Cost-per-wear

There is an interesting phenomenon that sweeping the fashion -and even celebrity - world: Cost per wear.

I've never really understood this, least I didn't at first. It seemed like a way to justify and rationalize spending a lot of money on something.

"Oh the Chanel bag is totally worth it, because of cost-per-wear. If I wear it everyday, then it equals only $5" or blah blah blah. Something like that.

See, the problem I have with that is, no matter if the bag ends up being $5 because you use it all the time, it STILL has cost you 2K to buy. It's not like the more you use it, the more Chanel refunds you money or something like that. It still cost an arm and a leg, or a vacation (the way I rationalize expensive things...I could buy this bag, or a trip to Cuba).

So people then say, "Oh well if I "invest" in a Chanel bag and use it all the time, I won't have any need for any other bags."

This makes a bit more sense...let's look at it that way: if you buy, say, 5 bags a year with a grand total of $500, you can forgo buying any bags for - um - four years, in order to make up for it.

Now, I don't know about you, but Chanel or Dior or Hermes or what, if I had to carry the same bag for four years, everyday, I would go nuts. And I don't care how expensive they are, those bags will just not last if you use them THAT much.

Even if I bought a $500 bag and vowed to not buy bags for a year, it would still irk me.

See, I need variety. I don't like the feeling of wearing the same thing over and over again. I like to have a lot of different things - and yes, I want a lot of them to be good quality too. But here is where it gets difficult.

I splurged on a pair of Michael Kors boots in January. I've worn them quite a bit, maybe once every two weeks. Well, that was until last week when I wore them 3 days out of 5 because I felt guilty. Anyhoo, the boots are awesome but they aren't exactly something I could keep wearing into the summer. They are lined with velvety plush shearling/sheepskin type fluffyness, which lends them a certain UGG-quality. Upper class UGGS maybe, but still UGG. And I just can't pull off/subject self to the dress and furry boot thing come summer. So it's safe to say these will be sitting on my shelf for awhile.

Until Fall/Winter of course, when I will be more than happy to bust them out. But how often will I wear them? Come later this year, won't I want to buy more boots? It's hard enough for me to wear these investment peices now, when I have millions of other boots and shoes in my closet competing for my attention.

That's my problem. Excess. Too much of everything which makes the special pieces get more neglected than not.

Although I think I just turned that around on its head.

Two packages came in the mail today. One was from GoJane.com - my first purchase from there - SIX pairs of funky shoes for under $100!

The other package? One pair of yellow Kate Spade nappa leather puzzle flats from Bluefly, also under $100.

The Kate Spade flats are the most gorgeous flats ever. Seriously. I think they are as sexy and special as any stunning high heel. They fit me perfectly (got a size 5, which I should start doing more often - I have small feet, it's time to stop pretending, lol). They are padded with comfiness (even the insole is pink and happy). The yellow colour is amazingly cheery and bright. The connecting puzzle peices at the front are mirrors and so whimsical, adding a little something something. And the leather, my God, the nappa leather is so soft, delicate and tissue thin. Since they arrived at my work, I've been taking them out of the box every hour and running my fingers all over them.

I could see myself wearing these shoes forever and with everything. The best part was, I was looking high and low for a pair of yellow flats and these will become much more than passing fancy for something "spring"like.

What about the box of 6 shoes from GoJane? I don't need em. Some are cute and useful but most are just cheap and boring in comparison. In fact, I just mailed half of them back because why do I need so many shoes when I have one spanking gorgeous special pair right here?

So, I guess I am starting to see the benefits of cost per wear. If you buy things you really, REALLY love, you don't have much need for the stuff you don't love. And it also gives the things you love the attention that is due.

I admit, this is just now being grasped by my brain, so you can understand that my overflowing closet is full of somethings I love, and somethings I don't love.

Part of it is due to being a hasty and impulsive shopper. The other part is due to my penchant for online shopping (people I don't even know very well on Facebook always ask me questions about Forever21 or eBay, as if I work for them lol) and the fact that it's easy to pick clothes you think you may like and put them in an imaginary cart, then try them on when they arrive and find out you don't actually like it THAT much.

And the other part is due to the fact that I have a very excessive personality. Very.

Regardless, I am going to start putting more thought - and heart - into my purchases from now on - keeping in mind that I am on a no-shopping ban for the month of March! (for those who remember, I was supposed to be on a ban starting New Years but I ended up just doing it for the month of December. Then I binged in Jan and Feb, hence my March abstaining.)

Here are the shoes (you'll see proper pics tomorrow!):






Have you ever worked out cost-per-wear into your wardrobe? If so, what was it and how is it working out for you? How do YOU rationalize big, expensive purchases? Please answer in comments below, darlings, I REALLY want to know :)



PS my excessive amount of clothes also provides other challenges - more posts on having "too much crap" later this week!