Something to think about before you get tempted to the autumn trends which will soon be filtering into the shops – how is your current wardrobe working for you, is it giving you value for money?
It’s all down to ‘cost per wear’. This refers to the number of times you
wear an item of clothing – it’s the true value of the garment. To calculate
this, work out the price divided by the number of times you wear it. The
more you wear something the better the value it becomes.
I’m wearing a top that is over 40 years old – now that’s good ‘cost per wear’!
Let me give you an example. If you buy a pair of jeans for £80 and are
wearing them on average 4 days a week for, say 3 years then they end up
costing you just under 13p per wear, which I’d say is good value for money,
and of course they’re probably going to last you much longer than that so
becoming even cheaper as time goes on. It’s all about the number of times
you wear something!
If, on the other hand you splash out on a cashmere jumper for £110 and
shrink it in the wash after its first wear then not so good…
Pricier pieces can therefore earn a place in your wardrobe if you’re wearing
them enough. So, your workhorse piece, your staples, should be where you
invest your money – on the items of clothing you know are going to give you
longevity and regular wear. The adage that ‘you only get what you pay for’ I
believe to be true, so the clothes that are going to be worn the most should
be of the best quality you can afford, then they’ll last the test of time.
Having less in your wardrobe but garments of better quality is the way to
go.
It is estimated that we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. So, you’re
getting good ‘cost per wear’ from that 20% but what about the other 80%?
Not so good…
It’s time to question why you’re not getting wear out of this 80% that
languishes in your wardrobe. Ask yourself, why you don’t reach for it in the
morning?
• It maybe because it doesn’t fit you anymore, in which case get rid, you
don’t want to be reminded that last year you were a size smaller. (And by saying get rid, it doesn’t necessarily mean giving it to charity, if it’s still decent think about selling it on a platform like Vinted, it’s so easy if you haven’t tried it).
• It may have seen better days, is it time to be replaced, and if so,
with what? It might just need that button sewn back on or a trip to the dry
cleaners, if so, get it sorted. Everything in your wardrobe should be ready
to wear, you want to be able to grab and go when you are pushed for time in
the morning. That means nothing goes away needing an iron.
• Perhaps it’s just not your colour? Knowing what colours work best
for you can help you develop an effective capsule wardrobe of clothes that
mix and match giving you multiple outfit options.
• Or has your body shape changed and now you need to consider a
different silhouette to suit? You need to spend time trying on stuff you’re
not wearing, to work through these scenarios and come up with the solution,
avoiding repeats of the same mistakes.
• Think about your lifestyle needs, and ask yourself how and when are
you going to wear something? Don’t make those impulse buys like that skirt
you’ve got sitting in your wardrobe with nothing to go with.
If you need some help making sure your wardrobe provides effective ‘cost per
wear’, don’t hesitate to get in touch. These are just a few comments from my
previous clients –
‘Thank you so so, it was honestly amazing, wish I’d done it years ago! You
were brilliant in so many ways, making me feel at ease, giving hints and
tips, being honest, knowing your stuff and staying energised throughout! AND
thank you very much once again for being fabulous – I keep opening my
wardrobe and smiling to myself!’
‘I felt Lesley immediately had a really good sense of “me”, what suited my
colouring and style but in a way that really captured me and my personality,
showed off my best features but took account of what I would feel
comfortable wearing too. She has a very positive energy and is very
encouraging but also really listens and has a real empathy with style
choices and issues.’
‘Lesley has been so fantastic, her style knowledge, her patience and her
very valuable advice has changed my life. I cannot recommend her enough for
insights, inspiration and confidence building.’
‘It was great to get Lesley’s style advice when I retired and needed a
different type of wardrobe. She was able to help me streamline the clothes I
already had and efficiently select items that worked together, helping me
identify outfits I didn’t realise I had before. She also helped me prevent
unnecessary spending by getting to focus my shopping choices on the colours
and items that will provide most versatility in my wardrobe. I definitely
found that Lesley’s advice has set me up extremely well for a relaxed but
stylish retirement!’
For more helpful styling tips why not follow me https://www.facebook.com/LesleyClarkeStyleAdvisor
or Instagram: lesleyclarkestyleadvisor
