etc.

Best CPW item – Kelly green Peacoat from Banana Republic. I bought it about 6 years ago around Christmas, at half price. I wear it approximately 5 months out of the year. That’s around $0.98 per day of wear. Not bad!

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I think these work pants over the last year have cost me about a penny. This is a great way to look at the cost of clothes.

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My mother taught me the CPW rule!

Best CPW Item: Red trench from H&M. It was $50, I bought it in 2003. I wear it every Fall and even got photographed in it for Fall Trends in the NY Post!

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I love my black cardigan from H&M way back and it’s definitely my go-to cover up. I couldn’t even calculate the CPW, it should be free by now.

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Love this article! It is really true.

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I bought a pair of barely used True Religion jeans last year at Crossroads Trading Co. for $17. I’ve worn them at least 70 times since then… that’s $0.24/wear!

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My best purchases so far have been a couple of BCBG partydresses. I bought the first one about 10 years ago, on sale for about 80 dollars, and worn it for nearly 15 or 20times (weddings, graduations, Quinceañeras, name the event!). About 4 or 5 years ago I got another BCBG ensemble (skirt and blouse) that I’ve worn about 10 times…

I live down at Mexico City and, let’s face it: there ain’t a good variety of clothes around… basic stores like H&M and Forever 21 do not exist down here and stuff from Gap and Old Navy is overpriced.

I used to buy at Zara (and it’s “sister” stores like Bershka and Oysho), but the quality of its products is now way too low, compared to its prices. Another thing with these stores is that the Large size is just too small… I’m not a plus size girl, but sometimes I look stuffed in a L size shirt.

Bottom line: since I do not have a lot of money to spend, I rather invest it in things that I know that will last. Each year I take 1 or 2 trips to the McAllen, TX and buy stuff that I need and that know that will last. Even with the conversion Mexican Pesos-Dollars I spend less money buying abroad that in the country.

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I love this article! I always think about CPW when I’m making purchases, but it’s always tough to really keep it in mind when you’re laying down $100+ bucks on a pair of boots or a bag! I still wear $30 dollar jeans i bought 5 years ago. They’ve gotta be getting into the less-than-a-penny CPW zone!

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My big splurges are boots/shoes, bags and blazers. High quality boots & shoes elevate the cheapest outfit and can be resoled, reheeled, and repaired forever. I stopped buying shoes from Steve Madden, Aldo, etc. 2 years ago because the quality is just awful and I don’t want to support companies that make knock-offs.

Bags are the same way, they don’t show much wear after years of use and don’t go in and out as much as clothes. I have the same miu miu bow bag but in mughetto, my favorite bag:)

I wear lots of blazers and tailoring and natural materials like wool are important to a jackets longevity. I have the perfect black wool tuxedo jacket I bought 8 years ago that I wear all the time. CPW $0 at this point!

I would never spend on denim. I went through the whole designer denim craze spending $200 on jeans- what a waste that was. Thank god companies like Cheap Monday came around!

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I wrote about this on my blog awhile back. Great minds think alike.

My lowest cost per wear is a vintage cashmere sweater that I got for $3 when I was nine. CPW=$0. Awesome.

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Easily my first pair of New Rocks. I wore them every single day from Xmas 1991 until they finally died in July 2005. Original cost, £85, final CPW about a penny.
My replacement pair are currently down to a CPW of 10 pence thanks to a sale price of £100 ot start with.

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Probably my boots. They we’re half price (ended up being $80) and I’ve worn them every day since the beginning of september.

My by-default best cpw clothing is my school uniform, about $200 total and worn 5 times a week for 3 years

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I adore that bow top of yours – it’s inspired me to do my own DIY on many an occasion (collared blouse teamed with random satin ribbon tied as big pussy bow – voila!). I think some of my greatest CPW’s would have to be the leather jacket I picked up for a fiver, worn endlessly, CPW = nil. & my first proper leather handbag. It cost me $50AU which, at the time, was a significant spend for moi – it lasted me a good 2 years and earnt me compliments wherever I went. Top post!

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I have some very sensible CPW items, but a little secret shameful one as well. I have a pair of jodhpurs I bought at Target for $20, 13 years ago! And I am still wearing them, even in their somewhat less than fabulous state. They remain the one pair of comfort pants in my wardrobe for those days I just want to pretend to be ill.

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My winter coat is probably my best CPW. It cost £70 from Topshop the winter before last and I would estimate that over the last 2 winters I’ve worn it about 250 times. That makes my CPW 28p! Awesome.

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I feel that I need to add that in the UK, the winter coat weather starts in late September and ends by around March, hence the 250 wears!

