When you look good, you feel good! Check out these two accessories that we love…we know you will too
Designer goods can be an extra special treat that you’ll treasure for years to come. However, the high price tag of these items make it imperative that you do your research and put considerable thought into a purchase that could cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. Before you spend the big bucks on a designer item, take the time to do these things first.
Go to a physical store and try it on
You might be making heart-eyes at a feathered pair of sky-high stilettos, but before you impulsively add it to your online shopping cart, figure out where you can try it on in person. As gorgeous as the shoes might be, the feathers might tickle your feet unbearably and those 4-inch stilettos might be torture on your poor toes. By spending some in-person time with the designer items you’re looking to buy, you can get a dose of much-needed perspective and avoid a potential disaster purchase.
Think of at least 5 outfits you could wear with it
If you’re about to invest a huge chunk of money into a designer item, you want to make sure that you can integrate it seamlessly into your existing wardrobe. Those orange and purple puffball heels might look incredible on the runway, but if they don’t match a single thing in your closet, it might not be worth the investment. Visualize multiple outfits and occasions you could rock the item for before you even start to consider the next step.
Check the secondhand market for the same item
Where there are buyers, there are sellers, and you can score as much as half off of a designer item instantly by buying it gently used. However, if you do choose to purchase a used designer item, be sure to ask for detailed photos, check authenticity cards, and compare the item you plan to purchase carefully against the original to make sure it’s not a fake.
Calculate the cost per wear
Designer purchases can be a great investment if you are able to get a lot of use out of them. Calculating the cost per wear is a great way of determining whether or not a purchase is worth it. For example, let’s say you are considering either a casual daytime handbag or an evening cocktail dress, both of which cost around $2,000. If you know that you only go to fancy events once or twice per year, and you think you’ll only wear the dress to your events for the next two years, that’s still a $500 price tag per estimated wear. On the other hand, you may be planning to use the handbag every day for the next 3 years, which makes the cost per wear only $1.83 per estimated wear—that puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?
Designer purchases are fun, exciting, and can become an heirloom that you pass down in your family for generations to come. Doing your research ahead of time can save you money or prevent you from making an impulse purchase that you might regret. Happy shopping!