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There’s nothing worse than serving someone a $200 bottle of wine when they can’t tell the difference between a fine beverage and house plonk. On the other hand, wouldn’t it be great if you could whip up a $2 package of mac and cheese and fool everyone into thinking it was a gourmet meal? Treat your wardrobe the same way you would food; pay more for what people will notice and pay less for what they won’t. There’s no point, for example, on spending $200 on a pair of socks that no one will see. Splurge on a quality suit, however, and you’ll cut a dashing figure at any social event.
Confused about what pieces to drop your hard-earned cash on and when to save your money? Read on to find out which items are worth a little extra investment and how you can save on the stuff no one will notice.
what to invest In
Cuff links
They may be small, but they speak volumes about your sense of style. It’s the little details that count the most and few other items of clothing can add so much instant class and polish to your look.
Expect to pay: $100 to $300
Watch
A great watch may last you the rest of your life and will stylishly enhance anything you wear. To make sure you buy a timeless piece, go for something with a black leather band and a silver or, if you can afford it, a diamond face.
Expect to pay: $500 to $3,000
Coat
You wear it every day for much of the year and it’s what people initially see on you, so consider what kind of first impression you want to make when you buy your coat. You probably won’t own too many coats, so make the one you do own an invaluable addition to your wardrobe. A great coat will complement your work clothes handsomely and will even add style to a jeans-and-T-shirt look. For a timelessly stylish look, choose a knee-length, button-up wool or cashmere coat in black, gray, navy or camel. Get your coat dry-cleaned by a reputable service a couple of times a year and you’re good to go.
Expect to pay: $500 to $1,500
Suit
Invest in one good, classic-cut suit and you’ll live in it for the next 10 years. Choose a black suit whose pieces can be worn as separates, and look for straight-cut pants and a sharply tailored blazer. Wear the pants with a classic white-collared shirt for a semiformal occasion and dress up scruffy jeans and a T-shirt with the blazer and some sleek black runners for a night out.
Expect to pay: $1,000 to $2,500
Sunglasses
These will be the “bling” accessory that will make you look cool all year round, conceal late nights and get you noticed right away. Black or darkly tinted lenses are most alluring and will never go out of style, so stay away from flashy-colored lenses or frames. Get a pair with built-in protection from UVA/UVB rays and do your eyes -- and your wardrobe -- a favor.
Expect to pay: $150 to $400
what to save on
Jeans
With so many choices of denim these days, it’s easy to buy most of your jeans for a lower to moderate cost. Feel free to experiment with different styles and looks by spending less on jeans. One caveat: Whether you wear jeans every day to the office or just for nights out, do spend a little more on one dark-colored pair with a slightly boot-cut leg, as you’ll look great in them no matter what you pair them with, and they’ll actually improve with a bit of age. Additionally, if the rest of your jeans are inexpensive, occasionally wearing a more expensive pair with the label prominently displayed will give the impression that you spend more on all of your jeans than you actually do.
Expect to pay: $30 to $100
Shirts
Never spend more than necessary on basics like T-shirts, button-up shirts and other casual shirts. These pieces will be worn and washed often, and will therefore wear out more quickly. Changing up your shirts every so often is also a very inexpensive and easy way to keep up with trends and ensure that your look stays fresh.
Expect to pay: No more than $30 for T-shirts, and no more than $50 for button-ups
Socks and underwear
As long as you get solid black, navy or white socks you can save money on them because, quite frankly, no one will notice. Great looking underwear can also be purchased inexpensively. Check out sales in department stores for discounts on designer duds. In lower-end department stores you can also buy underwear cheaply; just stick with standard patterns or solid colors and avoid no-name designer logos and weird pictures (like Papa Smurf).
Expect to pay: $10 for a pack of three or for one designer pair on sale
Ties
Save on ties, but take into account the texture of the tie and be sure to choose only ties made from quality materials -- such as silk -- as these feel much nicer to wear and be tied up in. Show your playful side to the ladies and experiment a bit with ties by having a variety of colors and patterns.
Expect to pay: $20 to $30
Belts
A truly useful item, the solid black, leather belt with a silver buckle shouldn’t cost you much and you’ll wear it for years until it falls apart. At this price, you can afford to buy two, so buy a second in brown leather with a gold or bronze clasp as a stylish standby.
Expect to pay: $30 to $60
dishing out on designer duds
Fancy packaging for products, like wine and food, can fool others into thinking you paid a lot more for a product than you actually did. Clothes are the same way, so dress up your package a little and you’ll seem like the definition of class -- even if the rest of your outfit was purchased for half-price at a discount store.
