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Cost per Wear Question

Gracie

Veteran

For those of you who keep track of CPW on items: How does that help you? or, what benefit do you get from it? I don’t keep track of cpw and want to find out what I’m missing.

Say I bought an everyday purse for $100 and have worn it 50 times, cpw $2. And I bought a special occasion purse for $50 and have worn it 5 times, cpw $10. Is the aim to get all items to as low cpw as possible and wear them based on that goal? Is it a psychological tool to justify that we paid a little more (or a lot more) for some items?

Emily wrote on a recent post “CPW has limited importance, but it is nice to know that some bigger ticket items (like my leather bags) get a TON of wear.” I keep track of the items I wear and if I see an item “falling behind” in check marks, I reach for it and wear it, but so far, how much I paid for it hasn’t entered the equation.

Please enlighten me

Dressing

19 replies

Latest reply was from Lisa

Gigi

Veteran

I don't have an answer but wanted to chime in and say that I am in the same boat and am looking forward to reading this thread. Do you keep a spreadsheet to track item wear? Or do you just guesstimate after a few months?

Mellllls

Veteran

I don't actually calculate cpw but if I did, it would be psychological--to justify a high ticket purchase or to see what items get the most wear.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Speaking for myself, imagining the CPW can help me in allowing myself to spend a little more. I have struggled with bargain hunter syndrome, so buying a $140 jacket was sticker shock, for instance, last year. Mind you, that was 1/2 price of the jacket's retail of $300, but still a lot for me. Thinking that I will easily wear it down to $5 CPW and then some makes it a little easier to justify buying. I think happiness factor is just as, or maybe more, important than CPW. But the idea that a cheap $20 jacket may only get worn twice and then purged, for instance, makes the $140 jacket a smarter buy. I loosely track CPW for my spendier items until they fall below $20 threshold.

Gracie

Veteran

Gigi, I don't use spreadsheet software (I use page-layout software). I made a list of my items. I typed the brand, color, size and some identifying details, plus purchase date on newer items. I printed the list (several pages) and have little boxes where I check what I wear every day (it makes me get away from the computer a bit). Mind you, all I have is a complete list of my bottoms and dresses. Everything came into a halt half-way through cataloguing my footwear... it was the straw that broke the camel's back (temporarily) And I need more energy to start with my tops.

Mo, I'm so glad you chimed in as I think you are the expert in these matters. I too, love a good value. I see keeping track of the cpw comes to some justification to ourselves, which we all need, right? I admit I never think of cpw before buying the item either... whether it is $20 or $140, in my mind I'm trusting that I will wear the item a fair amount of times, and not try to push myself to wear it more because it's higher priced. My leather jackets (including you, beautiful blush moto jacket!) and boots are a good example, they sit unworn for about eight months of the year, so their cpw is high, but I guess, in a way, that's to be expected - same for coats.

jayne

Veteran

CPW is something I track, just because I use both an app and an excel spreadsheet to track everything else. Putting the times worn against the cost is just an extra column. I use it once in a while to see how I am doing with my spendiest items versus the others. Like Mo, it has helped me to see that if one pair of white jeans got worn 22 times in one summer, then spending money on a replacement is good value. However, I do want to avoid the thought that I should spend less on an item and get a great CPW for it later. I feel that CPW can lead down that path and I would rather have a higher cost for each wear and look and feel fab in the perfect item, than have low cost per wear and actually feel less happy each time. I feel tracking wears alone is much more valuable to me, to see how much I really wore an impulse or other purchase in a year. TO better understand how having 5 blazers means good balance of use, but having 10 means each gets used less. I have kinda come up with my CPW rule of thumb of 'desired' CPW of $30 by the first season/year for that item (depending if it is seasonal). If I believe that the cost versus how many times I will wear it will get me there, then I buy. But if I need two seasons to get there, I might think twice. But I might buy anyway.

IN the end, because for example, blazers are worn about 2 per week, and a season might be 12 weeks, I figured out I only needed 6 blazers to get even use. Adding a new one will reduce use on another but if the lifetime CPW of the other ones I already have is lower than say $10, then adding a new one without replacing, might mean an old favorite takes back seat but will still be kept. Using the new one most if it is so unique. I have a green blazer that barely squeaks by this analysis for me. Which teaches me something about my needs and logic. So I will readjust in future. I think figuring out what you want from CPW is important before you track it. Because having a low one might not need to be your goal (mine is not low), but having a number you are happy with might help you budget in future (my use) purchase decisions..

Anonymous

I track cost per wear. I started doing this originally to justify pricier items. It helped me understand that spending larger sums of money on an item that was in constant rotation was a great investment (e.g., purses, shoes, belts, jewelry). It also helped me understand how truly expensive those sale items were when they were only worn once or twice (at most). Since items in the second category were most often impulse buys, this helped me put the brakes on impulse spending. So a very valuable lesson was learned.

