Cost per wear: why is it good to invest in your clothes?
When we look at a price tag, our minds automatically question if it’s worth investing in the product it is attached to. Will I wear it? Will it be trendy a month from now? Will it last me a long time? While it is natural and good to contemplate these things, the sad reality is that fast fashion made us accustomed to such a low price point and to a rapidly changing trend cycle that most of us, even if we can afford it, are reluctant to pay more for something of good quality.
Fast fashion has a huge impact not only our shopping habits, but on the environment, on the workforce, etc. So, it’s safe to say that fashion and consumerism are two complex and often heavily intertwined subjects. But let’s focus on how it affects your financial decisions.
Cost per wear is a term that is determined by the price of a garment divided by the times one wore it. That leaves the question, wouldn’t this cost diminish over time? Yes, it does. The whole point of this is to get as much use out of your wardrobe as possible. Let’s look at an example:
A chunky, knit sweater at a …
Fast fashion brand:
- Price: 30 EUR
- 28 wears (assuming you wear it from september to march once a week for a year)
- Cost per wear: 1,07 EUR
This is not bad, but we should admit that I was bit generous with 28 wears.
Let’s see the other option:
Quality fashion brand:
- Price: 110 EUR
- 280 wears (assuming you wear it from september to march once a week for 10 years)
- Cost per wear: 0.39 EUR
Shocking, isn’t it?
At this point I hope we can agree that a quality garment holds up over time not only for your own use, but it can be passed down to your children, to your nieces and nephews further lowering the cost per wear.
As a personal example, I even have quite a lot of both my grandmas’ clothes and I treasure them and wear them regularly and with pride. Also, my grandma always jokingly asks where I got my clothes when wearing something of hers. So, if the financial bit doesn’t convince you to invest in clothing items, try to view it as a point of connection with future generations of your family.
Overall, investing in your garments is more affordable in the long run, while by doing so also encourages conscious purchasing. Some timeless pieces to start your journey: