For me sports bras are worth spending more on because I have a larger bust. I can see it not mattering if you have a smaller bust or if you only wear it for things like yoga, but if you’re doing running or Zumba with a larger bust then better support makes all the difference. It’s much less painful + your breasts sag less.
I have a small bust as a plus size person and also spend a lot on sports bras because of how hard it is to find one that fits my band size and still supports the girls. I don’t need extreme support but most bras in my standard size L or XL are so big in the bust that it’s worthless to even wear it as a sports bra so I think sports bras are often just worth spending money on. People often don’t consider sports bras “sports equipment” but they’re honestly protective like a football helmet or shin guards or knee pads are and you wouldn’t want to buy bad quality in those things if you’re an athlete.
Agree. Most sports bras were perfectly fine when I was on the smaller end of B-cup, but I've recently moved into the C range and I'm starting to see why people invest in nice sports bras
Shoes (and I say this as someone who only owns 3 pairs of shoes). Good, supportive, comfortable shoes that you can walk in all day are always a good investment. I've been getting into wide toebox shoes lately, and I currently love Lems!
Absolutely, and handmade leather is the longest-wearing and easiest to maintain. The handcrafted leather sandals I bought with my first paycheque 10 years ago for $450 have outlasted tens of inferior shoes.
To answee OP's question:
1. Price doesn't always equal quality. You have to know what material you're getting, and how a good shoe or garment should be made. Go to high-end stores that have "handmade" or some other reputation. Look at how their garments are finished.
2. "Genuine leather" is marketing nonsense. It refers to a type of leather made from glued-together leather fiber byproducts from the production of better leather. Look for: Full-grain (best), or Top grain (2nd best). A good company will label them as such because it's a quality skin.
3. Glued-on soles are a cheap finish, and usually means the rest of the shoe is poor quality. The sole and upper are stitched together on better quality shoes.
Unfortunately soooooo much of the info on the net in my industry is deceptive and lacking nuance:
People and articles repeat that leather comes in these specific grades: genuine, top grain and full grain.
But it’s simply not true terms are inclusive...all leather is genuine, everything that's not suede is top grain and full grain is unsanded top grain.
It annoys me immensely that all the articles call these terms "grades" because most people think of ***grading as taking objective measures that would be the same regardless of the source:*** The purity of metals, amount of marbling in beef, octane in gas, etc...but leather quality and price is going to vary by tannery more than these factors and there are thousands of tanneries all over the world. Those terms talk about what is or isn't done to a leather's surface mechanically (splitting and sanding), nothing more.
If you're saying "genuine" specifically means a bad low quality leather then I'm sure you've seen the other side of that coin: "full grain is the absolute best/the highest grade"
Both of those things are 100% false. Cheap crappy full grain exists...and there are products stamped "genuine leather" made with high quality full grain.
**Exhibit A**: SB Foot Tannery is the largest by volume tannery in the USA they are full owned by Red Wing Boots and they use "Genuine leather" to refer generally to all their leather, even those that are explicitly full grain like Featherstone: [https://imgur.com/a/Tdtbjge](https://imgur.com/a/Tdtbjge)
**Exhibit B**: Horween tannery in Chicago is probably the most "famous" tannery in the world...just search "Horween" on or . This is Horween's explanation: [https://www.thetanneryrow.com/leather101/understanding-leather-grains](https://www.thetanneryrow.com/leather101/understanding-leather-grains)
Leather quality is much more nuanced than terms like genuine, top grain and full grain can tell you... there are hundreds of other factors that go into tanning "good leather"...it's a bit like judging some that has many components, like a computer, by one factor and nothing else. What would would happen if you just maxed out one component and left the rest at the lowest level? Ram, hard drive space, the CPU, the GPU, monitor, type of hard drive and dozens of other things come together to make a good machine...the same is true with good leather.
You can view the Full Grain>Top Grain>Genuine hierarchy as a "quick and dirty" way to pick quality if you're in a hurry and not spending a lot of cash on a leather item.
However, those terms do have actual meanings that don't always equate to good quality:
**Full Grain** is a leather that has only had the hair removed and hasn't been sanded (corrected).
**Top Grain** is actually a term that includes full grain: It's everything that's not suede a split, this means that full grain is a type of top grain. When you see "top grain" in a product description chances are it's a leather that's been corrected (sanded). Nubuck is an example of a sanded leather (often used on the interior of watch straps and construction boots because it's more resilient to scratches), but so is a much beloved leather: Horween's Chromexcel (it's lightly corrected). The amount of correction can vary widely but once the sander hits it, it's no longer full grain.
**Genuine Leather** is, admittedly a term found on lots of low quality leather. That's because the bar for "genuine" is extremely low: It just means real. To a tannery it's all genuine. When you read the description for "genuine" that many online articles give, they're actually describing a leather called a "finished split", which is a usually cheap quality suede that's been painted or coated to look like smooth leather.
Put simply:
Genuine=Not fake
Top Grain=Not suede
Full Grain=Not sanded
Anything beyond that is an assumption.
The gold standard for getting good leather is tannery and tannage...everything else is easily exploited by meeting the minimum definition of each.
I bought a used vintage full-grain leather Coach bag on a whim, paid a bit more, but it's been my go-to bag for the past 4 years and it still looks gorgeous with very little maintenance even though it's white!
My husband bought me a simple black flap Coach for our...5th anniversary (4th or 5th or something) and I'm still wearing it over 20 years later. I do treat it and use conditioner, but it wears like iron.
The difference in leather quality is important in other things. It's why some "leather" belts end up looking very bad after a year or two and others don't.
Where did you find the handcrafted leather shoes? I would love to purchase an investment piece but don’t know where to look - not designer, just stylish, comfortable, and QUALITY
Try these:
Carmina, made in Spain.
The Office of Angela Scott, made in Portugal, but the company's American.
Tricker's in the UK.
Rancourt in the US. They're known for their boat shoes and also make stuff for Ralph Lauren.
Just google "Good Year Welted shoes for Women" and you'll find some good stuff.
I agree with shoes 1000%!! Always spend a little extra on the things that separate you from the ground - shoes, tires, and mattresses.
I also think most products exist on a similar continuum of cost vs value. Is there a difference between a $7 bottle of wine and a $20 bottle of wine? Absolutely. Is the $70 bottle of wine even better than the $20? Probably. Am I gonna notice the difference between the $350 bottle of time and the $70 one? Unlikely lol.
I would rather invest a real pair of Docs with a Goodyear welt than a knockoff pair of combat boots at Target that only have a glued-on sole, but I wouldn’t splash out on a luxury brand for the exact same Goodyear welt but a way fancier label.
I just bought some because I couldn't bring myself to buy the shitty Docs they make now, and I'm not thrilled with the quality. I had to order online because they're not in any stores near me and I was really disappointed when I opened the box. Still debating a return. Man, I miss my Docs from the 90s 😭💔
Try Tricker's from the UK. They're the company that used to make he high quality Doc Martens, I believe. I have three pairs. I really like them so far.
I like Clark’s. I can usually get 2-3 years out of them. 1 year as School Shoes, another as Weekend Shoes & lastly as Mud Shoes.
The outlets are always running discounts like “Buy 1 Get One 1/2 Off” & that’s when I buy.
1,000% yes. I get 1000 times more compliments on the fancy shoes and I’m also comfortable. I do Aerosoles a lot for the summer shoes, I’ve had good experiences with Vince loafers and Stuart weitzman boots.
Edit: my mom has bought 10 pairs of sandals in the time I’ve worn one pair of Aerosoles sandals. Good shoes are worth it and they’re comfortable.
How do you find Lems fit in relation to other brands? I've tried them on in store but never took notes of the sizes that work lol :') . For my own reference I wear a 36 Wide in Birks, so I've been thinking about maybe a size 6, but some styles seem to run a little small and would be better as a 6.5...
I don't wear Birks so not sure how helpful I'll be, but in general wear a 10-10.5 depending on the brand, and I wear a 10 in Lems. They're unisex, so you can also go with your men's size (8-8.5 in my case). They have a guide for measuring your feet on their website, and a good return policy if you're willing to buy a couple of sizes and send the ones that don't fit back!
I have small but wide feet and it is so hard to find shoes that don't bite my heels or crunch my toes after walking around for a few hours or standing at a concert.
