tw: I will be using specific numbers related to budgeting in this article. I am aware that I am in a place of extreme privilege to be able to afford any of these pieces, but I think it is important for us to be honest and transparent about our finances.
If discussions about money are difficult for you, please return to the previous page!
what is cost per wear?
Ever made a wardrobe purchase that you regretted? Sometimes, something seems like such a great deal, but you hardly ever wear it. Other times, you spend hardly anything on a staple piece that you wear time and time again. And, perhaps my favorite, sometimes you decide to invest in an item that becomes a core piece in your wardrobe that you will wear for years to come.
One of the best ways to decide if something is worth the money or not is to consider Cost Per Wear. Your CPW allows you to see the lifetime value of an item each time you wear it.
To calculate cost per wear:
[$ spent on an item] / [# times you wore this item]
Let's evaluate three pieces from my own wardrobe on Cost Per Wear, and use this as an example for how you can make more informed purchases going forward!
high cost per wear - moitie candelabra emblem gate
Let's take my Moitie Candelabra Emblem Gate JSK for example. This dress is absolutely stunning. Despite it being newer Moitie, the quality is fabulous and it features the Mana-sama's signature blue shade in the embroidered lace overlay.
I spent about $250 USD on this dress, brand new. For a new dress from a sought-after brand, this is on the lower end of what you'd expect to pay. With the attention to detail and the Moitie tag, this must be a steal!
However... despite how deeply I love owning this piece, I have only worn it a total of 3 times out of the house since I purchased it back in April. That brings my cost per wear up to a whopping $83.33 at the time of writing this.
Put another way, when I went to a tea party donned in this dress, I essentially paid 83 dollars to be wearing this instead of something else.
Is it worth it?
For a cost per wear that steep, I need to consider if I want to keep a piece around that I wear so infrequently. In the case of this JSK, I'd consider her my "special occasion piece" so I'm okay investing a little more.
low cost per wear - handmade skirt
Are you sick of seeing me coord this skirt? Well, if you're wondering why I'm wearing it so much, it's because it's incredibly versatile and comfy!
It goes with literally every item in my wardrobe and can be styled in both a sweet or oldschool gothic way.
I spent a total of about $20 USD on materials to make this skirt. I've worn it about 10 times, bringing the cost per wear all the way down to just $2 USD.
Layering under an overskirt for a versatile look
Although it's a kind of "boring" piece, I know that if I want to spend a bit more on a simple skirt next time I'm in the market, I can buy it with confidence. Even if I'd spent $100 on a similar skirt, my CPW would have been only $10 for this year alone.
fabulous cost per wear - moitie cardigan
To give Moitie credit where credit is due, my #1 most used item from my EGL wardrobe this year was my Moitie Hemera Sailor Cardigan.
I wore this thing EVERYWHERE. I wore it on my anniversary trip. I wore it to work. It came with me on my trip to Japan and was one of two outerwear pieces I alternated between.
Although I paid $127 USD for this piece, I've probably worn it 40-50 times. Assuming I wore it 40 times, my cost per wear for this year would be around $3.17. That rivals the CPW for my handmade skirt!
The main reason why I was able to get so much wear out of this piece is because I wear it with my non-lolita wardrobe as well as my lolita wardrobe.
As my office is business casual, I love to find ways to add a touch of EGL to my everyday. This hemera cardigan is the perfect subtle balance of oldschool lolita without being too overt -- plus, I just feel so cool wearing Moitie to work :)
taking cost per wear into account
When considering a new purchase, here's how I like to take cost per wear into account.
- What has my cost per wear been on similar items in the past?
- How many times can I imagine myself wearing this over the next 6 months?
- Is this item for a special occasion? Am I willing to pay a higher cost to wear this specific thing on this occasion?
- Is there a less expensive way I could achieve a similar effect? Could I try DIY? Secondhand? Taobao?
Remember, everyone has different priorities, so there might be certain times when a higher cost per wear is worth it to you!
Moving forward, I plan to spend more on the following items, as they have had a fantastic cost per wear in the last year for me:
- Bags
- Shoes
- Anything I can mix into my daily wardrobe
- Simple cotton & fully shirred items
I hope this article has given you plenty to consider about the effect of cost per wear on your lolita purchases!
Want to see what's in my wardrobe right now? View my wardrobe :)
Want to learn more about me? Read my 100 Lolita Questions tag!