CPW (Cost Per Wear) - Really?

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I don't track CPW either. I don't spreadsheet or catalog my closet. Fashion for me should be fun not work.

13 years ago

Diana

Veteran

I don't track CPW, although I do think about it when I'm deciding whether to buy something. (Like, "oh, this is only 10 bucks, so it's OK if I only wear it a few times" or "this is really $$$$, will I wear it enough to justify that?")

13 years ago

Kim

Veteran

I don't track my CPW, but I do consider it when I'm buying. I'm more likely to buy something if I think I'll get more value from it, (read wear it more often). I don't mind repeating outfits as long as it feels fab to me.

So if something cost $200.00 but I *know* I'll wear it once a week for a few years (winter coat for example) I see that as good value.

A pair of high heeled nude pumps might only get worn 2 times a year so I'm not going to pay a lot for them, since they'll probably go out of style before I actually wear them out. So I wouldn't pay $200.00 for them. For boots I would though (can you tell I'm in a 4 season climate with winter as the dominant season?? LOL)

13 years ago

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I don't track CPW officially but if I'm purchasing something on the pricier side, I do like to be sure I'm going to wear it enough to "get my money's worth".

13 years ago

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I'm with Kim. As a matter of fact, I bought $25 nude pumps a few months back for that precise reason. But my Frye boots were 10 times that. I've worn the boots 4 times already, though (since I only had Mar. - Jun. in Tahoe that's not bad). The pumps are still awaiting their first outing. CPW indeed.

EDIT: I have started tracking new purchases CPW in a loose manner. I simply put tally marks in $20 increments. I do not want any items to be over $20 CPW - that's my cut off, be it leather boots or a bag, or just a tee shirt. That's too much in my life.

Extra EDIT lol - I did this because I was not allowing myself to buy expensive items. If I could think of the long term CPW, I could wrap my head around $150 jeans or $200+ boots. Previously *everything* was discount/sale stuff. Nothing over $100 *ever*. I had to find my way to break through that invisible barrier to get to better quality items.

13 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I take Shannon's approach. I couldn't bear to track it officially, but I do make a sort of intuitive gut calculation.

Having said that, there are some items I don't wear a lot that were super expensive and I still think were excellent purchases. Either they moved my style forward or they fill a real gap.

13 years ago

Carole

Veteran

CPW is a little too CPAish for me but I admire those with such analytical skills. It would be interesting to know.

13 years ago

shiny

Veteran

I love your idea that clothes are an experience. The majority of our disposable budget is earmarked towards experiences. I never thought of my wardrobe that way, but you may be on to something...

As for CPW, I don't track either, but the CPW concept came into my thinking way back when I was in my 20s, a few years into my career, and had just became a manager. Up until then I'd buy inexpensive shoes -- the more the merrier -- that did not last very long and hurt my feet. Then one day, freshly promoted and with a salary increase, I was at the new Bloomie's that had just opened up. They were serving champagne to celebrate their opening. I was shoe shopping and being treated like a queen. I had never had such an experience shopping before, since I focused more on discount places. I was not intending to buy any shoes -- I was there for the experience only. The shoes were so astronomically priced!! I'd never spent more than $30 on shoes -- $300, are you kidding me???

... and the bubbles got to my head, and I found myself rationalizing a pair of REAL leather $300 classic black pumps that felt like butter on my feet.... and my rationalization went like this: "If I wore these to work 3xs a week or more, for X number of years... well, that would work out to pennies per wear!"

So I bought them. I owned and wore those shoes for at least 15 years.

13 years ago

kateykins

Active Member

The only time I think about CPW is when I am justifying the price of something I bought. If I don't love the item, I won't wear it just because it was expensive; I try to find out why it doesn't work in my wardrobe and not make the same mistake again.

13 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

Honestly, cost per wear per item is less important to me than the total amount I spend on my clothes. I track the latter (to the penny!) but not the former.

I have items I paid a lot for but don't wear very often and that's okay because I love them and they are perfect when i do wear them.

I have items I paid very little for that I wear all the time, and that's the best case scenario, of course.

I have items I paid a lot for and wear all the time, and that's great, too. (I'm looking at you, pink patent leather pumps with rainbow heels!)

The ones that sting a little are the ones I paid a lot for that turned out to be wardrobe orphans, but that's part of the process and I try not to let it get me down too much. No guts, no glory, right? If I can, I will eBay them and try to recover some of the cost.

