We so often shell out large amounts of money to buy high fashion, quirky must-have-just-now clothes and accessories – and find the next season that they look naff and out of date. Even worse – when the sum of cost of the item divided by the number of times we wore it come to more than £50 - we resolve to choose much better next time – and often don’t !.
The problem is that high fashion stuff is deliberately designed to be different and ephemeral – it hooks us into constant purchasing.
But there are some items you can invest in that will last you years instead of a few weeks. In fact you should be getting the very best you can afford in these areas, so that they WILL last at least 10-15 years or more. (Some of them you will still be able to get out season after season even if you sneak on the odd pound or two over the time.)
5 Investment Designer Buys
1. Trench Coat
These have been around since the 1940s and metamorphose into different types and styles most seasons. At the moment they are short, but for longevity buy a long or full-length in a classic colour (say, black or stone). As this is a fashion item AND a seasonal item you can wear it equally to go to smart casual outdoor events, travelling in colder climes, winter wear etc.
2. Knitwear
You will wear classic knitwear (fine layering sweaters, polos with or with no sleeves, cardigans etc) every season, but long term investment MUST be in the finest materials. Ideally this would be cashmere, alpaca or perhaps if it is more affordable, cashmere and silk. It is also likely that special intarsia knit art jackets or heavier designer cardigans in pima cotton or wool will be worth the considerable investment if you really like the item and are willing to match to it year after year. However, you must really look after your garments to ensure that they look good year after year.
3. Boots
A fashion constant is a pair of knee-length black leather boots. Certain types of these boots are classic and will last you until they fall apart – so the wise investment is to get the very best quality you can afford in the first place. Don’t get boots with fancy tooling (except perhaps types of cowboy boots may be OK) or quirky shaped fashion toes or high heels. The riding boot type that is popular currently would be excellent.
4. Accessories: Bags and Belts
Accessories if good quality and design (and not too quirky) will last for many years. Belts are often a underused fashion accessory and yet a good quality belt can often set off an outfit. Bags are becoming more an ephemeral fashion item, but if you stick to classic colours and quality fabrics and materials, you should be able to use for year after year. (Given that accessories take up less room, you can always keep these items until they come round again !)
5. Shirts
A really good quality tailored shirt is an excellent fashion classic buy – white is best. But collars tend to change season by season and say, long pointed collars, or ones with fancy detailing, will soon look out of date. Stick to small traditional shirt collars OR probably even better, buy a mandarin collar shirt. (These appear to be developing long-term travel ).