the long awaited purse...

two things that i don't mind spending some money on...are shoes & handbags...i want good quality...good leather...well made...and with this criteria...i have shoes & handbags that last a really really long time...in fact...most times when i get complimented on my shoes or handbags...the next question is...who are they by...and did i purchase them recently...and i usually need to say...that i got them years and years ago...

so...about six months ago...i was having coffee with a girlfriend of mine...and she was commenting on my handbag...and how she just couldn't afford a good handbag...but yet...she would spend little to no money on bags...that well...didn't look to hold up well...and usually didn't...nothing wrong with that...if you don't mind continually buying new handbags...

as we talked further...she seemed to think that a good handbags cost in the thousands...which i then let her know that there were plenty of great handbags to choose from without spending thousands of dollars...but still getting a good quality leather classic handbag...

so i challenged her...as she was not able to "just run out and spend money on a good handbag"...but i knew that she was an extensive coffee drinker...put aside your daily $4 for a latte in an envelope marked "handbag"...i mean...let's do the math...$4 multiplied by 5 days...multiplied by 4 weeks equals $80...times 5 months equals $400

guess what we went out to purchase today? isn't it a beauty? she is over the moon excited...

michael kors large bedford bowling satchel
neiman marcus

quality vs quantity...

in my book...quality will always win...especially when it comes to my clothing...and more importantly...my wardrobe budget...

the first step...is the recognition of quality...whether you are someone with unlimited funds or a hard-working woman struggling to make ends meet...you won't look monied without an awareness and appreciation of quality...and i realize as i write this...it may not be your objective to look monied...but...your objective is to have your money be worth the purchase in the long wrong...and nothing satifies this criteria more then spending your hard earned money on quality pieces...

no matter the price tag or label of a garment...you have to be well equipped with your own personal built-in quality detector to guarantee that you will get your money's worth and that you will recognize a genuine bargain when you see one...

quality is a condition of excellence...in regard to fashion it means the highest standard of design...fabric...and workmanship...unfortunately...quality...in all aspects of life...is developed and marketed to appeal more to the taste of the middling mass than to the taste of the most discerning...and that...to put it simply...makes for a lot of junk out there...

so...to choose quality...over quantity...our taste level has to rise above the masses...we have to train our senses to recognize quality and to be more discerning...whether old or new...quality always looks rich...

so if the comparison is apples to oranges...where does your wardrobe stack up? quality or quantity?

photo source

but i got it on sale...

don't get me wrong...there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting something on sale...in fact...if you can get a good price on an item...more power to yah! and...especially this time of year...a great time to be out shopping for those pieces that are missing in your closet...for example...need to stock up on some cashmere sweaters? get thee to the store...soon! prices are being slashed everywhere...

but...

when i've been in the middle of helping a client with their closet...and we pull out that one...sometimes two, three or more pieces...that are hanging in the closet...most times with the big red sales tag hanging off of it...and i hear that lovely phrase come out of my clients mouth..."but i got it on sale"...les sigh...

and??

simple math 101 tells me that...if you bought something at 70 percent off and you never end up wearing it...you're not actually saving money...you're wasting it...so please...don't let the big red sales signs lure you into buying something that you know full well...does not go with anything else in your closet...is not anything close to what you would be able to wear to...____________(fill in the blank with your lifestyle)

because then...when you are out shopping...and you find that piece that is SO you...without hesitation...you will be able to buy it...and know that you saved lots of $$...especially when you take the fashion accounting approach...which works on full retail price or sale...

fashion accounting 101...

as i was shopping with a girlfriend the other day...we got on the subject of a "good investment"...she was undecided on buying a dress that she absolutely loved...that was not on sale...so there i was...asking away the questions...to help her get to the answer of...was it a good buy for her to make?

when we got to her end result...she was more impressed with how we got there...then the actual answer...which then got me to thinking...there may be others that don't understand the easy fashion formula that should be used on purchases...

so...yes...i saw a blog post coming on...

i come across some clients who have a very limited budget when it comes to shopping...nothing wrong with that...i also have some that have no budget...that would not be me... =)

that being said...there are certain things i never skimp on...shoes...handbags...and the classic pieces that i know i won't be buying often...but need in the wardrobe...an example would be a black suit...or the perfect lbd (little black dress)...

so what don't i splurge on? very trendy pieces come to mind...something that i know i won't be wearing for years and years...

so based on all that information...here is the not so secret fashion formula...

take for example...you are eyeing a pair of shoes...good quality leather shoes...you can think of many occasions that you will wear them...and they are $250...at first glance...it seems the price is a bit steep...so...if you wear them two days a week for seven months out of the year...for three years...you are going to wear them 168 times...and let's say you get them resoled two times in that three year period for $50...the cost of the shoes is now $300

easy fashion formula: $300 divided by 168 wearings equals $1.79 per wearing...now that's a number that is doable...

keep in mind...the most expensive item in your closet is the one that hangs with the tags still on it...so whether you buy something on sale or full price...buy it knowing that you will be wearing it over and over...otherwise...it is best to pass it by...