Honestly, the ones that bug me the most are the cheap items that I bought because they were cheap. They end up as orphans and clutter and I am on a mission to minimize that category as much as possible!

I have had a tendency in the past to try and "spread the love" by wearing things just to be wearing them, not necessarily to decrease cost per wear, but to avoid admititng mistakes or whatever. I'm getting away from that and wearing my favorites more and more.

13 years ago

Kristin L

Veteran

I don't calculate it either. I use it roughly when I'm thinking about a large purchase. An example is a heavy coat. I'm not going to spend a lot of money on another when I already have 2. Where I live, I'll wear them both for a month and a half at most. But I will spend more on a good pair of sandals because I'll wear them several times a week for at least 9 months out of the year.

13 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

I am far better off considering it, though I don't do so scientifically. I had far too many items where the cost per wear was the price of the item, because I'd given so little thought to how I'd actually wear it once I got it. Horrible!

13 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

What Anna said

That said, for some, this type of analysis *is* fun.

I am VERY disciplined about what comes into my wardrobe though.

Dana, clothing is an experience. Love that!

13 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

And did you see your birthday thread ?

13 years ago

rae

(website)

Veteran

I'm also on Anna's team. I don't really track my cost per wear at all, but I do pay attention to my bottom line a la MaryK.

Usually I try a bunch of outfits and take a whole lot of pictures before cutting the tags on an item, though, so I already know that I can get a lot of use from something before I decide to keep it. I definitely don't force myself to wear stuff. If I love XYZ I keep it and eventually it gets hot enough, or I find an event, or I take a trip, and then I am happy to have something I love for the occasion, even if I don't wear it into the ground.

13 years ago

Sylvie

Veteran

I'm one of the "guilty parties" who is obsessed with CPW.

I like it because it lets me see what the real value of any particular purchase was and helps me make better purchasing decisions. For some of you, managing your wardrobe is very intuitive. For someone who really didn't know how to get dressed or how to shop, analysis is very helpful.

Back when my wardrobe was parent-funded (before graduating college) I was always encouraged to purchase the less expensive item. I maintained these frugal ways throughout my 20s and had a hard spending limit for each item type. However, I had no budget.

If I see that I am getting better CPW from expensive boots and a $30 belt than from my inexpensive $20 sweater, I can justify the higher prices and in the future I may forgo the sweater I don't really need. I never want to feel guilty about my clothing expenditures. No one has ever questioned me but if I did deign to answer them, I'd be able to say that I keep to a budget, I use and love my clothing and I'm confident I'm allocating my money well.

Like MaryK I do have some items I paid a lot for, and don't wear very often, but I love them and they're perfect when I do wear them. CPW helps me track which items those are *and* reminds not to have too too many of them.

13 years ago

jayne

Veteran

Ooh I definitely track my clothes and what I spend on them. But I do not track cpw. I actually consider that out has the opposite effect on me...like if I but a good enough item and wear it 10 times then I have a low cpw. But if the item is expensive then cpw will never get as low. Yes of threw expensive item last 20 years more than the cheap and I care to wear it 20 years then cpw will be low for that also. But I am not thinking in 20 iyear trends. I cannot know now what i will wear in 5.

13 years ago

deb

Veteran

I do not track CPW either. I think, if I started I would not keep up with it then it would be a waste of time.

13 years ago

cciele

Veteran

Nope, not a CPW calculator here either. I don't even track how much I spend on clothes! But I do have a feel for my discretionary spending amount each month and roughly try to keep all clothing purchases within that amount.

13 years ago

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

IK, perhaps Enjoyment per wear (EPW) would work better for some of us. If I love a piece of clothing and feel fabulous wearing it, then I feel it was worth it even if I don't wear it a lot of times.

13 years ago

Kim

Veteran

Enjoyment per wear, I like that. I think your reasoning has much merit IK and I'm going incorporate it into my life. You are right about it being and experience and if the clothing makes me feel great what matters the Cost Per Wear? I stay within my budget so does it matter how many pieces I get for that money, or more how fab each piece makes me feel.

I have a pair of shoes that I adore, I've only worn twice (so far) and I paid a LOT for. This helps me to understand that it's OK to have something wonderful, even if it can't see a lot of use. I wore them out to dinner a couple of weeks ago and I felt soooooo amazing in them! The money is worth the feeling!

