Prior I only went to the tailor to have the length taken up on pants. A few years ago I expanded my tailor experience by getting the chub rub rips repaired (Yes! you can do that, it’s very easy and only $10-$15).
Chub Rub experience: I had a new pair of 7 For all Mankind jeans I had been wearing daily to work and after only 3 months BOOM the thighs were coming a part. I couldn’t let that money go down the drain that quickly so I finally expanded my tailor experience.
After that I became a little more open minded but still forgot tailoring as an option with the exception of more chub rub repairs, a broken zipper and a maxi dress hem (FYI that is the second most expensive “repair” I’ve had).
For the past year or so I have searched (and purchased) high and low for the right boilersuit. After purchasing 2 that were more fitted I scored this TopShop boilersuit 50% off *praise hands*. However, once it came in and I tried it on the waist was MASSIVE for me. When I shared the fit and my concerns on stories, the ladies really came through for me and recommended having the waist taken in. With $100 alterations credit at Nordstrom and a visual from a more expensive version I made the commitment to have elastic put in the back of the waist band.
When I took the jumpsuit into the tailor she said I actually needed an inch of fabric taken in on both sides of the upper body. She said that would be enough but now I had this vision of a cinched waist so I requested she put the elastic in the back. She did such a good job, I expected the back to look like a toddlers pants but the elastic is very discreet.
After this experience my mind is open to more alterations and making pieces my own by having clothes fit MY body type.
Basics are key to a functional wardrobe that you can maximize and wear for years to come. For instance, the trousers I’m wearing are more than 10 years old and I’ve worn them every single one of those years because they remained in style. As you may or may not know, black trousers don’t exactly fit into my day to day life, they’re a little much for a daily Target run. With that being said, while I do take good care of my clothing and things in general these trousers have held up exceptionally well because they aren’t a daily wear.
This pair of trousers was purchased back in college from Express during one of the semi-annual sales, they’re the Express Design line. In college I worked in a bank as a teller so I bought them for that job. That was after I clocked in at Macy’s at 6am as a merchandiser but before I went to class at night. Yes, I am a hustler, always have been always will be! File that under random shit you don’t need to know about me but may find interesting.
While the trousers may be considered vintage soon my other pieces are newer but all still good basics. The tank I’m wearing is a few years old from Target but they still carry this tank on their basic top table for $12. You know the one.
We can shop end of season sales! – In July, all stores are getting rid of their Summer inventory so they all have huge sales much bigger than Black Friday. Why does this benefit our Fall wardrobe? Because Fall/Winter pieces that didn’t sell, got returned or never made the floor are brought onto the floor and mixed in with the Summer clearance because stores need to get rid of it too!
We plan our wardrobes for upcoming seasons early because we know what we’re shopping for which helps us stay on track. By staying focused on what items you want you’re less likely to make impulse purchases. Back to reason 1, having your wardrobe planned out early allows you to shop end of year sales or the Nordstrom Anniversary Sales without impulse purchasing a bunch of stuff you won’t use.
HOW WE PLAN WHAT WE’RE SHOPPING FOR
BRAINSTORM: think about the styles that have been catching your eye, is there something you wanted last year? What we’re your go-to pieces last year? Are you still into them? Do you need to update them? Are you going for a new vibes this season?
RESEARCH: Go to Pinterest and search the styles you’re brainstorming. Scroll down your favorite Instagrammers feed. Get styling ideas and inspiration there. Are there pieces you already have that works will the vibe of your upcoming wardrobe? What are the key pieces you have to have?
LIST: Now that you’ve brainstormed and done some research you should have a strong idea as to what you’ll be wearing for the new season. Write a list of your must have pieces and include items you already have, this will keep you from buying items you already have but forgot about…. You know we’re getting old ha! I put my list in my Notes on my phone so I can always reference it while shopping unexpectedly.
CATEGORIES: Put your list of new purchase wants into price tiers. My tiers are over $200, $100-$200 and $50 and under. This helps to give a quick visual of how much money you’re looking to spend. If your budget is tight, you know to keep your top tiers down to an item or two. You can also get a very loose idea as to how much you’ll be spending. You know if you have 10 items in your 2nd tier and only 3 in you bottom tier you may want to reevaluate your life and brainstorm more affordable options for some of those items. Do you really need a $75 hat because that’s what all the girls on Instagram are wearing or will the $20 options at Target and Amazon work?
MUST HAVES: Lastly, determine which items are your must haves. Which pieces are going to make the biggest impact on the versatility of your wardrobe? THOSE are your must haves NOT a loud ass Adidas track suit! (even though I prioritized one last year haha do as I say not as I do) … My must haves are always the items I’ll wear the most. This year my must haves were Spanx leather leggings and Mini UGG Boots. Both items I kept reaching for last year but didn’t have them to actually put on. Because I planned my wardrobe early and shopped sales I got both items for $75 total. Shout Out Nordstrom Notes!
At the end of the video above I did a quick Fall Haul for you guys, I left quite a few pieces out like my Champion sweatsuit, a thrifted blazer and an MCM clutch but I talk too much and had to cut a few pieces out.
My current favorite sweats are hands down, Champion. The quality is amazing, good and thick without feeling heavy. Soft and cozy too just like the hug you never knew you needed. This set is actually from the men’s section, I just ordered smalls so they fit a little snugger.
