Is it really worth it to invest? - YouLookFab Forum

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Is it really worth it to invest?

Helena

Veteran

Here's a question for the group - is it really worth it to invest in clothes?

Here's the thing - I'm a mom of 2 kids. We are very blessed; however, unless we win the lottery, my priorities say that I'm not going to be buying true designer clothes, like, ever. So when I'm talking investment, I mean full-price BR or J.Crew - that kind of league. Despite what the fashion magazines might say, I tend to think those prices are, well, pricey for very many of us.

That defined, there are three things that make me question the investment philosophy: 1. the quality of the pricier pieces has gone down (imo), 2. the quality of the cheaper pieces (I'm thinking the Jacob / Loft level now, but even Target is in there if I choose carefully) has gone up, and 3. the styling of even classic pieces changes relatively frequently.

Thus I now am finding it harder even to shell out for the BR-type pieces - when I can get almost as good for 1/2 the price, that might last for a slightly shorter period, but still longer than the piece will actually look current.

What do you think? Am I way off? Of course there will always be the odd piece worth spending on, but overall?

Shopping

20 replies

Latest reply was from MsMary

Becky

Veteran

Several things would figure into this for me:

How old are your kids? If they are young enough to regularly stain/ruin your clothes, I wouldn't invest.

Do work outside your home? If so, investing in work clothes to a certain extent makes sense.

Do you find you tire of certain items/styles quickly? If so, I would stick to cheaper stuff so you won't feel bad about passing it on when you are tired of it.

There are certain pieces I think are worth spending more on: shoes, bras, underwear, and maybe coats, especially if you live in a colder climate. Other things I think you can get by with cheaper items. You can also find some nicer brands/quality for less by thrifting and shopping consignment.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

To me, it's worth buying the best quality you can afford, at least for pieces you intend to wear a lot.

That doesn't mean you must buy designer. It doesn't mean you must shop at XYZ retailer. It certainly doesn't mean you must pay full price (though you may have to, if you are tough to fit). It just means that quality feels better and wears better.

One difficulty with online shopping is that it is more difficult to examine the quality of the items. Which is very frustrating. Brand does not always guarantee quality.

Anonymous

In general I don't understand the concept of clothing as investments. Things wear out, styles are changing faster then ever, and even style preferences change. I can see investing more money in shoes, and outer wear- especially if they are basic classic style.

I don't like to spend a lot on tops- they wear out FAST.
I will spend more on quality shoes.
I will pay more for fabrication- Silk, cashmere, leather.
For me it's not about how much things cost though. If I find what I love and think I will get a lot of wear out of it then I buy if it's in my budget.

I have some lower end mass market pieces (jeans mostly) that are still going strong. I personally haven't been impressed with the quality of J. crew or BR.

HelenInCanada

Veteran

I hear you. I say, good style is where you find it - price and name be damned. I have found brilliant pieces at Jacob, Suzy Shier (gasp!), and Joe Fresh. I have also found duds at The Bay. I love thrifting. Always shopping with an open mind. Anyway, off my soap box! I resist pressure due to FOMO!

shedev

Veteran

I don't think of clothing as an investment, but I do think of them in terms of value for the money or CPW. I use the rough figure of $1 per wear. I thought I was going too low but I recently read someone was using the 70 cent range. I'm probably a step below obsessed. So I buy stuff I think I'll enjoy wearing and keep CPW in mind. Most of my wardrobe is not high end and I'm fine with that. I will pay a little more for something I really love.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I think it's worth spending on a few standout pieces you love. I have been forever a $10 item buyer from discount racks. And it worked fine, since I am easy to fit off the rack and my size didn't change much over the last few decades. But just the last year or two I decided to 'allow' myself to buy a few items that were [gasp] over $100. Still half price items, but in a different league. True Religion jeans, a MuuBaa and an Allsaints leather jacket, Frye leather boots, and a DVF dress. These are my treasures. I wear them with some of those $10 items I have, mixing high and low, and they elevate the outfit instantly.

ironkurtin

Veteran

Everyone has to decide where their priorities are. If this is how you arrange yours, then go for it. However, I would disagree that things always stop looking current before they wear out -- this is one reason why I buy classics, and spend money on them.

