We often talk about investment pieces, clothing items you drop big bucks on because of their quality, importance in your wardrobe, or timelessness. But, in a sense, every item you purchase is an investment of your hard-earned money. How do you determine the value of that asset? One way is to think about your closet in terms of cost per wear rather than up-front price.
To calculate the cost per wear of an item, divide its price by the number of times you wear it—either estimating how many times you think you’ll wear a new purchase, or tracking how often you put on something already in your closet.
For example, I have a pair of $600 shoes that I wear often—let’s say, at least 30 days per year. Over the course of four years, that’s just $5 every time I wear them, plus an occasional cobbler maintenance fee. I have shoes I’ve spent much less on, but they end up costing more per wear because I don’t reach for them as often. Is this girl math? Kind of. But it’s also very useful in building a sustainable, value-driven wardrobe.
Quality is also a key consideration when calculating CPW. Just because you would wear something a hundred times doesn’t always mean it will hold up that long. Estimates suggest that fast-fashion pieces are only worn an average of seven times before being discarded, often due to their lower quality and trend-focused designs. Better-made, evergreen pieces have a higher up-front price, but the garment’s longevity will likely land you at a lower cost per wear than a fast-fashion counterpart (not to mention a reduced environmental impact).
How else can this help you?
Looking at your closet in terms of cost per wear can be a fun little game. Keep an eye on pieces with a high CPW so you can make an effort to wear and find new ways to style them. Every time you take that beaded handbag out to brunch or pair a skirt with a different top, you’re lowering the cost per wear.
Likewise, when picking up something new, thinking about how often you’ll wear it also means considering how it fits into your greater clothing collection. If you buy a piece, can you style it into multiple outfits within your existing wardrobe so you’ll wear it more often? If the answer is no, or if you have to buy even more pieces to make an outfit out of something, perhaps it’s not a solid investment.
Of course, there are special occasions when your cost per wear will inevitably remain high. A wedding gown or bridesmaid dress, formal wear for black-tie galas, a parka for a trip to the Arctic, etc. Perhaps this is where CPW goes out the window, and you accept the price as a one-off. Totally fair. But if you’re concerned about maximizing your value while still looking amazing, research the resale value and consider consigning an item after the big event or offering it for rent on peer-to-peer sites like Pickle or By Rotation. And that’s not exclusive to special-occasion pieces—if you’ve loved an item but it still has some life left for someone else, reselling it will shrink your final CPW.
Whether you look at it as girl math or a nuanced investment system, shifting your focus from the initial price to the cost per wear can help illuminate long-term value. Sometimes, spending more can ultimately cost you less.
Banner image via KROST
