How to Choose the Best Fashion Pieces to Invest In

Runway fashion always brings a plethora of inspiration, and understandably, not every single trend is for everyone. The soar in social influence admittedly makes quite a few of us, including myself, feel a pang of missing out, but the truth is, when we are too busy dreaming about what other people have, the only thing we are truly missing out on are the things we deeply desire the most. We all know the fashion cycle has literally gone from twice a year to more than 6 a year, and fast fashion has us flipping our heads from left to right from one new bag – new pair of shoes – jacket or next hot thing – to another.

Personally, I love luxury, but as you know, I have champagne taste on a beer budget. I simply cannot afford to buy all the new handbags I want, and I don’t believe in living beyond your means. Being selective is a good thing – it makes us work harder and feel a sense of accomplishment when we can buy the things we want.

With social apps like Instagram, it is easy to believe you really want something after you see it numerous times, especially on people you look up to, so when it comes down to making a big purchase, it’s best to ask ourselves a string of questions that help us make the most informed decision. These are the questions I ask to help me narrow down whether a new fashion piece is worth investing in.

Does that fit with my existing wardrobe?
One of the most important is seeking out pieces that can easily work with your style. If you’re the type of person that doesn’t change your style too much, a bag that works with your existing wardrobe is best. Think of the colors in your wardrobe and the statement your new fashion piece will make. Does it make sense? If it doesn’t work with your wardrobe, you may not want to spend your hard earned cash. A purchase that doesn’t work with your other accessories or clothes require a much greater investment than you might want.

Opportunity Cost. Am I prepared to give up X for Y?
You all know I constantly think in terms of opportunity cost. When you buy something, you are giving up something else you could spend that money on. So before you consider buying, ask yourself if the other thing you’d buy or spend your money on is worth giving up.

Would I really wear that more than a handful of times?
Unless it’s incredibly special, finding something that is chic and stylish doesn’t have to cost a complete fortune. So if you are usually on a budget and are going to spend your hard earned cash, choose something that you love and would wear regardless of trends.

Do I really want it? Or do I just have a fear of missing out?
Truth be told, with my Instagram feed showing person after person doing the same thing and owning the same items, I lose some desire for the item. Some people feel compelled to buy something the more they see it, others feel the opposite and that is totally okay. Narrowing down the things worth investing in is something I have been much more focused on in the past year and that means focusing less on Instagram and Facebook and more on inspirational boards and collages.

When the trend ends, will I still wear it? Will I get bored of it?
While I admire those who can spend money on bags without blinking an eye, I know that I cannot, so this sets the tone on how I spend on large purchase items. Buy things you truly love. These items are things you enjoy so much that it won’t matter even as the years pass. You have all seen me wear these Gucci mules plenty of times the past year here and here. Even to this day, I still wear my Valentino B Rockstud bag. When it comes to accessories, I like to go for items that I’d wear even years after the trend has passed, and if I have the option of investing in something that feels current even though it’s vintage, you can bet I’ve probably already looked.

Thoughts Behind My Purchase & Why This Dior Saddle Bag

Last season, we saw the Dior Saddle Bag hit the runway. I was so excited, but admittedly I felt deflated that yet another expensive luxury bag that I wanted fell on my wish list. The reason why we all fell in love with a brand becomes nostalgia, so being able to revive something that brings back wonderful memories is quite special, don’t you think?

I went through the list of questions above and knew that my decision this time around would be to get something vintage. I have a special place in my heart for second-hand pieces. There’s something to be said about wearing something that not everyone else can get their hands on, yet shares something that feels like it truly speaks of this moment.

I went into the Christian Dior store in Soho while spending a few days in New York City. I had even looked through quite a few vintage saddle bags that had become available from February to June and quite honestly, I hesitated on every single one I’d seen until I found this one. When you thoroughly go through a good shopping process and ask yourself the right questions, you’ll eventually feel great about your final purchase decision and wear your pieces for years to come (and even when the item is no longer around, I am still wearing my pieces proudly!) While the saddle bag is trending, I love that it’s actually been revived, but a rarer vintage one felt better suited for me. I also truly loved John Galliano’s designs back then, so for me, I’m paying homage to both the designer of that time and appreciating that there’s a revival for this time. How do you choose what fashion pieces to invest in?

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Xo,

Miki

Photo credit to my one and only, Rise Again BJJ