6 Insanely Expensive Things We Bought And Never Wear…And 8 We Wear Constantly
It’s not an “investment” if we never actually wear it.
by Carolyn Firestone
I recently realized there’s a small section of my closet collecting dust.
Wanna guess what’s in it?
It’s not tattered Aerie bras from my 20s or some on-sale jumpsuit I tossed into my cart at Target.
It’s the things that I took the plunge and spent cold hard cash on. I never even touch them, but they cost too much to give away. So they just sit there, making me sad.
However … they’ve led me to a revelation about splurging on clothes in general. It won’t knock you out of your chair, but here it is.
Because we don’t splurge often, when we do, it needs to be on something we actually wear.
Revolutionary, right?
What I mean is we need to be sure we’ll wear that thing a lot. Like A LOT a lot.
And the reason we wear it a lot has to be because it makes the lazy humans we are in our natural habitat look worlds better. Not because the thing itself is luxe or chic, but because it makes US (and the rest of our clothes) look luxe and chic.
There are 6 things I splurged on lurking in my closet at this very moment that may as well have been buried in a time capsule. And there are 8 things I will wear until the day I die.
Wanna see which is which? Carry on.
1. Impractical Outerwear Where You’re Pretty Much Paying For A Designer Print
Unlike with say a silk scarf or a “going-out” top, we need our outerwear to not just be for show. Take this classic Burberry “rain” coat, for example. It’s thin, stiff, and absorbs water at a rate more rapid than an actual sponge. Did that stop me from caving at the sight of those little plaid sleeves and a lining I thought would teleport me to Paddington Station? Absolutely not! But 99 times out of 100, on our way out the door, we’re going to choose a warmer, softer, better-fitting, more durable (erm, more affordable) coat, so that overtly designer one never gets any use. After too many years, it’s finally sunk in that quality is what makes things luxury and not, shockingly, a lining.
2. Shoes with splashy hardware
On the one hand, I like the idea that if a shoe has a little more oomph or embellishment, I get to be wildly lazy about everything else and still seem like I put in some degree of effort to look “styled.” The trouble, of course, is that those same trendy accents are what make a shoe go out of fashion after like 3 wears, and then they just gather dust in our closets for decades, because whether or not we care about trends today, that shoe will “date” us back to a time when we clearly did. Probably at the expense of our bank account.
3. Shirts that are more about style not shape
Just because it’s lovely on the hanger or in that one photo where they basically used trompe l'oeil to make it lay just so on the model, some things will never flatter and or fall correctly on your body. Any top that takes more than 10 seconds to style, needs endless re-adjusting, or wrinkles the moment you tuck it, will never see the light of day. I swear this one was gorgeous on the model. Swear. Don’t give up on me.
4. Bags that lead with logos not usability
Why oh why, do we spend our hard-earned dollars on designs that rate 0 on functionality? That pocket-square of a designer bag you couldn’t squeeze a credit card into once your phone is inside. That ludicrously large tote with no zipper to contain its madness. I’m through with any bag that’s too small or too big or too loud or too weirdly shaped to be of use. I’m even done with this one, where the all-the-rage handle was too snug to ever fling over my shoulder. At this point, can we all just admit that if a bag doesn’t have a crossbody strap, we’re not going more than 6 steps with it? But more on that later.
5. Skirts That Stun On The Hanger Then Suck On Us
I love skirts. Well, actually, I love the idea of skirts. But skirts get it wrong all the time. And it’s for one specific reason. Fit. How often have you gazed upon a gorgeous skirt that would make you dress 5x more exciting and would be even better than a dress, because you could control the fit of your top separate from your bottom? But then you try it on, and bam, there’s some dumb, restrictive band around your waist that makes every bit of belly below it splay out in one big gathered pooch. Even when it’s 100% your size. Behold.
Bad-fitting skirts widen us. They make bulges where there weren’t any. And they feel like crap. So we banish them to the museum that was once our closet, may as well have a nice plaque reading something like “Hope Shattered in Sequins” or “Tulle of Regret.”
6. Dresses You Can’t Wear A Bra With
Finding dresses we love is hard. So it makes sense that we settle for a gorj design and a shape that seems soooo damn close to perfect, but then never is. And the reason often boils down to one thing: most pretty dresses are not designed for chests that have been impacted by a little thing called gravity. Spaghetti straps. Cut outs. All those excellent feminine details that don’t actually work because we cannot wear any kind of bra with it and feel remotely confident. So, once again, to the wayside it goes (or ya know, to our 19-year-old niece).
And here’s what you SHOULD splurge on:
OK, onto the good stuff. The really good stuff. The stuff that was worth every penny, because I wear it all the time.
Every single one of these “investments” has simultaneously been a solution I needed when getting dressed that also happens to fit and feel amazing and express a small bit of who I am.
Which is the whole point of all this nonsense, isn’t it?
1. A Gorgeous Cashmere Sweater
Why: 99% of the time we reach for our coziest things anyway, right? So to do that and still look luxe and lovely and put-together makes it a no-brainer to own an oversized cashmere sweater. I drape it on over all my tighter fitting skirts and dresses to give myself a little more coverage, but I also wear it tucked into the stretchiest cropped pants known to man and wear it as a top. It makes for an ideal work uniform that feels like a lounge set.
