IS THIS WORTH BUYING? (PS. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PRICE)
Understanding cost-per-wear to make better buying decisions
If you have been following me for a while, there is a good chance you have heard me talking about building a more intentional wardrobe and signature style - in other words, owning fewer but better things that suit your personal style, life, and body type, thus making you feel more comfortable and confident.
If this is your ultimate goal, then let me introduce the concept of cost-per-wear. The idea behind it is simple: the value of a certain piece is directly related to how many times you wear it.
The concept of something being “worth the cost” is highly subjective and, ultimately, a deeply personal decision. It depends on many factors like your lifestyle, values, and how you prefer to spend your time — and money.
In addition to helping you stick to a budget, cost-per-wear is also the best way to reduce waste and clutter (both mental and physical) by avoiding unnecessary purchases. Shopping with cost-per-wear in mind is the first step in creating a closet that actually works.
How To Calculate Cost Per Wear
You can calculate the cost-per-wear of any item by taking its price plus the cost of maintenance (dry cleaning, tailoring or mending for example) and dividing that by the total number of times you think you'll actually wear it.
CPW = Purchase Price + Maintenance Cost / Total Wears
I actually find it helpful to calculate the cost-per-wear for the first year and use that as a guide. If you only wear it for a year, is the piece still worth it?
How To Estimate “Number Of Times Worn”
Estimating how often you'll wear an item involves a lot of factors. These are some of the aspects you might want to take into consideration:
Is the piece something trendy that you’ll be sick of in a year (or a few months) or do you anticipate wearing it for years to come? Trendy pieces usually get worn a lot less than classic staples. Consider this year's Birkenstock Boston craze. Let's be honest: they will be incredibly impractical once winter officially starts and they're neither stylish nor work-appropriate. Unless you plan on using them at home, you won't get much usage out of them over the next months.
Is it restricted to a particular type of weather or season? If you live in Europe, swimsuits might fall under this category. Summer tends to last a mere three months and during that time you might go to the pool maybe once or twice a week.
Do you consider it to be versatile or will you only wear the item for a certain occasion? I find it useful to make a Lifestyle pie chart: simply estimate the number of hours you spend each week doing a particular task. My list often includes things like ‘working out’ or ‘working at home’ and ‘running errands'. These activities can be as narrowly or as broadly defined as you’d like — there’s no right or wrong answer. Just create categories that feel particularly helpful. This will help you notice where you spend the bulk of your time. In my case, as I mostly work from home, I don't really need a lot of business pants. However, spending money on cute yet stylish sweatpants makes total sense. I'd say I wear those items every single day during winter.
Do you expect your body (or foot) size to stay the same over the next several years or might you lose or gain weight that would prevent you from using the item? This is especially helpful if you are planning to have a baby within the next few years.
Is the piece of high quality? A higher price does not necessarily mean that the piece has better quality. Take a look at the quality of the fabric and stitching: does it look like it'll hold up after multiple wears and washes? In general, items made of natural fabrics like cotton, denim, cashmere, and wool tend to be of better quality and resist multiple wears. Most of the time, cost-per-wear can be used to justify the purchase of a more expensive, higher-quality item. Aside from fabric materials and other quality indicators, the brand name is often a key factor here. For a reason, certain brands have long-respected legacies—because their merchandise stands the test of time (and wear).
When To Calculate Cost-Per-Wear
A mental cost-per-wear calculation before every purchase is invaluable - even if it's just an inexpensive Zara purchase! Building a more intentional closet that works for you requires you to think through a piece's value within your specific wardrobe. It prevents that feeling of 'nothing to wear' when staring at your overflowing closet.
Reducing the amount of unworn clothing in our closets makes getting dressed much more stress-free every morning and is better for our wallets, sanity, and environment.
