Like everything in life, spending money on items for your wardrobe can be well spent or completely wasted. The trick is learning the items on which to invest that hard earned doh. Like a 20 year old Mercedes, certain items stand the test of time, show that you are sensible, classic, elegant and refined but, like a bottle of Dom Perignon in a trailer park, the quality of some items is lost on most.
If this analogy makes sense to you, read on to learn the items for your wardrobe on which you can drop extra cash and the items on which you can be cheap without fearing anyone noticing.
Investment Pieces
Formal Black Dress Shoes
A good, classic capped toe ultra formal dress shoe will last years and years. Reserve them for formal events, and perhaps funerals or weddings, and they will not only be the least worn pair in your closet but always ready to be worn at the drop of a hat (or a wealthy old relative).
Plan to spend: $300 - $400.
Watch
A great watch may last you the rest of your life and possibly beyond, giving it heirloom potential. It will also enhance anything you wear. To ensure a timeless, versatile piece, I would suggest a good quality leather strap watch with a square silver face. The leather strap can always be updated or replaced as needed. The focus is the quality of the actual time piece.
Plan to spend: $750 - $5,000
Coat
Depending on where you live, you might wear this almost daily for a good part of the year. As such, it is the one thing most people will see you in regularly. To get something timeless and versatile, choose a knee-length, button up wool or cashmere coat in black, gray, navy or camel. Have your coat professionally dry cleaned a few times a year and it could last ten or more years.
Plan to spend: $500 - $2000
Suit
A good, classic cut suit can survive the fashion roller coaster for up to ten years. Choose a black suit whose pieces can be worn as separates and look for straight cut pants and a sharply tailored blazer. The suit will work well for work, for semi-formal events, weddings, funerals, graduations, etc. The blazer can be worn with a pair of jeans and tee shirt to help dress it up.
Plan to spend: $1000 - $2000
Briefcase/Messenger Bag
Invest in a briefcase or messenger bag that suits your profession now and any future aspirations and it will never let you down. Be sure to buy one of appropriate size to accommodate the various situations in your day to day life and get one of high-quality leather. Soft sided bags are most common and are timeless additions to any profession’s wardrobe.
Plan to spend: $500 - $1500
Scrimp & Save on…
Jeans
I’m not a big proponent on spending a fortune on jeans. I find myself replacing them often due to wear and tear and frequent changes in jean styles. The only exception is that I like to spend a little more on at least one pair of nice dark washed jeans with a boot cut and a classic cut (due to their versatility for evening outs and casual workdays). Otherwise, there are so many styles available, that spending less allows you to experiment and try out new styles more frequently. Jeans tend to be trendy too – what’s hot today, quickly becomes cold tomorrow.
Plan to spend: $50 - $120
Shirts
Basic wardrobe essentials like tee-shirts and button up shirts are worn and washed often and, as such, simply will not stand up to the test of time. Feel free to stock up on classic tees and dress shirts when they are on sale and feel free to incorporate trendy shirts as well from time to time to keep things mixed up and looking fresh.
Plan to spend: $30 for T shirts; $50 – $75 for button ups
Socks and Underwear
Buy solid white (for gym only), navy or black socks, most people will never notice your socks. Socks wear out too often to merit spending much money on. Underwear can be purchased inexpensively too. If you like to wear designer underwear, fine but ask yourself – when people do see them, how long do they stay on anyways? Stick with simple patterns or solid, plain briefs, boxers or boxer briefs and no one will care!
Plan to spend: $10 for pack of 3 pairs of socks; $10 for pair of underwear
Ties
Save on ties, but do buy ones make of silk (or similar quality materials) because they are much nicer to wear and easier to tie. These are ideal items to scrimp on because the patterns are so vast, styles changes somewhat frequently and they keep your look new and exciting over and over again.
Plan to spend: $20 - $40
Belts
There are available inexpensively so you can buy various styles and always have standbys available. These will last you a remarkably long time too!
Plan to spend: $30 - $60.
Mix a few designer pieces into an otherwise near thrift store but well-planned wardrobe and people won’t notice. It is much easier on the wallet to add a few cheap pieces to update an already great wardrobe each season, than to try to keep up with each and every trend, which is just throwing good money after bad. Pour the Baby Duck in the Dom Perignon bottle and I guarantee, the trailer parkers won’t tell the difference!