• The Best: I coveted THIS cardigan for years before I bought it. The price was … difficult. But as soon as I did, the cost per wear plummeted, because I can’t remember ever grabbing a piece of clothing this frequently. The quality is on a whole other level, which means it will laaaast! I own it in THIS slightly boxier, cropped version, but THIS famous, longer style is great if you like to feel fully swaddled or want a little more coverage round your bum.
• Also Amazing: While much less of a splurge, I also wear THIS divine, fully cashmere cardi near daily in a more loungey way.
6. A Buttery Soft Pair Of Cropped Jeans
Why: We wear our jeans more than anything, and they disappoint us more than anything. If they fit our butt, they gap at the waist. If they fit our waist, they flatten our butt. I typically cap my spend at $100 on jeans, but by investing in one supreme pair that did nothing short of change my life, I stopped buying pair after pair of sub-par versions that I never really felt good in.
The Best: THESE are the life-changing jeans themselves. They feel as soft and stretchy as leggings, but they keep their perfect, lengthening shape. If ever anything has gone viral amongst our very own team at The Candidly, it’s these jeans.
3. A Perfect-Fitting Jean Jacket You Can Move Your Arms In
Why: When we think of splurgy outerwear, we think of leather and cashmere and Italian wool, but it's shocking how much more useful a jean jacket can be. It dresses up your nothing outfits, making your boring old pant looks less boring AND less old.
The Best: I adore THIS one because the fit is flawless. It’s soft and spacious enough to move my arms with abandon, but it’s also juuuuuuust a wee bit cropped, so it keeps a chic, edgy shape that balances with all my other clothes, particularly a long, drapey trouser like THIS. It can layer over the thickest sweaters in winter or a slim tank in summer, and it always give off perfect proportions.
Also Amazing: For a glorious stretch and incredible size range, I also love THIS one.
4. “Statement Skirts” With A Stretchy Waistband
Why: Most of us have our go-to black or neutral colored skirts, but pairing patterned skirts with other basics can actually be very chic and outfitty without any work. The trick is to choose skirts with some give in the waist, so it’s not molding you into unflattering bulges left and right. This is best done with a thick smocked or elastic waist, that narrows our middles and makes us feel completely comfortable
The Best: I know you can go many ways with this, but I’ve never quite found a skirt like THIS silk gem from The Great. The smocking is so comfortable and soft and stretchy enough to tuck an entire cardigan or nip your waist with a perfect tank (see below).
Also Amazing: THIS elongating ribbed knit skirt feels like heaven and is thick enough to make me feel sufficiently smoothed and “held in.”
5. An Ideal-Size And Shape Lifetime Bag (In Black and Tan)
Why: We all need a comfortable, chic bag we'll keep forever that has enough “design” to not bore us or make us feel like we don't have a personality, but that’s also neutral enough to match everything. And hear me out, because when you find it, it’s worth getting in black and tan, because then you have a bag for every single outfit in your closet that you know fits all your shit and looks chic and sort of “finishes” the look.
The Best: As you can gauge from pretty much every photo in this article, we can’t get enough of THIS woven messenger bag from Clare V. You can see it above in black and below in tan, and each one works with pretty much everything you wear.
It also comes in non-woven leather and a sea of stunning colors and prints, but I bought it in these two shades and have never been happier with a bag. Never.
6. A Striped Sweater That Makes You Look 17X More Styled
Why: Stripes will always look chic, always “quiet luxury,” and will defy the very laws of trendiness. They’re the perfect compromise between a neutral and a print, so we’re not bored, but we still get to look classic and like we care about our clothes. Plus, a quality striped sweater makes everything else you’re wearing look more expensive, especially when it comes from THIS brand.
The Best: If being swaddled in a chic, aprés ski sweater is your dream, THIS one will be your new favorite thing. I wore it out the other night, and 3 different women of 3 different ages stopped to ask me where I got it. I honestly can’t imagine a day coming where I wouldn’t happily wear this sweater. And it’s because it’s a lifetime piece that will always look excellent on. I bought it in a size up just because I love the cocooning effect, but you can also go smaller for a more skimming fit.
6. A Perfect-Fitting Tank
Why: I get that a tank doesn't seem like it should be in the category of "splurge" but when you find one that fits and feels exquisite and doesn’t fall apart after 3 washes, it makes a WORLD of difference. The key combination is to have a buttery soft ribbed material that doesn’t lose its elasticity, a scooped neckline, and a skinny strap. I swear, nothing will flatter your natural shape or balance 83% of the outfits you wear better.
The Best: I layer THIS tank under everything but also throw it on on its own any warm day of the year at any moment it’s not in the laundry.
A Timeless Heel You Can Walk Miles In
Why: Listen, I love my heels, but I love my feet more. So when it comes down to actually getting dressed, I succumb to flats and sneaks and whatever I can actually walk more than 2 blocks in. However, investing in a pair that’s really and truly walkably comfy is a gift we give ourselves a million times over, because we start to wear them everyday, pairing them with jeans and casj dresses and whatever else, because they’re no longer just “event” shoes
The Best: THIS heel from Margaux has changed my relationship to heels. They’re block-heeled and supportive and wildly comfortable, but still so elegant and sleek. And they magically work with every outfit I put on. Truly.
CAROLYN FIRESTONE
Carolyn is a freelance writer and editor. Her favorite thing to do is to write about her favorite things, especially when they have even the slightest chance of making someone else’s something (mood, relationship, travel plans, or toiletry kit) a little better. You can find more of her articles here.
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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