Out of all the questions I hear from people, there’s one that keeps coming back:
How do you decide what to splurge on + what to save on?
At first, my answer was going to be that my decisions came from a gut level feeling. But that doesn’t really help at all, does it? So I tried to press down to the bottom of that gut feeling.
In the meantime, I was curious what other people had to say about the topic. I turned to the internet. I googled the question and — I have to laugh here because — I got two completely opposing answers, sometimes within the same article:
“Splurge on basics that you can wear forever, like a classic black pea coat.”
And, “Splurge on wild pieces, like a crazy pair of night-out heels.”
I found lists upon lists heralding the 10 Investment Pieces Every Woman Should Own By 30.
And they were all vastly different.
Well internet, thanks for the clarity.
It turns out splurging + saving is a tricky question that gets people riled up. Probably because it has to do with how we spend our money, which we’d all agree is a highly personal and emotional topic.
Back to trying to figure out my gut feeling. I kept sitting with it. Something had to trigger it.
Enter this bag + this pair of pants. I realized:
I typically splurge if I’ve had success with a “save” version of that piece.
Why? Because it takes the risk out of the equation.
For example. We all know how nuts I went over my joggers this summer. They were a “save” version — less than $40, so they eventually fell apart after so many washings — but I wore them all the time until that fateful day. Based on how much I wore them, I could safely bet that these high quality joggers from Aritzia ($145) would be a good investment.
Meanwhile, there’s been a whole lot of buzz about the Madewell Transport Tote ($170). It is a beautiful bag, but I’ve never been one to carry a big tote bag. I like tiny purses that don’t get in the way. But still … I loved how it added so much color + warmth to an outfit. So I decided to try out the look with the Nordstrom Reversible Tote ($50). So far, I’m loving it enough that it looks like it may be worth upgrading someday.
Pretty simple, right? Forget about those “Every Woman Should Own” lists. We’re not all the same woman. Instead, turn inward — ask yourself if you’ve had success with a similar item before. Yes? Then splurge. No? Then save.
Top: Madewell
Bottoms: Aritzia
Bag: Nordstrom
Shoes: DSW
Bracelets: Moulton
Necklace: Moulton
Stacking Rings: Moulton
I agree with this, king of.. sometimes I think it’s worth skipping the “save” version and just going for the “splurge” item. I say this because, if you always buy a “save” version first.. you end up spending A LOT of money. I’ve wasted way more money um-ing and ah-ing over something only to buy a cheap version and then realise I don’t like it, don’t need it, it falls apart, OR I love it and wish I’d bought the more expensive version in the first place.
I’m at the point where I know what works for me and I can eyeball an item and know whether I’m going to wear it to pieces or forget about it in a few weeks.
This is a good point! Sometimes when I’m really sure I’ll love something, I just go for the best quality version I can afford. Usually that pays off. I do “save” versions for trends I really want to try, but I”m not sure about.
I totally agree. If we love wearing something and we know we’ll wear it all the time, we should make sure that we choose high quality piece. But HOW to know which one it is?
Price tag isn’t everything nowadays I’m affraid. I’ve bought pieces costing nothing, that were simply undestroyable. And really expensive pieces that fell apart so quickly that I felt simply deceived.
I sometimes think, that it’s just pure luck, to find long-lasting pieces. And I’m kinda sad ;)
I was thinking about this as well. I’m sort of mid-range when it comes to price for my clothes and it seems like price isn’t always correlated with how quickly something wears out. Which is really disheartening. I mean, I’ve finally figured out that the really cheapy Target version isn’t going to last compared to the Nordstrom version, but often that Nordstrom thing doesn’t last as long as I’d expect it to given the price I paid for it.
I guess I also need to get better at understanding construction and fabrics to know if something is going to wear well.
I do this as well – jeans is a recent example. In my experience, cost has been correlated with the jeans looking better for longer, to the point that per month of use they actually ended up being the same price. So now I spend more on jeans because they are such a staple for me and I know that cheap ones don’t look good for long! But some things, like a white tee, tend to ‘die’ with time regardless – they get stained, develop funky armpits, etc. So while quality might correlate with price to a degree, with such things it might not make that big a difference to the lifespan of the garment.
I typically want to know, in specific terms, what I’m spending the extra money on if I’m splurging. I.e., is it actually better quality, will it look better, last longer, repair better, and the like? And, if it lasts longer, do I anticipate wanting to use it for as long as it will last?