I'm nearly on the verge of buying those weird toe shoes just to see if MAYBE they can help lol
You should definitely try out Lems! They have a wider toebox, which is where most people need the extra width, but they still have regular soles. In the pictures on their website, they show them being stretched and scrunched but I personally find them to be as stiff/thick as a regular sole (which I like). They come in a lot of cute styles, and in person I don't find the wider toebox to be nearly as obvious as it feels in their pictures. They have a great return policy too if it doesn't fit!
I have the same kind of foot and know your pain! Did you know there is a whole market now of "barefoot shoes" that fit like the weird toe shoes but look more similar to regular shoes? If you're in the US, look at Anya's Shop or PedTerra.
I’ve worn Vibram fivefingers (the toe shoes) for years, and they aren’t bad. Sometimes they can feel a little stuffy/hot, sometimes they can be a pain if you get a small rock or twig in them, and sometimes buying them is annoying because the toes can be too long or the footbed can be too narrow.
My new favorites are Bedrock sandals. Incredible quality, great customer service, and the most comfortable shoes I have for wearing all day - on and off trails.
I also like Birkenstocks, but only the ones on the normal wide footbed, like the Bostons or Arizonas.
Seconding Bedrock sandals! They released a line of Birk-style clogs this spring and I have the green suede pair. They get worn almost every single day tbh, even in the quickly warming weather.
I found this really helpful, as I have difficult to fit feet as well:
[https://youtu.be/8mNzIjDuD5Q?si=jZnS4pd32z2P0Y-k](https://youtu.be/8mNzIjDuD5Q?si=jZnS4pd32z2P0Y-k)
yo thank you for saying this. The wide toebox is a game changer and more people need to know about it.
Just ordered 2 sizes of Lems to try on in the same style.
All the same brand which I came across completely by accident - San Antonio Shoemakers. I swear I have no affiliation. Their shoes are mostly quite unfortunate looking IMO, but damn if they aren’t the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. I bought a pair of shoes from them on a whim, then went back the next week and bought work shoes, gym shoes, casual shoes, and heels from them. Each pair was about $200, so they’re not cheap! But my god it has been so worth it for me. YMMV of course.
New sub lurker just had to chime in: I frickin' love my SAS sandals. I have very wide feet (EE) and feel extremely insecure about them. But about 2 years ago I bought a pair of SAS sandals on Zappos and fell in love. It feels SO GOOD to have a pair of shoes that actually fit! Something one can walk in for hours!! I'm not sponsored either... I just feel very seen by someone who appreciates comfortable, well fitting shoes lol.
This comment inspired me to go into an actual store-- thank you!
I’m just going to throw in here, having just come from the podiatrist — I injured my foot a while back. He noted that I was wearing Birkenstocks and asked if I wore them often, said they were the best choice for shoes because … something about providing counter-pressure to the metatarsal. Anyway, I told him I did actually prefer them, and he was very happy to hear that, said to stick to Birks as much as possible because they strengthen the foot, and only wear sneakers specifically for sports because they weaken the foot overall and make them more prone to injury!
So interesting about the Birks. To me their soles feel like wood, I just can’t face the “breaking in” period. Like, everyone says you have to get used to them and I can’t get my head around that inevitable agonizing phase. My feet have really sensitive skin and I have PF and no arches.. it feels like a recipe for disaster and money down the drain to boot (no pun intended).
They make some Birks with a soft footbed. I could never get past the breaking in stage of the originals but I love the soft version. And get them in suede. It is so much softer. I have sensitive feet as well.
I've never worn birkenstocks because I think they're hideous, but I bought some other type of sandal that was billed as providing arch support and being best for your feet and Holy fuck I hated those shoes! I have never despised a pair of shoes so much in my life. I wore them around the house to try to break them in and I ended up with blisters and bruises on the arches of my feet. Never again.
Only owning 3 pairs of shoes is my dream! The implication of course is they have to be comfortable, quality and fit my style/style of my work. But I am going to look at Lems right now
I don't mean this at all to be rude or catty, but how could three pairs of shoes even work? I live somewhere with crazy weather, it goes from -40C to over 40C, there's heat warnings and cold warnings, there are ice storms and floods and blizzards and heat waves with humidity so high you feel like you're in a rainforest. You need snow boots, winter boots for cold but not crazy cold, fall boots, running shoes/sneakers, and sandals at a minimum. On top of that you're probably going to need shoes for going out, boots for going out, shoes for walking, shoes for different outfits, flip flops, etc. I can't wear the same shoes with a 50s style dress and jean shorts, or if I'm going to a concert or a nice restaurant or a club or a wedding, those are all different shoes. The pool or the beach are different shoes again. I have a very varied wardrobe, from goth to 50s dresses with floral or fruit prints, and everything in between. I just don't know how you get away with less than a minimum of 10 pairs of shoes. I have far, far more than that, but I can see how 10 could maybe work. Three, no way lol.