Also, sale racks.

Ana

(website)

Veteran

I especially agree with Ironkurtin and Suz.

I would say I buy half or less of my clothing full price, and the rest on some sort of sale. J. Crew and BR both have recently marked 40% off the lowest marked price (in store, online I think it's 30%). This is when I pick up my fun/trendy items and accessories. Ann Taylor also has really decent quality pieces (although, much polyester lately), and their sales are the best. I think right now they are running 60% off sale prices. I rarely shop at The Loft because the quality just isn't there for me. The items I have bought there in the past just haven't held up, and I'm generally not *that* hard on my clothes.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Just some quick auto-writing here:

Pick where you invest
Don't invest $$$ into trendy stuff that will look dated
Don't invest $$$ into flimsy items you might destroy running after kids
Don't invest $$$ if your size is changing or if you don't have a frim style POV. Experiment with cheap stuff.
But also don't waste $ on cheaper items that don't fit or flatter
Be open to resale! Thrift stores, Buffalo Exchange, Ebay, can all yield great quality, great fit, and great price points.
Don't rule out a "higher end" store based on the bias of high end. You might find a $45 skirt at Target and a $45 Halogen ponte pencil skirt at Nordies that is superior quality... keep your eyes open and decide piece by piece. Goes the other way, too.
Do invest in tried-and-true, comfy favorites. Your go-to basic shoes, the coat you bring everywhere. Better materials do take a beating better, better shoe technology saves you from health problems, etc. and so forth.

MovingFashionForward

In my view it is only very rarely worth investing in clothes. They so quickly go 'out'. I have wasted so much money in the past investing in clothes than then have gone out, or in some cases have been ruined by moths, children and the odd catastrophic encounter with a well-oiled bicycle chain.

I also don't myself think it is always a good idea to buy the best quality you can afford. I could afford a lot more expensive things than I usually now buy, but I prefer to spend money on assets (things that make money) than liabilities (including expensive clothes that are likely to seem 'out' to me in a year or two, if not sooner in my case!). Moreover, as you so rightly say, the quality of expensive stuff including many a designer piece I have looked at, has gone far downhill, and the quality of many a piece I have bought for £5-10 in Primark has been really not at all bad.

Having said that, I do hate polyester and love good quality wool, silk, and so on, and often can't bring myself to buy polyester, and I do sometimes shell out for the good stuff. I just am under no illusions that I am making an investment. I'm not. I am buying something beautiful and high quality for the aesthetic pleasure it gives me now, knowing that the piece will probably get ruined or lose its appeal to me in a regrettably short time despite my best intentions. Thus, when I do shell out on something, I am never tempted to save it for best, but instead wear it wear it wear it, to get the maximum possible enjoyable wears per cost out of it. But invest in clothes? Oh dear me no.

Perhaps if I were in the market for a one of a kind couture iconic piece, that might be an investment, but otherwise I don't think clothes are really ever an investment. Or if they are, it is a very risky one.

I find a lot of beautiful silk etc clothes in charity shops for next to nothing. That, to me, is more investment-like.

Sarah

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Ooh, just read Rae's response, and I agree! I would say skimp everywhere if you want, but don't buy cheaply made shoes! When you divide up your clothing budget, put the emphasis on quality shoes (doesn't have to mean expensive--for example, Converse are $50 a pair). Foot health is really important.

rae

(website)

Veteran

I like a lot of what MFF said - clothes "investments" aren't like monetary investments. For some, looking sharp at work will indeed pay off in more money, but usually the "returns" are going to be in your your own happiness... and anyway, the first rule of investing is to buy low, sell high!

Gaylene

Veteran

This discussion rears its head from time to time on the forum. I think the response that really summed it for me was one made, I think, (and sorry if I got this wrong!) by MaryK who said that clothing is better thought of as a consumable than an investment.

