An Uncomplicated Life Blog: Fashion: When to Invest and When to Skimp

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Fashion: When to Invest and When to Skimp

I do few and far between fashion posts here, largely because a) I'm not a fashionista after ditching my career to become a toddler-chaser and baby-maker b) I don't like to shop and c) I find the vast majority of fashion blogs annoying. Like, don't tell me you wore that tulle skirt and midriff top to the Farmer's Market over the weekend. BS! You snapped your pics there and quickly changed because you looked so foolish. That's the real truth behind fashion blogging, my friends, and I find is so absurd.

Believe it or not, I am into fashion. Even high-end stuff. In fact, I wear the high-end stuff daily.

So how does one wear high-end fashion and accessories around children without everything being destroyed? If you're on a budget, how does one get access to high end brands yet still have more than one outfit to choose from?



Easy(ish): You buy invest pieces. What's an "investment piece"? Something that won't go out of style for five, 10 or even 15 years and that will wear/hold up incredibly well.

My designer pieces consist mostly of handbags, sunglasses, jeans and a few pairs of shoes. Not everyday shoes, but specialty shoes that get worn a few times a year. Good-fitting, expensive jeans are ALWAYS a great investment. The fabric holds up to wear and the superior fit makes everything you wear with them look better (not to mention your rump!) A neutral handbag can be worn with everything, and most designers have a lifetime warranty on the bag to fix wear and tear at no additional cost to you.

Splurge on accessories

Not only do these things hold up well, they can be worn with multiple outfits. They blend with less expensive brands to create an outfit. And most importantly, they're not "trendy" and will still be beautiful in 10 or more years.

Sweaters? Tee shirts? Maternity clothes? All of those I buy at affordable stores, and on sale to boot. They get worn daily and washed frequently and thus will either fall apart sooner or be off-trend in a season or two. ONE TIME I dropped cash bills on a cashmere sweater. First it got snagged at the dry cleaners. I switched cleaners out of anger and do you know what happened? The next one LOST IT. They had a $200 cap on reimbursing items, and let me tell you, that sweater was far more than that.

Save on basics

Moral of the story? Don't buy a Louis Vuitton sweater; save that money for the handbag you'll carry for decades. That you'll wear with multiple outfits, even the cheap maternity dress from Old Navy. When you invest in high end accessories, you'll make your whole outfit look more expensive, without it actually being expensive.



16 comments:

  1. I love this post! I agree 100%.
    I wish I could find high end jeans that FIT me and worked well with m body. Being petite, it's hard to find jeans that look right. I know most high end jean places will hem them for you, but that's not really my issue. I just can't find any high end jeans to look right on me. *sigh* oh well, the quest continues.

    I am definitely all for splurging on bags and sunglasses (and the occasional shoe)... of course, if you average it out it's not really splurging since you can use those things every day and they last and last for years and years. Those investments are WORTH IT.

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  2. I'm with you! I think my designer pieces will always be handbags and accessories...I'm so hard on my shoes that I really wouldn't want to ruin a gorgeous pair! xo, Biana -BlovedBoston

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  3. Yes! This is my thinking exactly. My sunglasses are Michael Kors and definitely were an investment, but so worth it! It took me forever to find a style I liked, but they are great for any outfit. I also invest in bags/purses since the high end ones are almost always better quality and have more of the features that I want.

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  4. Yup. Totally agree with this. Good jeans, good sunglasses and a good handbag can make any outfit look "expensive." I'd also encourage people to spend the dollar bills on good makeup and a good hair dresser. All of that combined, you can look like a million bucks without spending a million bucks!

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  5. Yeah, for sure agree. Except I pretty much buy zero investment/designer pieces. The hubs got me a Michael Kors purse for our 5th anniversary and while to many that's not expensive, to us it totally is. I would love to buy nicer sunglasses, but the truth is I usually either 1) lose them or 2) scratch them. So my most expensive pair is $50 (and already scratched after 3 months). But I do love me a good pair of jeans. Sigh. Jeans are my weakness for sure. And boots. Give me all the Fryes!

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  6. Paige, I'm with you on this post. I believe in, investing in quality piece especially when it's paired with less quality items. It really brings the outfit out! Thanks for sharing!

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  7. I completely agree! The fundamentals like jeans, bags, sunglasses.....investments. Tops that get worn so often, if they have a good fit it's totally fine to go with the affordable. It's just too hard/expensive for the upkeep on cashmeres and silks for the every day. Love those sunglasses you have! Don't even get me started on dry cleaners messing things up. Or losing....they are the worst!

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  8. they lost a sweater?!?!!? i totally agree with jeans. i don't like to spend a lot of money on handbags or sunglasses (i have broken more sunglasses than i can count, and i like to get new ones a lot lol) but i do agree about buying better quality things for the items you will wear or use a ton. it just makes sense!

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  9. I can't invest in sunglasses, I manage to break them all haha. I love yours though!

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  10. totally agree with this!! I save on 90% of my wardrobe and only splurge on things like nice shoes or sunglasses. i cannot believe they lost your sweater!! Like, did someone steal it?? haha what the heck!
    xo, Candace | Lovely Little Rants

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  11. Such good advice. Unfortunately I've learned the hard way that I break or lose sunglasses too easily to spend a paycheck on them, but I totally agree with everything else. I will spend pretty much any amount on jeans. I recently found a brand and cut that works for me, and just being able to order a pair and knowing exactly what size to get and how they'll fit without the hassle of jeans shopping is worth the price tag to me!

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  12. I don't really splurge on anything, but that is definitely good advice for people who are going to.

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  13. Yes! I am NOT a splurger! I just can't justify spending tons of $$$ on anything! But, I think you made some awesome points and when splurging it should be on something that can be kept forever!

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  14. Totally agree with this post.
    I don't think I have spent more than £20 on a top haha!


    Thank you so much for linking up with #justanotherlinky Hope too see you again Sunday. xxx

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  15. Hi Paige! These are fantastic tips. I spend way too much money on clothes I rarely wear. Thanks for sharing at Inspiration Thursday!

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