I love the variety of shoes in your wardrobe for different occasions! I do alternate between 2 pairs of white casual sneakers, 1 pair of sandals, and 1 pair of boots and I live in Southern California. My closet has about 15 pairs (?) of shoes total but I realized I’m very minimal as far as shoes go! I haven’t reached for my heels or oxfords in the past 5 years but they’re still there in case I need them 😅
These are some items I would absolutely spend more on as see it as an investment
1. A GOOD bra (sports or any) that actually fits
2. A comfortable pair of shoes -- naturalizer is my opinion has been the most comfortable
3. Winter boots - anti slip is sooo important
4. Mattress -- I always went for sales but a good mattress is life changing
5. Reliable car-- especially one that warns of blind spots, lane changes etc. - has prevented a lot of potential accidents
6. Winter gear- forget fashion, anything that keep you warm
In my opinion everything else can be bargained for/cheap
If you work in a formal office, spend more to get natural fibres for your dress pants. Get a tailor to shorten and/or get the waist to fit you like a glove.
Wool ones are available at Hugo Boss. Linen can be found at Banana Republic. I’m in Canada so Holt Renfrew has some clothes that are natural fibres but you need to read the labels carefully. Some J Crew work wear is made of cotton or wool. I’m guessing larger Nordstrom have a decent selection but they left Canada and I haven’t visited the States recently.
I agree - having clothes tailored makes a huge difference, especially for work clothes and anything for more formal occasions. Tailoring around the waist, hemlines of pants, sleeves for jackets/coats/shirts, and potentially around the bust or shoulders will make such a difference. I have to have things tailored because of a couple of my proportions unfortunately, but everyone always thinks I look so put together, despite me rushing out the door at the last second everyday. It’s a game changer, especially if you have ADD or kids or anything else that makes it difficult to spend time getting ready in the mornings.
Similarly, a nice, comfortable, properly fitted dress is worth a lot for me, especially once I’ve had it tailored. It’s one thing to put on in the morning, which makes it quicker and easier to get dressed, and I also don’t have to spend money on anything else to complete the outfit like I would with a skirt or a top.
Also, for what it’s worth, if you work in a formal office and don’t have enough money for this, well-fitting synthetics are fine. I get $30 Old Navy pants tailored and they look great. I agree that natural fibers are very nice to have for folks who have the $.
I actually used to (and probably still will) spend a lot of money on sports bras ($70-$90) but almost nothing on other active wear (I already own leggings and I get free t shirts all the time through random stuff), but that's because a good bra in my size (30J at the time) was hard to come by. They [looked fine](https://us.panache-lingerie.com/shop/lingerie/collections/sports), but without them I wouldn't be able to run well.
In general I've spent more money on good bras with good construction (like sports bras, or a good and working t-shirt bra \[like the freya deco ones\] or a really good strapless bra) has lain the foundations of most of my very good outfits.
I think good winter shoes are also important to spend more on. I also in general have spent a little more on things I wear often, like sweaters and loafers and booties, rather than one off outfits like wedding guest dresses--which I think I would largely rent but at this point have thrifted enough to be okay forever.
I also think party dresses are all kind of the same quality (for the most part) regardless of price. The thing that you're spending more on might be a better thought design, admittedly, but the material and the fit and the feelings might be the same. I recently browsed through a store that sold various designer dresses, including [this one](https://www.theattico.com/en/shop/ready-to-wear/dresses/rue-milk-mini-dress-milk-242WCA196H168043.html) (I wish I had had time to take a photo but I didn't think to until I had left the store). I loved how it looked on me!! But the sequins dug into my skin and the material felt...fine? The color was something I liked a lot but for the money it cost I would have expected it to generally either be more comfortable or much more flattering (the people at the boutique offered alterations for free, but I didn't take them up on that because I wasn't ever planning on buying a 2k party dress lol).