How we regard consumables varies greatly from person to person. Some people insist on using only freshly roasted and ground coffee for their morning cuppa, while others are just as happy with a no-name brand that they bought on sale. Some people prefer to savor a small piece of very high-end chocolate, while others choose to buy a less expensive, larger bar that they can share with others. Some people willingly pay extra for organic produce because they like to support those farmers, while others check for specials to find the best price for bananas to make their dollar go further. I could go on, but you probably get my point.

Really, there is no "one size fits all" answer to this question. Our decisions are based on our own priorities, inclinations, lifestyles, and budgets. Economize here, splurge there, be sensible now, follow your heart later--as Angie would say "horses for courses" (and how I love that I've been able to use that phrase twice in the last two days!)

Thistle

Veteran

So many terrific answers!! I don't really have much to add except that, for me, I feel it important to wear nice clothes to work even though I have a toddler. I feel my position warrants it and that I carry more authority when I look put together. I am still working on putting together better casual wear

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yes. What Gaylene said. To think of clothing as "investment" is sort of odd. Consumable makes more sense....and I guess I like my high-end chocolate. And will skimp on other things to get it.

rachylou

Veteran

Eh, frankly, as far as I can tell, clothing is a consumable. In fact, housing is a consumable as far as I can tell. But that's getting off track...

I think you're right about pricier stuff declining in quality, cheaper things increasing in quality, and the fashion cycle turning over faster - even for classics.

I am, tho, pretty convinced more money will you get items with greater style. That is, more complex construction, more refined design (which IMO should not be confused with greater durability, btw). The big rub is, items with greater style may not get you more style. I subscribe to the philosophy that when you've got a hold of your style, you can make lemonade from rotten oranges. Hehe.

I also don't think the big interest pieces are worth it if fashion isn't your hobby. That's just totally pointless.

I will also throw in that modern designers are simply throwing themselves at the issue of upping the aesthetics of things more crudely produced. Stylization is a very good substitute for style, IMO.

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

I'm glad certain topics reappear on the forum from time time, because a) I may have missed them the first time round, and b) it's nice to ask myself what I think of certain thing now. Either way, I get to read so many clever views which help me formulate my opinion further.

I love the concept of clothes being consumable goods vs. investment. It's all stuff after all. It's not me, it does not define me. I only express myself through my clothes to some extent, but it can all so easily burn down. Disappear. This time last year I have moved abroad and for one second I thought "oops, what if the ferry with our removal truck on sinks?"

I love the idea of loving my clothes, but not being slave to trends, brands or credit card payments. CPW is an important thing to consider and over time I personally have started adapting my actual wardrobe to the idea that 1 good item is better than two which had cost half the money. Still, I'd try to wait for the good item to go on sale if i can, but that's me and my life priorities: I prefer to save funds for experiences and family days out or safer car to drive around in, then to have more stuff which I realistically don't have opportunity to wear enough.

Also, I do notice the difference in quality by different brands that I owe and if I can I'd go for better made stuff always, but I also have to be sensible and practical. Sensible sometimes means passing on something that I can easily afford, but don't necessarily need - or buying something unplanned, because it's a great opportunity.

Beth Ann

Veteran

Interesting thread, with lots of thoughtful commentary. I'd don't know how much of value I can add, but I do think that you would do well to think of building a wardrobe, rather than just buying clothing. This cost me more as I began, but is beginning to save me both time and money now (after about a year), and I am ready to dress well for my "real" life and "real" body.

As to quality, I agree that it can be measured directly in cost or brands. Since I sew, I have learned to recognize by label, look and feel, fabrics and construction that will wear well. This is one of the reasons I'm still a brick and mortar shopper, along with being more persnickety in fit.

Do you have some items in your wardrobe that have served you particularly well? What do they have in common?

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Beth Ann, I just love reading your responses. So often I will come to a thread and discover that you have said the wisest thing. Building a wardrobe. This is it. This is what the REAL investment is. Individual pieces are just clothes, consumables, stuff. But a wardrobe -- that is something that works for you.

MsMary

Veteran

In my view, there is no such thing as "investing in clothing." Clothing is a consumable. Clothing purchases and financial investments, in my view, ought not to be even discussed in the same breath because they are completely different parts of the budget.

There are great clothes to be had at all price levels so I follow Angie's wise advice and leave no retail stone unturned.