This is my second sweatsuit from Champion, I also have a sweatshirt dress and plan to buy at least one more set for winter. The winter “set” may just be a long sleeve sweatshirt to pair with these joggers.
I 100% recommend Champion sweats if you’ve been contemplating getting one. Keep in mind, I live in sweats lol
Today, I want to talk to you about “Cost per Wear” which is the cost you’re paying each time you wear an item. When you break down the cost per wear on you’re most worn items you’ll find it’s less expensive over time to purchase 1 higher priced item than an inexpensive version that you’ll need to replace due to the item not holding up or fitting justttt right.
Due to wear and fit I invest in handbags, shoes and denim. Maybe a coat, and I will spend a few more dollars on a good sweatsuit set (see above). These are items I invest in because I get the most wear out of them. I don’t switch handbags every other month, I don’t tend to carry trendy handbags. Typically, I carry the same handbag almost every single day for a year or 2.
Handbags and Shoes: These are items we wear daily. Think about it, most people wear the same shoes everyday. I have 1 pair of gym shoes I actually wear, how many do you have?
A lot us have a daily handbag that we may switch up with going out bags. What is your handbag rotation?
For shoes, I literally rotate between the same 3 pairs of shoes each season occasionally I’ll throw in a fun cheap pair from Target or the neon pink heels above. As for handbags, like I said above I carry my favorite handbag 300 days out of the year the other 65 is a random fun bag.
Denim: Some people will not trust me on this but I promise you, you are doing your butt a disservice by not buying quality denim. The right denim will lift and round your booty right on up, your waist will look slimmer. I tried my first pair of 7 For All Mankind denim over 10 years ago and I haven’t looked back since.
In addition, similarly with handbags and shoes we typically have 1-2 go-to pairs of jeans that we put on once a week if not more. Denim is also an item that carries over season to season and year to year. *disregard if you don’t wear jeans.
BONUS ITEM: For me this is sweatsuits, for you it may be sweaters, leggings or band tees. Mine is sweatsuits because I have always gravitated to a sweatsuit set, since high school it has been one of my go-to items. I will never forget the Juicy Couture pink short set Jennifer Lopez wore in the “I’m real” video. Today, I have a sweatsuit section in my closet because I love them that much. I spend a little more money on these items because I wear them weekly and keep them for years. And tbh, I love them so much and they bring my heart so much joy and I’m a grown up and that’s what I want to do! lol
So, how do we calculate Cost per Wear?
Divide the cost of the item by the number of times you expect to wear an item. Your total is your cost per wear.
If you have a pair of denim at $150 and you’ll wear them on average once a week for 2 years your cost per wear is $1.44 each wear
$150 divided into 104 wears = $1.44 * I can’t find the division symbol
On the flip side, if you buy a pair of jeans at Target for $35 and you get to wear them for 6 months once a week before you get a hole or they lose their shape your cost per wear is: $1.34
Disclaimer:You don’t have to spend x amount of dollars on clothing or denim. You work with your budget, however, don’t allow the full retail cost of an item discourage you from getting it. Don’t say, I have kids I don’t have $150 for jeans. Cool, I don’t spend $150 on jeans either I am just resourceful. I’ve paid full price for my denim once after that I hit sales racks, Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx and Marshalls. You can “thrift” Madewell denim on PoshMark usually around $30. You can have premium pieces without premium prices.
Long story short, it’s worth the initial “investment” to spend a few extra dollars on the items and pieces you get the most wear out of it.
LET’S BREAKDOWN MY OUTFIT COST PER WEAR …
SUNGLASSES: $16, so far I wear them 5 days a week since I bought them 2 months ago. $16 divided into 40 = .40 cent
TOP: $45, worn 3 times a month for 4 months. $45 divided into 12 = $3.75 per wear. * I’ve already worn this top more than 12 times.
JOGGERS: $32 worn 4 times a month for 6 months. $32 divided into 24 = $1.33 Again, I’ll wear these for years if only around this house.
SHOES: $35 worn once (for photos). $35 per wear
MCM CLUTCH: $360 (?) plan to use 1x/week for at least 2 years. $360 divided into 104 = $3.46
Without a doubt the most expensive item I’m wearing here are these cheapy cheap neon heels I bought just for The Gram. Using cost per wear, your most expensive item isn’t the highest price piece it is typically the item you wear the least.
Even though I’ve done a few “How to Wear Sneakers with Dresses” posts both video and photos you guys requested more so I’m giving you another post one last time before we prepare for Fall. I’m happy to fulfill your request as I LOVE a sneaker with a dress more than anything, so I got you! I have video for you above and each look is linked individually below. I even added a few bonus looks at the bottom of the post.
This post is a part of The Rule of 5 series. The Rule of 5 is my #1 shopping rule to help build a curated wardrobe while maximizing what you currently own along with each new item you bring into your closet.
In short, before you buy a new item you have to think of 5 full outfits featuring this new item with pieces you ALREADY own. By doing this you will cut back on one hit wonder items, impulse shopping aka throwing money away and will begin to build a curated wardrobe of pieces you love and actually wear.
I created a FREE, that’s right FREEEEE E-Book with the full back story of the Rule of 5. Why, when and how I created The Rule. How you can implement the Rule of 5 into your life, brainstorming worksheets and a shopping checklist. Enter your email below to get that sent right to your inbox!