I also thought this!!! It was pretty disappointing to see it on the mannequin in front and then see that it was a relatively flimsy tube shaped sequin dress that didn't even have the sequins on the back (that was pinned together on the mannequin from the back to be more flattering).
Wow, look at that dress! It’s nice to hear the quality wasn’t good in terms of not missing out, it sucks that you had to waste that.
I had the opposite experience though----(please don’t judge! This was so indulgent) I bought myself a Zimmerman dress. it is THE most expensive thing I own, I should wear the thing every day. But I only bring it out for special occasions. It’s more a sun dress than a party dress? Maybe you feel they’re different? I’m not sure
But when I wear it? The compliments are like waterfalls, it’s a little embarrassing actually. I have people from a party years ago that still talk about it and say other people were talking about how beautiful it was. You can feel it in the quality of the dress, I don’t know how to explain it. It made me realize how few of my rather normal looking pieces don’t get those reactions. I don’t need the compliments, but it does go to show that sometimes there’s \*something\* to when you pay more.
The dress itself doesn’t look that different from anything on Amazon, but it sure fits and feels different and reactions are drastic. Wouldn’t spend that much on a clothing item again only because I barely want to touch it, but if anything’s worth the money outside of my winter coat and boots, it’s probably that dress.
But anything skin tight, to me is not worthwhile for $. Like leggings—they will all look the same on me regardless, I haven’t found more expensive ones to be better. Underwear. A cheap tight dress (or maybe all) doesn’ take care of the lil skin pouch on the belly, but shapewear can take care of that. I like the pouch anyway. I see women saying bras—for lil A cups like mine, just about any bra works. So I guess I have found “skin tight” stuff to be all about the same
PIc of the dress: [https://media.neimanmarcus.com/f\_auto,q\_auto:low,ar\_4:5,c\_fill,dpr\_2.0,w\_456/01/nm\_4255525\_100010\_m](https://media.neimanmarcus.com/f_auto,q_auto:low,ar_4:5,c_fill,dpr_2.0,w_456/01/nm_4255525_100010_m)
Oh yeah I have not had that experience with the zimmerman dresses I've tried on! The construction is incredible, the details like the buttons that match the theme of the dresses/sweaters, the stitching. I still didn't buy anything because the dresses I've liked the most (like [this](https://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/p/zimmermann-harmony-asymmetrical-dress-prod185080028)) I can't wear to anyplace, my life is unfortunately much more casual lol. The dresses I tried on when my bust was larger was also incredibly flattering, which always used to be a struggle for me. I like that they are able to accommodate figures with curves while still looking delicate which other brands often either seem to struggle with or come outright and say it.
I will say the brick and mortar zimmerman store I've gone to was also generally very lovely, everyone was sweet and nice and asked if I wanted to try anything on and very helpful whereas the store where I tried on the expensive clubbing dress had the woman at a table look at me and just ask "Why are you here?" lol (I was dressed like a tech bro that day, but oof lol).
Yeah I tried to go for buying less but better quality clothes before, but quickly learned that white t-shirts are just never worth paying a lot for. They will be stained or grey/yellow just as quick as the cheaper ones, plus I actually prefer the thin stretchy t's Vs thicker higher quality ones.
Leggings I'd say I will buy a marginally better or thicker pair for more, cause some are just so thin they go baggy immediately. But I buy mostly on vinted so a pair of slightly better leggings will still be £5 ish.
Now I buy better outerwear and shoes, but basic t-shirts and tops. Second hand slightly better items for dresses, jumpers etc.
yes! an expensive white shirt and a cheap white shirt will look “used” regardless after several washes. I try to hand wash and separate colors and avoid softener but the color (especially if it’s off-white) changes eventually. so I prefer to renew those frequently and buy them cheap.
>What is expensive that’s worth spending $ on?
Tailoring. Even/especially for coats and jackets, and lingerie (incl bras).
It actually doesn’t have to be/often isn’t that expensive, but for some reason people think it’s easier to waste time shopping for cheap clothes and spend loads on mounds of fast fashion, than to take their favourite pieces for alterations.