I always want to quibble with the idea of an ‘investment’ piece, because my mom used to remind me that an investment is something that increases in value with time…like a house or good stock. Whereas I don’t think any item of clothing ever becomes more valuable as it ages, except maybe in the case of something couture. (Not what I’m ever buying!) So I never think of clothes as an investment, but as an item of use. My goal is to get the most use (including enjoyment) out of it and spend the amount of money that will achieve that, if possible. Not that I’m arguing with your point in this post, just the idea you of clothing being an investment which always comes up in discussions like this!
I can see both sides. I agree it is best to splurge first and save the “save” but I think it depends on where you are at in the whole capsule wardrobe. I am at the very beginning and although I am in full support of saving as much as possible, I am still deciding what I will love or hate. So I would much rather get a “save” version first. I do think that staples are quite easy to splurge on though. For instance, I know I love a good quality skinny jean. It would be pointless to purchase a “save” version when I already know I love it!
So, I definitely think both sides can be applied :)
Thanks Caroline!
Hi Caroline,
I love your un-fancy concept. I am a little older, so some of your styles are too young for me, but I love your ideas and it is fun to see what’s in style and how you mix it up! But I do have a question – I love the Nordstrom purse and was going to purchase it but started to read the comments and so many of them are about the smell of the purse – not a good smell! Did you find this with yours and if so did it go away?
Thank you,
Hi Pamela,
PBI, if you have access to a G.H. Bass outlet, they have an almost identical reversible bag in tons of color combos for $29.99 and they don’t smell. HTH!
Hi Pamela, I just bought the Nordstrom bag and I was also worried about the reviews but don’t listen to them, it does not smell too strong at all and I love it! Buy it :)
I totally agree that you should be splurging on pieces you love…but I don’t think that test driving eh “save” option first is always necessary. With some aspects of my style, I already know what I like and what works for me, so I’m willing to jump right into the deep end and get a splurge item right away.
I think that you should be spending the bulk of your clothing money on classic items that you will love and wear until they really do fall apart. And the best thing about high quality items? They are usually easier to repair (and more worth it) than the save options. Take heels for example: quality heels are usually leather soled., meaning that you can have them re-soled to your heart’s content during their life. My mum’s closet is a perfect example of this. She’s kept her nice shoes in fantastic shape over the years and our cobbler is amazing. Today, she has a wonderful collection of beautifully aged shoes.
Kris | http://www.love-loft-life.com
Totally my strategy, also when I can’t find a splurge version that I 100% like I stick to save versions until I found the perfect splurge item
Oh that’s a great idea! I’ve just started doing capsule wardrobe too {and just posted the first outfit on my blog: http://www.katberries.com }
I go with my gut feeling too, but as a rule of thumb, I only splurge on simple, clean pieces. Like a leather jacket or a pair of leather booties. So I think I splurge on things I wear the most: I have 15 tops but I only have 2 or 3 jackets and 5 or 6 pairs of shoes that I wear all the time.
I don’t splurge on crazy statement pieces because from experience I know that: a) that pattern will go out of fashion soon, b) I will grow tired of looking at it. But there are things not worth saving on: like said leather jacket. First, you can’t really get a cheap leather jacket, second, I find that the cheap PU versions smell and don’t feel nice.
Anyway, that’s all I wanted to say. :)
I splurge on wool pants and skirts for work; navy, black, tan. I have had most of those for over 5 years. I also splurge on classic colored Brooks Brothers tailored shirts…they always fit, no bunching or opening at the buttons, and they don’t require dry cleaning. Also, 100% silk dresses over those poly blends that never last. T-shirts, trendy leggings, scarves, patterned tops, are always a save and help to keep the staples fresh! Love your blog!
I <3 this post do much.
1. I am so jealous that you can pull off joggers. I have been wanting to do this look since you first showed it in the summer capsule, but I'm petite with athletic legs so finding one that fits right is hell.
2. I agree with your view on splurge vs save. I struggled with this a lot because I googled for someone else's answers. We are not the same woman! This is something that everyone must decide on their own. I usually look at it and ask myself how many outfits will this match to? How easy is it to clean? Is there something I don't necessarily love about it (like cap sleeves instead of elbow length) that I am okay with compromising? The overall answers help me decide.