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Hmmm. Deffinantly wise a way to think of things! Especially when i think about my $150 heels I’ve worn about twice in 6 month. Theyre so pretty, but you just can’t compromise comfort on these types of things in the long term!
My best cpw is probably a small floral satin dress at $30. I wear it everywhere, out & around the home. so comfy and great for the weather where i am!

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CPW is also a selling technique used on me at the Fluevogs store. At the time (pre-recession) the saleswoman said that she was willing to “throw away $10… on a bad movie, or bad meal”. Her logic was that if I purchased $200 shoes, but only wore them 20 times, it was like only throwing away $10. It worked. I’m not sure if I have worn my fluevogs 20 times or not, but I am sure enjoyed her commission regardless.

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melissa: We are so much alike, down to the Miu Miu bag. I’m also all about high quality shoes that can be repaired. And I like that you refrain from overpriced denim; a good pair of jeans doesn’t need to cost more than $70 max!

amanda lee: Good for you, the CPW gospel needs to be spread!

Rhomany: Wow. Amazing that you’ve gotten so many years of wear out of only two shoe purchases.

Katharine: You drive home a good bargain!

super kawaii mama: That $20 investment has gone a loooooooonnnggg way!

Joanne: A nice coat is so important and that’s great that you get so much usage out of yours. Our weather here in Portland is pretty similar to yours and that’s probably why I get so much wear out of my Halogen zipper jacket!

Mariah Sinclaire; What a smart sales lady! Fluevogs are really nice quality so I’m sure that you’ll get a lot more wear out of them and that they will totally be worth it in the long run.

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I was *just* blogging about a similar concept last week! Perhaps it’s this dire economic era, heh.

My best CPW is far and away my grey cotton spaghetti strap empire waist tunic/dress. I got it for ~$7 last summer and have worn it a few times a week ever since. I love it so much!

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I always consider the cost per wear rule! I always think, if I can’t get it down to £1 per wear, then it’s not worth having in my wardrobe. Coats are what I get the best cpw on. I bought a duffel coat for £65 in october 2006 and wore it all through that winter and all through the next winter, so for about 200 days pretty much.

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i totally live by this rule! CPW, and i try to think ahead and only buy things that will be staples in my wardrobe for at least another 5 years. i also have a 24 hour waiting period on everything (easy because i only shop online) – for pricier items, i wait longer, but if i’m still obsessed with something after a few days, i get it.

case in point, i had been obsessing over the new alexander wang donna hobo in the “bone” color for a week, i posted about it, and then one night had a dream about it. at that point, i decided to get it, but then again, only after going through my entire wardrobe and making sure it would “go” with everything. it’s a very “edgy” bag, and some would say trendy (lots of zippers) but i love it to death, and will wear it forever (and i’m already 36 LOL). it’s the perfect bag for me…and i have a TON of bags!

sorry..on to the original question
my best CPW is probably some goldsign jeans i bought at full price 4 years ago ($210) – they’re down to about .75/per wear…

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Very interesting, and a great point!

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I love this post!! What a great idea. Your Miu Miu bag is to die for! judy

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I don’t comment much on here (I’m just a lurker =P ) but I gotta say that I love this CPW concept!

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I have to laugh at this only cause my girlfriend always buys cheap purses that dont last and I tried to convince her to invest in something that had some real quality. I broke it down just as you did!!! Now I dont feel so bad about my fashion nerdiness! You go girl!

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This article is so good Nubby! Makes me think of things a lot differently. I think you had posted something a long time ago about your purchase of a good bag that will last a long time, I always think of that and instead of buying like five cheap ass F21 bags I started saving for one really good bag, like this Betsey one I have. The only prob is it’s so heavy it hurt my shoulder and I had to take a break!! Next time I’ll be more practical!

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I’ve always followed this concept, although I’ve never actually done the maths and worked out how much value I’ll get from an item. I just don’t spend much on things I’ll only wear a few times. e.g. Ballgowns are always purchased in the sales or second-hand, and I don’t limit how much I’ll spend on shoes that are practical enough to be worn most days.

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jess: She should listen to you, it’s obvious that you know what you’re talking about!

Marie: I’m with you, sista! You have no idea how many times I’ve nearly bought cheaper purses because they were ‘cute’ and had to force myself to put them back down. They just get trashed so fast. Better to invest!

Lady Julianne le Fay: Smart girl!

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But how can you predict (before buying and using an item) that an item will be used for years or multiple wears to come?

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I’ve always tried to figure this out, but it never works.

I only buy clothes when I absolutely need them [for trips, new seasons, when everything else is ugly/torn]. I haven’t got any favorite pieces because I bounce around sizes so much. By the time I’ve gotten about 4-10 wears out of anything, it’s either too big [rarely!] or too small [more often].