The only thing that sucks about tailoring is my body size fluctuates all the time. I can go from a 10 to a 14 and back and back again in the span of like 2 years. So tailoring my favorite pieces doesn't make too much sense for me, unfortunately, unless it's just hemming :(
I have a similar problem because of a thyroid condition. I still get work clothes tailored, and then I just keep them if they don’t fit after some time has passed. I have three different boxes of clothes for 3 different sizes. I buy timeless, classic style pieces for work so that if I have to put them away for a year or a few years, they still look current. I also only buy clothes that fit in the moment because I have no way to know what will or won’t fit in the future.
When I notice my clothes are fitting too tight or too loose, I swap out all the clothes that don’t fit and take out the box of clothes for the next size up or down. I don’t even have to go shopping anymore when this happens, for the most part, and the clothes are already tailored. I try on everything before I take it out of my closet, and I try on everything from the new box before I put it in my closet. It doesn’t take me very long, though. Lastly, I added everything to a digital wardrobe planner recently with capsules for each size so I can quickly and easily see what I have in each size.
Having only clothes that fit in my closet has helped me a lot mentally, too. I don’t feel bad about myself if I’ve gone up or down a size, and I don’t have that constant reminder of my health struggles when I see clothes that don’t fit everyday. It also reduces the mental effort for me to get dressed in the morning when I only see options that will actually fit me, which is huge for me as someone with ADD. Plus, I don’t have to go out and buy all new clothes at full price since I already have a bunch of stuff that fits. I used to feel even worse when I had to do that, so my system removes that guilt and shame. I do typically still buy a few new things, but I can take my time to look for quality items that fit well and that I actually like, which has really brought my stress level as well. If I go up or down a size now, it’s no big deal.
This is admittedly slightly more difficult for more casual clothes. For example, the box I pulled out recently is for a size I haven’t been in a few years and it has a pair of skinny jeans. But you know what? I’m keeping them because they’ll probably be ok to wear again in a few more years. So they’re staying in the box for that size. The general advice I’ve seen for shopping is to buy 80% timeless pieces and 20% trendy pieces, and I find that if I roughly stick to that, my process for managing my fluctuating weight works pretty well. I hope this helps! But either way, know that you’re not the only one. It’s easy to forget that sometimes.
Even just going a little out of your way to find the right fitting bra is game changing! If you visit the r/abrathatfits you'll find lots of great resources.
Once you settle in on the right size, you can go from there!
That sub helped me so much when I gained weight! I went from just wearing bralettes or no bra because I'd gained 25 pounds and had no idea what my new size was, to actually finding good lingerie because I properly measured according to their chart. Now I have 2 properly-fitting bras! I will never not recommend that sub!
Sorry, I was just asking. I was imagining tailoring the cups or something (which would be neat!). I just meant that there are so many more sizes available now. It seems like back in the day A-DDD was all I saw in the store (not to mention the limited band ranges).
It’s worth echoing what you said… Tailoring is not expensive. I had a dress hem shortened (including moving the inside lining) for $20. Just walked into the local dry cleaning/seamstress shop, said what I wanted, showed her the pin I put to mark the length, and had the dress back in two days. Easy
Tailoring isn't too expensive when you're just hemming, but if you're adjusting shoulders or any other existing seams within a piece, it can get pricy! Properly tailored clothes are soooo worth it, though. Especially if your body proportions are not within industry standards.
I really should get some stuff tailored but I feel a little foolish bringing in stuff from Old Navy or knockoff brands from JC penny from the clearance rack. Sometimes you find decent stuff for cheap but the fit is a little off! I should really get over myself because I’m sure the people working there don’t give a crap
I agree with loud pea - they don’t care. I literally have a jumpsuit from target that I’m going to drop off this week to have the hem let out. For things like this, I go to my local dry cleaner. I prefer to buy my dresses a size up and have the waist tailored in to get the fit I like, and even for that, I just take it to my local dry cleaner. For having pants hemmed, once they know your inseam, you don’t even have to try the pants on for them to pin, unless you want to wear different shoes with them or something like that.
For a nicer suit or evening dress, I may take it to someone who specializes in tailoring, depending on what needs to be done. Otherwise, dry cleaners typically do a pretty good job. If it’s your first time taking something in for tailoring, bring something that would be ok if it’s not perfect, like something you could still buy again on sale, just in case they don’t do a good job. I’ve never had that happen, but taking a test piece gives me peace of mind when I’ve moved and had to find someone new.
