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Best Investment Staples for Your Closet
It is really easy to shop these days - constant sales for every holiday, apps for every store, influencer marketing has taken off and there are nonstop advertisements every where you look. This year I have been way less active on the blog and part of it is because I am frankly exhausted... by the nonstop product pushing, the saturation of the market and by life in general. It has been a long year for my day job as well working more hours than ever before, so all of that has caused me slow down on the blog. It's also felt a bit off-color talk about such things with such frivolity when there are so many real issues in the world.
This year I have also made a more conscious effort than ever to truly buy things I love and know I'll love for a long time. Did I still shop the Nordstrom Sale - yes; Do I still stop fairly often, sure - but it has all been much more intentional and far less/things I need! I have gotten rid of and sold SO MUCH (and there will be a different post coming about that). Now if I am on the fence about an item, I don't get it or I return it asap - even if it is a good deal. I've never been one to love fast-fashion or trends anyway, but I did tend to buy more quantity of lower quality for the most part. Don't get me wrong, not all items are splurges by any means, and I strongly value mixing high and low and still shop at places like Zara and H&M!
I've rounded up some of my absolute favorite things I've invested in that are worth it and broke down what areas I usually splurge and save on below - based on my life/style and location of course. There are price ranges I usually stick to for each of items in the Splurge and Save categories along with the places/brands I usually purchase from. My rules of thumb are generally: can I dress it up or down? Is it a type of item I wear often? Is it a neutral color? If it checks those boxes and I don't already have an item like it, it's worth the splurge if it's long-lasting, high-quality to me.
Splurge Items:
Denim Shorts & Pants ($125-$230) AG, Agolde, Levi's, BLANKNYC, Paige
Boots ($100-$200) Chinese Laundry, Sam Edelman, Sperry, Blondo
Neutral Sandals & Flats ($100-$250) Tory Burch
Neutral Sweaters ($100-$150) Barefoot Dreams
Bras/Underwear ($40-$75) True&Co, Natori, Madewell
Sunglasses/Glasses ($200-350) Gucci
Winter Coats ($150-$250)
Loungewear ($50-$125) Barefoot Dreams, Nordstrom - Make + Model, Topshop
Handbags/Wallets ($200-$1,000) Tory Burch, Gucci (also love YSL/Prada but don't own any)
Save Items:
Tops (under $40) Zara, H&M, Nordstrom - BP, Leith, Madewell, Something Navy, Topshop
Most dresses (under $70) H&M, Nordstrom
Swimwear/Coverups (under $75) - I never like any so I don't spend a ton/change constantly
Heels/Colorful or Patterned Shoes (under $50 usually) Target, Zara, Steve Madden
Non-Denim Bottoms (under $75) TJMaxx, Zara, H&M, NordstromRack
Leggings (under $35) Express
Jewelry (under $40) Target - Sugarfix, BaubleBar, The Shiny Mix
Light Jackets/Coats (under $125) Zara, H&M, J.crew, J.crew Factory, Michael Kors
Hats (under $40) Nordstrom - BP, Target
Other Shorts and Denim- Zara, Nordstrom - BP, Articles of Society
Skirts (under $70) Zara, Nordstrom
Pajamas (under $40) Target, Nordstrom - Nordstrom Lingerie
It's important to stress that I don't buy all of these things at once and it is a process when investing in any quality, more expensive pieces. Also keep in mind, I don't work in an office, so work wear is not something I invest in and instead loungewear is of higher priority to me! My style also casual-chic and pretty neutral for basics. When I wear something trendy, colorful or patterned, it's usually not an investment piece - I stick to basics for that. I also live in Ohio, so we have all 4 seasons and I purchase things that carry over between them. I'm not a brand snob when it comes to most things/clothes/shoes but will fully admit I am when it comes to handbags, sunglasses and skin care and therefore have far less of those items but still stick to the general rules thumb above!
XO