So my CPW is always going to be high, *sigh*. It’s nice to dream, though.

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I notice that you buy what I would consider crazy-expensive shoes, but I love that you actually wear them on a daily basis, and I’ve long noticed that you must have a good CPW ratio! I must have about 30-40 pairs (I used to have around 70, but I’ve purged most of them); I think I would be happier if I had 4 or 5 great pairs that I really love. A lot of people will save their designer items for special occasions, but if you do that, you get no value out of their quality or durability.

My best CPW items at the moment are a pair of Uggs that I bought more than 5 years ago and a large emerald green satin brocade handbag that I got about two years ago for $6; it has large metallic golden dragons in the weave, lots of red and brown as well.

FWIW, as this came up earlier in the thread, I got a Miu Miu bag in black patent that was my daily purse for a while for about $200, and I’ve gotten a smaller purse in that brand for something like $25 by being in the right place at the right time. Both were flawless. It’s definitely a brand you can find great prices on if you look around — eBay, Filene’s Basement, clearance sales at places like Saks Fifth Avenue or Nordstrom, etc.

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(Neglected to mention: it’s embarrassing that a pair of Uggs are my most-worn item, but I live in a snowy part of the Midwest. These have a smooth leather upper and stay in much better condition than the all-suede styles; still, they’ll never be super-fashionable. You wear them on days when it’s cold enough that you don’t care so much what you look like.)

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Whoa, I love this article – and I’d love to hear and see other examples. It makes me feel good about the items that I’ve splurged on and use all the time (Calvin Klein bucket and hobo bags respectively) and make me think about getting rid of big purchases that I never ever use (Fendi purse – I’m sorry I wanted to love you, but you are so impractical I have used you 1 time in 4 years!).

Probably my best purchase to date is a wool jacket from Express with asymmetrical military style zippers in the front and double corset lacing in the back. The lining is totally ripped out and it’s still super warm. Living in upstate NY, winter is about 9 months long and I have lived in this jacket for years.

I feel my next splurges will be somewhere in the real of chloe and/or miu miu shoes.

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Marla: Sometimes, it’s just a gut reaction. If you’re unsure of an item, it’s best to wait. But if you’ve been thinking about something and can’t get it out of your mind, chances are that it’s meant to be. Usually the best CPW items are usually timeless, well made classics because since they’re so versatile, they get worn the most. Think along the lines of a good pair of black boots, a high quality coat, a nice plain t-shirt, a pair of jeans that fit really well…

M.E.: That’s great that you’ve gotten Miu Miu bags for such a steal!

jess: I agree with you about getting rid of big purchase that you never use. There’s no point in letting amazing things sit around and collect dust and I think that if you make a big purchase, it’s good to enjoy it as much as possible and to actually use it! I’m cleaning out some things like beautiful YSL shoes, etc. that just sit in the box to sell and reinvest in things that I can use constantly.

It seems like a lot of the comments on CPW here are related to coats! A good coat seems like the way to go!

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I do this too sometimes. I feel all ashamed when I wear my cheaper clothing more than the expensive stuff!

Click here to visit me at Vintage Tea!

x

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My Bree leather satchel:

50,000 yen 4 years ago – used almost every working day since, so about 200 days a year.
800 uses.
About 62 yen per use right now and I predict it will last forever.
This is such a great way to evaluate clothes. My friend is a stylist and personal closet cleaner and has started employing this with her clients since sending her the link to this.
You are a heavenly maven!

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I have a leather jacket which my Mum purchased in the 1970s that I reguarly wear. For me the CPW is nil. I have no idea what my Mum paid for it but I imagine that the CPW would now be very low.

My Sister at one point did say it that I had the jacket for a few years so she should get to have it for a while but my Mum took the view that my sister would wear it a few times then get rid.

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Nubby, you star! I’ve been thinking about CPW much more since reading this article, it’s so interesting to hear other people’s tales of their favourite long-wearing pieces. I don’t own many ‘quality’ items, & my favourite cheaper things fall apart so easily, which is upsetting! I’m desperate for a gorgeous handbag (to replace my Hot Topic one) which will do well in the CPW category.

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While I was listening to one of my favorite podcats Rad on the Web, they mentioned this Thrifty car rental coupon and it work. Anyone can use them.

Use promo code [b]RAD10[/b] for a 10% discount.

Apparently works at [b]Dollar[/b] and [b]Thrifty[/b].

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The App COST PER WEAR is available in the App store.
I use it every time I go shopping. That’s free !
cheers,
Barb

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