Less obvious. Tracking cost per wear actually showed me exactly what items in my wardrobe were worn and how often. It sharpened and honed my sense of style. I now know what items it really pays to replace with the highest quality possible (and I can justify it with actual numbers). I also learned what items it just didn't pay to invest in. For example, although I LOVE blazers and I perceive that I wear them often, the truth is that I don't wear them often enough to justify spending a lot of money on them. I was genuinely surprised at how high the cost per wear turned out to be because in my mind I wore them every single day. Just not true. I still buy blazers, but based on my spreadsheet information, I am more selective about what will actually get worn and what will sit in the closet. And I only buy them on sale.

Isabel

Veteran

What a great question. I don't track, but I have a vague idea because of how often I use something.

In my head, it just helps me decide how well I am spending my money regarding usefulness and joy I get from it. I also compare it to "renting" something. I will say to myself, "would I have rented this bag for $50 to use it twice ? " If the answer is yes, then it was a good decision. If the answer is no, then I try to learn something from it. I bought a pair of black pumps that are uber comfortable for a very special wedding this fall. I don't care if I never where them again ( though I will ), they were worth every cent that I paid ( $120 ) because I danced my buns off and was the only woman at the end of the night with my shoes still on ! And they made me happy. That was "priceless".

But this doesn't work for everything for me. For example, I don't care of the cpw for my cozy polar fleece robe....because I wouldn't buy an expensive cashmere one even if I wore it every day for 5 years.

I hope that makes sense.

cinnamon fern

Veteran

I don't actually track CPW but I try to get a rough idea of it. This has helped me realize that it makes more sense for me to spend more money on things like jeans and boots, that get worn all the time, and less on stuff for parties, special work events, etc.

E

Veteran

I don't track CPW, because most of my clothes come from thrift stores and thus have such a low starting number it seems pointless! The only thing I spend real money on is shoes, which with my arthritis and daily walks quickly earn their keep. However, I do try to notice trends as far as what I'm wearing/not wearing. I have several blazers, and I wear them as outerwear, but around the house/looking for an indoor layer (which is the vast majority of my life) I always reach for cardigans instead. I'm going to try incorporating the blazers I already have into my indoor style, but I know I shouldn't be getting any more! So I guess I think of it more as 'does this piece justify the closet space it takes up'?

Of course, going by CPW, I should be spending lots of money on my undies, as I easily wear them more than any other piece in my closet! Also my pjs, as I have a quite tight capsule and wear them every night.

Meli

(website)

It helps me see what items are worth the $ I spent, what are not, and what I'm not utilizing to it's full potential. In the future I know I can spend $150 easily on a pair of simple pumps but less than $50 on open toed sandles based on how I utilze things.

Emily

Veteran

Like I said before... I'm not sure quite how useful CPW is, but I am an analytical type and like to compare things using numbers. The stylitics app I use tracks CPW for you - you enter the cost of the item when you add it to yoru closet, then as you check in outfits it counts the wears. For reference, I am in the first 5 years of my career and now have a bit of cash to spend on nice things; whereas before I was more of an Old Navy clearance more is more sort of gal and not as discerning about quality.

I use CPW as an analytical tool, not so much as a reason to wear a particular item or justification to buy something new. I think having the data available for previous purchases helps me to better predict whether items I am considering are worth the cost.

If I am purging something, before I delete it from my stylitics closet I take a look at the CPW/# of Wears/Outfits it was in and think about why I am purging. Was it a mistake to begin with, did I tire of it, or did the item wear out? Had it reached the end of a long and useful life? That way I don't forget that I wore the $10 tee twice before it pilled; or the $12 loafers 5 times (but they made me smile every time). On the pricey mistake side of things is the houndstooth blazer I mentioned in Mo's best and worst of the year post - I bought it at the end of last year for $140 and wore it 5 times. I thought I had worn it more! The $28 CPW is a good reminder to think about what I liked about the blazer in the first place and why it ultimately was a mistake for me.

If I am thinking of a bigger ticket purchase, I might look back at things of similar cost and think about how often they were worn and how much I enjoy them. The $160 Calvin Klein bag I considered a huge splurge when I bought it in December 2011 has been used 154 times in just the year or so I've been using Stylitics. It still looks pristine. I hemmed and hawed over my nylon Athleta moto jacket, but since I bought it Jan 7th 2013 it has become my 2nd most worn item with 96 wears logged. Of course - outerwear and handbags! I have small capsules of each so it is worthwhile to spend a little more on pieces that will go the distance.

To each their own, of course. But I love numbers and have a terrible memory, so CPW is useful for me!

Gracie

Veteran

Great insights, I see we all have our particular approach to the value of tracking - or not - cpw. I relate to portions of everybody's responses. Having the cpw sharply clear is like sticker shock if it's too high compared to each item's goal so it begs analyzing the purchase and helps avoid buying something similar.

Jayne, tracking wears works for me – I would decide if something is worth replacing based solely on the number of times I've worn the item, and avoid duplicating items that are worn less.

Isabel - yes, dancing your buns off in your new pumps is indeed priceless! To me that would send them right into the "negative cost per wear" due to the extreme joy they provided.