what fabric is that?

fabric...in the beginning, there were animal skins tossed over cro-magnon shoulders...or maybe an insouciant fig leaf tied just so...now we have fibers whose names sound more like the contents of a test tube than something you'd want against your skin...

fabric is important...

fabric determines the warmth, comfort, cut, and, along with workmanship, the price of a garment...more than color or style...fabric can tell you what time of day a piece of clothing is to be worn...or in what season...or even what activity you will be engaged in while wearing it...

we use fabrics to send signals...

a worsted wool suit, with its strong, crisp lines...says you're in control...a soft angora sweater telegraphs a more sensual message...

fabrics is also one of the main factors in determining whether your clothes will travel as well as you do...when wearing a wrinkle-resistant wool or synthetic in a jersey or crepe, you'll disembark from the plane looking pressed and ready...in delicate silk or linen, you may end up looking like a pile of laundry...and with a seasonless fabric...a tropical wool or matte jersey...you can travel around the world...

it's all in the mix...

mixing is not about having a lot of clothes...it's about being resourceful...it can allow you to create the maximum wardrobe with minimum investment...

how?

start with a solid wardrobe of quality basics that are built predominantly around a single color...then try mixing in the unexpected...deconstruct a suit...try wearing the jacket with other skirts and pants...same with the bottom components...the skirt or pants can work with a variety of sweaters and tops...

if you have a few things of value that are just perfect...you will reach for them over and over again...and feel good about wearing them in different ways...

mix unexpected colors, textures, patterns...mix attitude...

a blazer worn with a t-shirt has a whole different personality than one worn with a blouse...and different jewelry or shoes can change a dress dramatically each tme you put it on...

the beauty of true versatility? anything you wear a lot - no matter how pricey - will get cheaper every time you put it on...

"when i have a few clothes i manage better than when i have a lot, because i use my imagination" ~ ines de la fressange, fashion designer and former chanel model

short black blazer - three different looks...

the making of couture...

i spent the last three days at an aici (association of image consultants)conference...what a great educational conference! the classes were incredible...and i was able to meet some fabulous women and men...from other parts of the states as well as other countries...all with the same passion that i have in making my clients look their best...

every class ended with me walking away with so much information and tips/tools to use with my business...and more importantly with my clients...

i have to say...the one class that i truly could have sat for hours more to listen and learn from...was on the history of haute couture and its influence today...taught by melissa leventon, who is a professor at the california college of the arts in the fashion design and visual studies department...her master's degree from the university of london is in the history of art/history of dress...she has curated costume collections at museums around the world...

a few months back i posted on what is haute couture...i have to admit that the whole history of it...and even more...the making of it completely fascinates me...

and melissa had fabulous pictures... =)

i came across this clip in the making of chanel couture...sometimes comments and such are made in the pricing of garments...not necessarily couture...but even in just a good quality jacket...for example...often times...people do not realize the work behind the scenes that happen to make a quality piece of a garment...i have seen this same attitude in jewelry..in fact...wendy brandes wrote an exceptional blog post on get smart (about manufacturing) with several links to prior posts she did along the same lines...

you want good quality...you are going to need to spend a little more...

take a look at this fun clip...in the making of a chanel couture...how fascinating is that??

how much should i spend?

you walk into a store...and there it is...the dress that will change your life...

the problem?

the price tag...

when is an item a good buy?

i have some clients that believe that because an item is "expensive" it is therefore..."good"
i have some clients that believe that spending hundreds of dollars on one item is "insane"

so how do you determine a good buy?

this is the process that i go through with my clients to decide if an item is a "good investment"

first and foremost...organize your budget...sort out what you want from what you need...then think about what you can afford...

how do you know if something is too divine...or just too dear?

this is where you need to put it under the microscope...

money well spent will buy you high-quality fabric, sensible (if not brilliant) design...and remarkable workmanship...

a few questions to ask yourself...

how versatile is it? chances are...you'll have that exquisitely tooled black leather bag for years...it is the hot-pink quilted purse that may be headed for the tag sale next season...

how well does it fit into the rest of your wardwrobe? a really perfect suit is always more than just the sum of its parts...

how delicate is it? one rainfall after another and even the most expensive suede pumps will look shabby...

invest in a good basic wardrobe...then spruce it up with a few things each season that will update or enhance what you already own...

clothes worth spending money on shouldn't be disposable...

so what is a good investment?
classic design and the best quality you can afford
- a beautifully tailored suit and blazer in a high-quality, seasonless fabric
- pants that really fit in a neutral color
- the perfect simple black dress
- accessories that last (classic structured handbag, fine leather belts, durable opaque stockings and well made leather shoes)
- things you will wear to death (fine cotton shirts, well-made sweaters)

if you can answer "yes" to the questions below...most likely...it will be a good investment purchase...

is it a necessity?
is it versatile?
is it made well?
is it timeless in cut, color, and pattern?
do you feel great in it?

and the big question...how often will you wear it?

so...what was your best versatile investment purchase? please share!