Have you ever heard of Cost Per Wear?

This is an interesting concept that helps you figure out the real price of your clothes, accessories, or anything else you buy to wear.

Basically, the value we pay per se is not the most important thing to take into consideration when we decide to purchase a product. I know, this might sound crazy. But I'll clear things up for you with two easy examples: 

Example A: Amazing jeans from a high-quality brand

Think about your go-to pair of denim pants.

You probably put them on a lot, right? They make you look great in many different situations: at work, grocery shopping, or even when going out on the weekends. It's simple and practical. You just change the outfit by matching them with a different top and accessories and voilá!

Well, if you do so, it means that spending a good amount of money on your favorite pair of premium jeans makes sense for you.

Example B: An inexpensive neon t-shirt you bought from a fast fashion shop

On the other hand, think of a different scenario. It's summertime and you find a $10 neon yellow T-shirt that you end up getting just for fun.

Sadly, you just wear it once.

Before you know it, it's Fall again and sweater weather is back. In this case, the cheap tee winds up becoming more expensive than your fancy jeans. That's because you will wear those pants at least twice a week for many years.

So, how do you calculate "Cost Per Wear"?

Cost per wear = cost of the item divided by the number of times it was worn.

When considering the cost of an item, don't forget to include alterations and maintenance expenses. For instance, your down coat may need dry cleaning when the cold seasons finally come to an end.

This is the kind of calculation you should do every time you go shopping. More importantly, you need to have your own CPW calculation based on your style and lifestyle.

Also, be realistic. You won't wear a neon yellow T-shirt 30 times in just one Summer, will you? 

If we follow this approach, we realize that the lower the cost per wear is, the more money you saved. So you don't necessarily always save when you buy budget goods.

Check my personal low cost per wear items on the photos. I looked for similar products that I own and wear a lot - some of them for a long time, actually! 

What do you think of this concept? What's the item in your wardrobe that has the lowest CPW? Let me know in the comments below!

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Disclosure: Keep in mind that I link products and companies based on their quality, my personal opinion, my experience and professional expertise. Some of the links in my posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a small commission. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.