Gabrielle, CF - I see how cpw works well for your better shopping strategies.

E - yes, undies & pajamas, also into the "negative cps" over here... For me, reaching and wearing items without thinking about the price paid is one less worry.

I do love lists, keeping track of wears, items in each category, archiving WIW photos, etc. But maybe it's because I'm feeling a bit exhausted of quantifying every aspect of my closet that I have avoided adding the cpw column to my list.

Anonymous

I don't track CPW, but it does make me feel ok about spending more on, say something casual or a basic layering piece, knowing it will get lots of wear.

unfrumped

Veteran

What Isabel and Cinnamon Fern said.

I don’t actually track it with a spreadsheet, but think about it in general terms when I’m buying or thinking about buying something.

At a basic level, the CPW of the items in your outfit = the cost per day to get dressed, which then if calculated x number of days in year (or thereabouts) = your clothing budget, kind of. (of course that is based on the “final” CPW you’ve estimated an item will have; if you’re actually tracking something, the CPW can keep coming down.) But most people don’t “buy a wardrobe” and then stop.

So again, at a basic level, the CPW is a guide to how often I’d be able to replace something, or how many new or trending items I can buy, or can show me ways I can reduce my clothing budget if I want.

Also, you can think of CPW with regard to items that are not worn that often, but stay in your wardrobe, vs. items that are worn a few times and then tossed (or should be tossed). Each has its own issues. One person might have a holiday outfit that has good longevity; it may still have a pretty high CPW, but while it’s there, it’s the right thing. So, the “priceless” peace of mind of having something to wear, and not spending even more on mad-dash purchases each year.

Or one party clutch might be inexpensive and therefore low CPW even if seldom used, or it might have been a splurge but serves as the party “jewel” and elevates the rest of the outfit, though at a high CPW.

One thing I’m experimenting with is more cross-over between occasion-capsules. The main reason I think this is a good idea is that all items have a shelf life and I ought to wear them more often during any given year and then have more resources to replace instead of “hoarding” them. Plus, for me it’s somewhat effortful to get all the parts of an outfit together (proportions,footwear) and so I need to be efficient and get not just CPW $$-wise, but leverage the time cost of creating.

My biggest concern is not that I’ll have an item that I wear happily once or twice a year for many years, but that perhaps in just a year or 2 years many items will seem stale or not fit right, and it will have been wasted $$ to have many such items worn only occasionally whilst the clock is ticking down to obsolescence. So my biggest loss in CPW in the past has been overduplication --overestimating the amount of clothes that I need or can wear regularly.

Gracie

Veteran

Emily - using cpw as an analytical tool and not a reason to have to wear something resonates with me. I know the stats can be eye-opening and serve as a lesson for future purchases. And doing a thorough review of the purged items will hopefully avoid another mistake.

Meli, Joy - thank you for your insights - learning a bit from everybody's thoughts.

Unfrumped - "the clock is ticking down to obsolescence" - brilliant! That fact alone can wreak havoc in an item's cpw goal/number of wears. It was hot, now it's not. I also agree that the items cross-over between occasions is a great strategy to reduce cpw. The recent threads about wearing our sparkly items for day time helped me "dust off" a few pieces that had been preciously stored away for events.

shedev

Veteran

I track CPW because I need to feel like I'm getting value for my money. I know that it is easy to fall into the trap of buying the cheapest thing just to get a higher cost per wear, but it doesn't have to be. I agree that getting the lowest CPW doesn't have to be the goal. My comfort level with my everyday items is $150. It doesn't mean that I always spend that, I rarely do. But if it is more, I'll probably stalk it till it comes down into that range or call it a splurge. I splurge maybe twice a year and it is usually made of leather. So using Mos 52 wear lifespan, my CPW would come to $3 per wear. If I'm not getting there it could mean that I'm just saturated in a category. I have lots of really great jeans but I'm super saturated in jeans so I'm not buying any for a while.

Joyce B

Veteran

I think CPW is a good self-explanation that justifies spending on something "a little better" but that also helps make sure that you get your money's worth out of it, otherwise it is not worth the expense. I find it to be a good way to upgrade my wardrobe, as long as it is done in moderation.

Alassë

Veteran

As an organizer/analyzer, I track partly for fun. I also do it for the bits of relevant info that pop up - shoes & coats get a ton of wear, what I think I frequently wear is unworn, etc.

One evaluation system I have is 4 tiered: workhorse, working on becoming workhorse, deciding workhorse or purge, new item or purge candidate. I have a rough idea of # of times worn for each category and update seasonally to see where I stand.

Lisa

Veteran

I track CPW and it helps me identify items that I can spend a bit more on because I wear them often and reduce the CPW. Jeans and footwear are items I am comfortable spending more on after reviewing CPW for these pieces. CPW also helps me feel better about purging items. Even if it is still looking good, if the CPW is low, I feel like I've gotten my use of the item. On the flip side, items with low CPW and are purged tells me I should reconsider that material or brand in the future before purchasing again.