Thank you for being real, un-stuffy, and having such a positive help-yourself type of blog rather than an authoritative voice on fashion. Really love that you are looking to help others find their own style and zen :)
-Tania
I am definitely drinking the kool-aid pretty hard with the sweatpants trend (so comfy!) even though I too am shorter and curvier, and so they just look different on me than they would a tall, lanky model. I bought these http://www.splendid.com/athletic-woven-pant/d/7503
(select colors on super sale here!) http://www.6pm.com/splendid-athletic-woven-pant
and I feel like they’re really great fit for a shorter woman because they are cropped (no bunching at the bottom). They are pretty lightweight, so probably not the best late-fall option if you’re in a colder climate. Anyway, I love them, and they are made in the USA. Ethical concerns are important to me when I shop.
I think most of us are still in the process of figuring this out! I find myself leaning more and more toward the “splurge” end of the spectrum for pieces that will last a long time–I have had my favorite Frye boots for 5 years and they still look amazing! I would definitely rather have one nice thing than 10 okay things. I am also trying to seek out made in America/sweatshop free clothing for ethical reasons–and for higher quality.
Still, just because something is expensive doesn’t mean it will last longer though, so I am trying to learn more about identifying quality. (And going to Aritzia next weekend :)) Do you have any tips for how you can tell if something is going to really last/be worth it? I feel like there are more blogs about that kind of thing (putthison for example) for men than women, like women are expected to not care about finding a coat that will last longer than a season/
Hi Sarah,
your comment made me think about an article I read some time ago. It’s a really nice blog and I really like the idea of a guide for assessing garment quality.
http://into-mind.com/2014/05/01/how-to-assess-the-quality-of-garments-a-beginners-guide-part-i/
Hope you find it helpful :)
Thanks–that guide is exactly what I needed to read! This weekend I was at Madewell and started reading the labels to see what everything was made of, but then I realized I had no idea if it was a good or bad thing that the coat I loved was a wool/nylon blend!
If only it was easier to assess quality while shopping online (online window-shopping is one of my favorite things to do when I’m wasting time :))
Hah! I hadn’t read your comment about quality before posting mine above – I feel the same way, that I need to educate myself on how things are constructed and what fabrics are “better” for what I need them to do.
Hi Sarah!
I posted a list of sweatshop-free brands in the comments section of Caroline’s “4.23 one piece to up your style + comfort” entry.
I absolutely love your blog and style. I just wish I could get the “front tuck” down, any tips? I know it sounds silly, but every time I attempt it, it looks to forced or like I’m trying to hard to look effortless.
I know what you mean! The first time I tried it, I felt like I was trying too hard to look effortless – but it’s all in your mindset.I eventuall got used to it. Plus, it helps when the rest of you is more lax. Like casual makeup, casual hair – nothing looks too perfect – then it looks more effortless. Just my two cents :)
I love this advice! It’s so true too– test out the waters before making the full commitment. And I’m going to check out the joggers now– they are so good!
I love the pants!
Yep. I bought joggers at Old Navy this summer and I just can’t bring myself to wear them out, Glad I only spent $20. :) They are great for the house though!
Hi Caroline!
I just recently started following your blog, and I am SO happy to have found you. I love the simplicity of your wardrobe, but yet every piece has this uniqueness and ability to add such variety!! I’ve been re-thinking the way I shop lately (trying not to buy so many random “one-off” pieces that I end up wearing once or twice) and your blog is the perfect place to look to for inspo. So, thanks! Ps, I have been alll over this jogger trend too. Fancy sweatpants?! Gimmemore.
xx Chelsie
I find I’m willing to spend a little more on shoes I wear every day (or, more realistically, I ask for them or a gift card for them for Christmas or my birthday). I’ve also found, as I’ve begun to regularly shop at thrift stores over the past few years, that I can find higher quality pieces for less or try out certain trends without breaking the bank. Most of my best quality clothing has come from the thrift store, and I didn’t have to splurge (including my awesome leather biker jacket that I got at an antique fair). All that being said, though, it’s a different way of thinking about shopping, and there will always be those new pieces you have your eye on. That’s when your principle can really come into play.
Edcellent advice! Definitely a good idea to “try before you buy”- an expensive version at least! I know I’ve had several pieces in the past that I just “KNEW” I was going to wear all the time… But they fizzled out and ended up being a waste of money. I am loving my pared down wardrobe, thanks to you.
That’s a great tip. I never really splurge because I love cheap things, haha.