At first you may need to shell out big bucks for some of the pricier items, but remember that these are investment pieces, so you’ll be wearing them for years to come -- some may even last you a lifetime. Plus, after your bank account recovers from your more expensive purchases, you’ll save tons of money each season when all you have to do is pick out a couple of cheaper items to stay in style. Here’s to looking great!
Confused about what pieces to drop your hard-earned cash on and when to save your money? Read on to find out which items are worth a little extra investment and how you can save on the stuff no one will notice.
what to invest In
Cuff links
They may be small, but they speak volumes about your sense of style. It’s the little details that count the most and few other items of clothing can add so much instant class and polish to your look.
Expect to pay: $100 to $300
Watch
A great watch may last you the rest of your life and will stylishly enhance anything you wear. To make sure you buy a timeless piece, go for something with a black leather band and a silver or, if you can afford it, a diamond face.
Expect to pay: $500 to $3,000
Coat
You wear it every day for much of the year and it’s what people initially see on you, so consider what kind of first impression you want to make when you buy your coat. You probably won’t own too many coats, so make the one you do own an invaluable addition to your wardrobe. A great coat will complement your work clothes handsomely and will even add style to a jeans-and-T-shirt look. For a timelessly stylish look, choose a knee-length, button-up wool or cashmere coat in black, gray, navy or camel. Get your coat dry-cleaned by a reputable service a couple of times a year and you’re good to go.
Expect to pay: $500 to $1,500
Suit
Invest in one good, classic-cut suit and you’ll live in it for the next 10 years. Choose a black suit whose pieces can be worn as separates, and look for straight-cut pants and a sharply tailored blazer. Wear the pants with a classic white-collared shirt for a semiformal occasion and dress up scruffy jeans and a T-shirt with the blazer and some sleek black runners for a night out.
Expect to pay: $1,000 to $2,500
Sunglasses
These will be the “bling” accessory that will make you look cool all year round, conceal late nights and get you noticed right away. Black or darkly tinted lenses are most alluring and will never go out of style, so stay away from flashy-colored lenses or frames. Get a pair with built-in protection from UVA/UVB rays and do your eyes -- and your wardrobe -- a favor.
Expect to pay: $150 to $400
what to save on
Jeans
With so many choices of denim these days, it’s easy to buy most of your jeans for a lower to moderate cost. Feel free to experiment with different styles and looks by spending less on jeans. One caveat: Whether you wear jeans every day to the office or just for nights out, do spend a little more on one dark-colored pair with a slightly boot-cut leg, as you’ll look great in them no matter what you pair them with, and they’ll actually improve with a bit of age. Additionally, if the rest of your jeans are inexpensive, occasionally wearing a more expensive pair with the label prominently displayed will give the impression that you spend more on all of your jeans than you actually do.
Expect to pay: $30 to $100
Shirts
Never spend more than necessary on basics like T-shirts, button-up shirts and other casual shirts. These pieces will be worn and washed often, and will therefore wear out more quickly. Changing up your shirts every so often is also a very inexpensive and easy way to keep up with trends and ensure that your look stays fresh.
Expect to pay: No more than $30 for T-shirts, and no more than $50 for button-ups
Socks and underwear
As long as you get solid black, navy or white socks you can save money on them because, quite frankly, no one will notice. Great looking underwear can also be purchased inexpensively. Check out sales in department stores for discounts on designer duds. In lower-end department stores you can also buy underwear cheaply; just stick with standard patterns or solid colors and avoid no-name designer logos and weird pictures (like Papa Smurf).
Expect to pay: $10 for a pack of three or for one designer pair on sale
Ties
Save on ties, but take into account the texture of the tie and be sure to choose only ties made from quality materials -- such as silk -- as these feel much nicer to wear and be tied up in. Show your playful side to the ladies and experiment a bit with ties by having a variety of colors and patterns.
Expect to pay: $20 to $30
Belts
A truly useful item, the solid black, leather belt with a silver buckle shouldn’t cost you much and you’ll wear it for years until it falls apart. At this price, you can afford to buy two, so buy a second in brown leather with a gold or bronze clasp as a stylish standby.
Expect to pay: $30 to $60
dishing out on designer duds
Fancy packaging for products, like wine and food, can fool others into thinking you paid a lot more for a product than you actually did. Clothes are the same way, so dress up your package a little and you’ll seem like the definition of class -- even if the rest of your outfit was purchased for half-price at a discount store.
At first you may need to shell out big bucks for some of the pricier items, but remember that these are investment pieces, so you’ll be wearing them for years to come -- some may even last you a lifetime. Plus, after your bank account recovers from your more expensive purchases, you’ll save tons of money each season when all you have to do is pick out a couple of cheaper items to stay in style. Here’s to looking great!