Perhaps I'm afraid I'll "make a mistake" and it will be expensive because I've made quite a few in the past. However until last year I didn't have any idea I even HAD a style, and now I know that I do. My shopping has been much more focused this year and I think it's because I've gotten to know myself. All the fab pieces I have (whether expensive or not) match my known style. All the "mistakes" do not...

Hmmmm, I'm seeing a pattern here.

Thanks for the thoughts, they've been helpful to me!

13 years ago

Anonymous

I cannot go by CPW because I tend to spend more on statement pieces, rather than on basics and essentials. My statement pieces might get worn less often yet are the ones that grab the most attention because of their uniqueness. That uniqueness comes with a price tag. If I go by CPW, I would get discouraged from investing in a more unique piece. I mean, for example, I would have to wear my KS colorblocked bag a total of about 800 times to bring the cost to less than a dollar CPW. That is more than two years straight. That to me is theoretically impossible.

On the other hand, I see no reason whatsoever to put big bucks on a black turtleneck, that is an essential to me, when I know I will replace it about once a year, but alas, I wear them to the ground. If CPW was a factor, I would go all out and buy a very expensive one. To me, that would be wasteful, since I like to turn my knits over every winter season.

In conclusion, CPW is of little value in my particular situation. I do consider it a good tool, however.

13 years ago

Jonesy

Veteran

I have no interest in CPW either. As others have mentioned, I do think about how much I will wear something, is it appropriate for my lifestyle, etc., but I never think in terms of CPW. Just not my thing.

I relate a lot to what MaryK said--I am also moving more toward less variety, more happiness with what I am wearing each day, even if it's a repeat.

13 years ago

Lisa

Veteran

I'm a CPW tracker. This just fits my analytical personality to track CPW. And it's helped me see the value in big item purchases when I see their CPW go down (such as premium denim) and it's helped me think twice on impulse purchases that may not be the best quality or fit for my wardrobe. It wasn't easy to set up but now it's a streamlined process and doesn't take much time to maintain.

13 years ago

Sylvie

Veteran

Yay Lisa! I'm so glad to have a companion in the CPW camp. Hey Angie, can I be the monarch of the CPW group?

13 years ago

anne

Veteran

I keep track of overall clothing spending, but don't track CPW. I do keep in in mind when shopping and planning clothing, and have ever since I came across the concept in an advice book when I was a teenager.

So
- pair of silver sandals bought to wear to a wedding - go cheap
-tan boots that I will wear maybe 3 times a week in winter - splurge
Also, I'd try to think how many times I would wear something and then not buy too much so that I don't wear something. Since I am on the wardrobe minimal end I would expect say, an everyday summer dress to be worn twice a week, an everyday winter sweater, 2 or 3 times a week, a winter coat maybe 4 times a week etc

For all that I don't regret what I spent on a one off like a wedding dress but I am chuffed for every occasion a bridesmaid dress gets reworn!

ETA - thinking this way is my goal - doesn't mean it always turns out as I'd expect!

13 years ago

Makrame

Veteran

I track CPW simply because I keep a spreadsheet of what I wear (at least on workdays). It automatically calculates CPW for me. I like it because some things that I thought were good buys turn out to be not so economical, and that allows me to make corrections for future plans.

Example: I bought an $34 Target dress that I loved to wear but it is already looking faded, and the CPW is still above $5. Now I know that it might make sense to buy a slightly more expensive dress in a different fabrication (like a Michael Kors faux-wrap from Nordstrom I have) because it stays looking good twice as long.

On the other hand, my favorite Cole Haan wedges (fairly expensive) are down to $2 CPW after just one season so I know I may need to duplicate next year.

13 years ago

MsLuna

Veteran

Me and math and inventory tracking don't mix... So no - I do not track this. I do spend more on items that get more wear though. For me, that would be skinny jeans/jeggings, solid fitted dresses, blazers, shoes, belts and handbags. Most print dresses, I try to get on discount (though still good quality). 50 of my tops are fast fashion stuff. All other accessories, I buy cheap.

13 years ago

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I do not track CPW but do like the idea as a different way of seeing the price of an item. When I consider more expensive items I do think about how much use I will get out of them and, even more, the happiness per wear, which for me is key! Love that idea.

13 years ago

Category