That is excellent advice. For any trend that I want to try and am feeling slightly nervous about, I save. And then if I find I love it, wear it constantly I can then upgrade. Love these joggers! :)
I have no idea what my strategy is for saving and splurging. I suppose I just go with the flow. I am really into textures, so if an article of clothing has anything itchy or uncomfortable about it I don’t buy it, which typically happens with the cheaper articles of clothing more than anything, though not always. I think everyone classifies saving and splurging differently too. I feel like I usually stick to mid-range clothing for everything, so somebody with a smaller budget than I might say I’m splurging, or vice versa.
Great advice, Caroline. Love those joggers! I can see them working well with the Madewell Vans too. :-D
Caroline,
I really love this insight. I always love your “advice” type posts, but this one might be my favorite. It’s such a simple concept, really, but I’d never thought of it that way…that if I have “success” with an item and love it, it should be something to invest in. Duh! Thanks for opening my eyes!
Love it! The gray on gray is so chic with the bag. Great advice for when to splurge and when to save. The Madewell version of that tote is definitely on my Christmas list. Love the color and the casual factor of it being a tote.
I have a question for you about those pants. I love joggers, and think they’re so cute, but I am not sure how I’d style them in the winter time, when it’s too cold to wear flats and I’m tired of my Vans. Any thoughts?
Those pants look so comfy!
This is more or less what I do too, although I don’t think I really thought of it that way. Most of my tried-and-true clothes are “classics” like dark blue jeans, riding boots, a sheath dress, cropped pants for work, etc. With most of these, I started with a thrifted or cheaper version and then upgraded.
My exceptions might be shoes and t-shirts though. I tend to splurge on shoes, in part because I stick with my tried-and-true styles and in part because I’ve found that nicer brands tend to be more supportive. T-shirts I tend to buy as cheaply as possible, because I’ve found that the nicer ones don’t last any longer. I do tend to get a lot of them at Marshall’s though, if I can find nicer brands on sale there.
I love your splurge/save philosophy and totally agree with the “what every woman should own lists”! I fell into that trap when I started playing around with fashion and getting into my style more. I personally splurge on pieces that I know I’ll get a lot of use out of or classic pieces that will never go out of style.
I don’t really get the “pieces every woman should own” lists. We all have vastly different lives. I have two little (messy) kids, live in Seattle and work at home. I don’t need a cashmere sweater or a fabulous wool peacoat for my lifestyle (for example).
I do need pieces I can layer with our crazy weather, and nearly everything needs to be machine washable (and sturdy enough to withstand lots of washing after grubby hands have attacked me).
I don’t read any fashion blogs except yours, and I think what I love about it is that your advice is relevant because we each need to identify what we need from our clothes. I can’t pull off half the looks you do because it’s not my style at all (and I’m plus-sized), but I love reading the reasoning behind why you chose certain things or put things together, and it totally helps me be more mindful and intentional about what I’m wearing. And people notice, totally.
What a good advice! If you have been using the same old bag/shoes/jacket, perhaps the style really suits you, it will be good to invest a better quality version of it. Previously, I was not very sure whether the formal backpack suits my style and everyday lifestyle. After owning a USD$20 for 1 year, I am now very sure I should get a good one since it fell apart. Now on a look up!
I love this idea. I think it makes sense because if you really love something you are willing to spend to get quality. But if you are not sure it make sense to just buy a cheaper version and see how you feel. I would rather do it that way that spend on something I end up never using (which I do more than I care).
At the moment I am trying to get together to my first capsule money and due to everything else in my life I don’t have the money to do much so I am am just using what I have an will add to it. I was gifted money to invest in a hand bag and next on my list is good quality boots to go with the bag and then nearer the end of the year (maybe in the sales) a really good quality coat. So really I am going for key items I intend to use for years, but when I have a little more money I intend to build on my wardrobe so it one I really want!
Great advice! I have seen the opposing viewpoints that you talked about but this is a fresh new idea and take on it, which I think makes a lot of sense. Also, totally thought your tote was the Madewell Transport Tote at first! Cool that you found a much more affordable version.
Love this advice. :)
Thanks for going deep, doing the research, and then going deeper into what your true experience has been. So thoughtful and useful.
This is something I do, but could never explain it to someone else! i bought a pair of combat boots for $20 and wore them to pieces, so I knew that purchasing the Troopa pair from Steve Madden would be worth it. Thanks for breaking it down — now I can share that with all my friends :p