Cost Per Wear: Why It’s Effective

Today we’re talking about something that comes in handy a lot if you are into the finer things in life. I’m talking luxury fashion. Cost per wear is a calculation that shows you how much your luxury piece is really going to cost depending on how much you are planning to wear/use it. If you spend $5,000 on a handbag that you carry 10 months out of the year that comes to $500 per month or about $17 per wear. Or $300 on a t-shirt that you wear twice a month for 6 months ends up being $25 per wear. 

Cost per wear becomes quite effective in deciding on what luxury pieces are worth it or not. Some people may think it’s ludicrous to spend $600 on a wallet but if you use that wallet everyday you’ve paid for it almost two times over in the first year you bought it. Quality and craftsmanship aside, cost per wear gives you a reality check on what pieces you should add to your collection and which ones you may be able to pass on. 

People by luxury fashion for all types of reasons but if you’re looking to own pieces that add value to your collection but you also enjoy on the regular, use cost per wear as part of the criteria when evaluating whether or not to pull the trigger on a luxury purchase. Cost per wear can also play an important role in buying seasonal pieces and basics not just luxury. Cost per wear can help you make smart purchases and avoid overspending.

I find this particularly effective during the holiday season! Sales can be misleading as well. You think you’re getting a good deal because you’re not paying regular price, and you end up buying a bunch of things you never wear. Wasn’t really a good deal after all.

Live it. Love it. Style it.

Is Luxury Makeup Worth It?

Hello! Today we’re talking about luxury makeup. Yes, I have spent $60 plus on foundation or $40 plus on a lipstick. Was I paying more for the brand than the product? Absolutely! Was it worth it? That depends.

Make sure you understand the difference between high end makeup and luxury makeup. High end makeup can cost the same as luxury makeup sometimes but, luxury makeup is designer makeup i.e. YSL, Chanel. Givenchy, Armani, etc.

I’ve bought items that I would buy again in a heartbeat and other’s not so much. I think that goes with any makeup product. Either it’s a great product or it’s not no matter the price.

There are a few luxury items I’m going to talk about specifically to let you know if it’s worth it or not.

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First: Armani Luminous Silk Foundation Price: $60

This product is hit or miss for me. The biggest problem is the color range of this foundation line. I could not get an exact match and I need to mix to get the right shade ($120 for two shades!!!!). However the product itself is a great product. If you can find your shade without mixing then this is definitely worth it. Great coverage and final results. At that price point however I do believe you are paying more for the name than the product.

Second: Marc Jacobs Enamored High Shine Nail Lacquer in Florescent Beige Price: $18

Truth be told the only reason I bought this was for the name of the shade! It’s an inside joke with one of my sisters about my favorite color being florescent beige. ANYWAY this polish, totally not worth it. You really are just paying for the name. There are way better quality less expensive polishes out there.

Third: Dior DiorShow Mascara Price: $30

This mascara is a permanent product in my routine. This mascara is most definitely a hit! I know exactly what I’m looking for in a mascara from actual product to brush shape. I can look at the way the wand comes out of the tube and tell you if that mascara is going to work for me. I’m a stickler on my mascara. This mascara hits all my points, I repurchase, and will continue to repurchase.

If you want to try luxury makeup I say go for it! Brands I recommend are Tom Ford, YSL, and Dior.

Brands I’m looking forward to trying: Burberry, Chanel, possibly Gucci.

Are you interested in jumping into luxury makeup?

Live it. Love it. Try it!

Stylish Guest Room

I was inspired to re-do/vamp up/style up my guest room. I shopped my home and added a little luxe and a little style.

I played with patterns, textures, and created the illusion of a headboard with a tapestry. It was A LOT of fun.

The great thing is because I shopped my home I can switch it up whenever the the whim hits!

Nothing is new but all the items came from Target, HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and Stein Mart.

New year new guest room!

Before:

After:

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First Impressions: Fashionfile

Hey hey everybody. This is a post I’m really excited about. I’m on a journey to build my luxury bag collection and I’ve put a lot of thought into what brands I want, the type of bags, and where I want to get them from.

Let me start by saying Pre Loved is the best thing that ever happened to the world! Let me explain: in the world of sustainable fashion, especially luxury fashion you are going to come across “pre loved” items, pre owned, or used. The best thing about luxury fashion is that a lot of the pieces are investments so their previous owners take very good care of them. In most cases you are finding items with minimal wear well below retail price if you play your cards right.

I have mapped out an entire strategy for how I will build my collection and a major component is pre loved items and where to get them from. There are a ton of resale sites out there for luxury designers. I’ve checked out many to compare price and variety. I decided to make my first purchase from Fashionfile.

Fashionfile is a resale site for luxury fashion items. They have clothes, handbags, jewelry, accessories, and menswear as well. Of all the resales sites I’ve researched Fashionfile seems to have the best selection and variety. Now depending on the item you are looking for you could find a better price elsewhere but that’s why you research first.

I decided that I was going to buy a Louis Vuitton Speedy second hand because it was a bag I knew I wanted in my collection but not something I felt warranted me paying full retail for, just because they are fairly common. I found lots of speedies in various sizes, colors, and patterns. At this point it was who has the best price and the best condition bag.

Fashionfile became an instant favorite because their website is user friendly, the pictures of the bags are extremely high quality, you can follow items you are interested in and are notified if they go on sale or are sold and when they come back in stock. Like I said the Speedy is common so I did some comparison shopping but I landed on Fashionfile because the bag was in the best condition and the pictures were so great! Oh and free shipping.

I purchased my bag and it came pretty quick in the mail (about a week). Fashionfile has the cutest packaging. My bag came in a fashionfile dust bag, with a Fashionfile nail file (get it), and the cutest notes and cards about my purchase. The bag was in the exact condition is said. Everything was perfect!

I was a little skeptical about buying pre loved to begin with especially with a site I’d never used but the quality of what I received was amazing and to top it off Neiman Marcus is an investor in Fashionfile so I figured I wasn’t going to get ripped off.

All in all I definitely recommend Fashionfile. If you are thinking of starting your luxury bag collection but don’t know where to start peruse a few resale sites and stay tuned for my post where I break down my strategy for starting my collection.

Live it. Love it. Style it.