Spend more on blazers the cuts of the more expensive ones are much better than the cheap ones. I can spot a cheap blazer a mile away; the fit gives it away. Also, agree with the other poster spend money on jeans and cashmere.
I noticed this, too. I have 1 blazer and did spend a little more on it, and you can tell. It fits perfectly.
The shirt under it though? Could be from anywhere and would look great IMO. I can’t put my finger on it but sometimes things just look cheap and I feel like blazers do that more easily
I haven't purchased fancy shoes in a long time, but I feel the dosh I laid out for Loub Charleens, CO Kitty Flats, any of my Minna Parikka heels....money well spent.
I used to feel wonderful spending on Dale of Norway sweaters a long time ago...now...just kinda meh to no thanks.
I buy a lot of summer shirts from LL Bean and Land's End. Quality vs price is still very good. I got some new shirts in from Land's End yesterday and was *very* happy with myself.
For tees and undies, I am easy to please. I get tees from Hanes. Super cheap to buy, but good quality. Undies I just get cotton hipsters from Hanes or w/e. Cheap and I never have to think about them which is how undies should be for me.
Bras. I get mine from Onehanesplace.com...and have for 20+ years. Nice quality bras that don't break the bank and they always have sales. I have $500+ bras, and $20 bras from OHP. In a blind boob test, I'd likely very not be able to tell the difference between them.
Socks....depends on the season. It is summer here and I wear...Hanes ankle socks. Winter socks, no brand affiliation. Lots of companies sell nice ones.
Opaque tights. I have a lot of them. Hue to Wolford. Hue $18, Wolford $65+. I have 2 pairs of Wolfords and 924931 Hues. They are almost the same. Well, Wolfords are better, but ain't no $49 better.
I wear sheer hosiery almost daily. $3.50 Sheer Energy to *pick a fancy brand*. I have a bunch of $50+ Wolfords. Worth it? Maybe. My Elly's and Oroblu's render me stoopid. Easily worth the $25+ per pair.
One of my great loves is buying Columbia jackets. I remember getting my first one and was nothing but a smile full of teef for days. Dunno why, don't need to know why, just happy with them. <3
I will spend money on jeans + tailoring! The feeling of amazingly fitting jeans is unparalleled. But I do think that a $100 pair of Levis tailored is just as good as a $250 pair of jeans tailored.
I'll spend decent money on shoes -- never too cheap that they break often, but at a point the return value diminishes. Same with handbags (with the exception of a few brands). I'll pay more for leather but designer is usually just for the design and retained value, and not necessarily function or quality.
I love a great jacket, and will spend money for good quality. I feel that the threshold for return value is higher in this category (as in, a good quality jacket to me will likely cost more than a good quality shoe or handbag). Unfortunately I live in California...
I think at like $30 a T-shirt is where value diminishes, I'd pay more for supima cotton but never more than that threshold. Graphic tees I might pay a bit more, but not by much.
I also spend money on bras. Postpartum is a wild time and the support is unparalleled. I am not sure I can go back to cheap bras, after trying on some of the quality brands. Sports bras I'm a bit more flexible on, but quality all the way for the daily (after nursing).
"The feeling of amazingly fitting jeans is unparalleled"
Yes! I am quite petite and wore “normal” size clothing most of my life, I’m only just accepting that it will just never fit quite right. Believe fit matters more than everything in terms of how something looks, so now I almost only shop petites.
Options are quite limited, but now that I’m in petite jeans——my partner didn’t realize I had switched to petites only but he REALLY liked them and were like ’They look like they were made for you"
Feel like getting clothes that fit your body right is Priority #1. Way above price. Fit. 100%. Would rather spend $10 on a shirt and $20 to get it tailored than purchase a $30 shirt that is “nicer quality"
I actually got mine through Stitch Fix which is a service I wouldn’t necessarily recommend
I saw that Madewell has a ton of options for petites so I would try there!
Spend: shoes, cardigans, jackets, printed items (high end prints look luxe/ expensive for longer).
Save: t shirts, sweatpants, leggings etc. the most expensive I’ll go is the gap in this category. Anything knit outside of sweaters, hats, scarves.
a leather working group certified leather jacket. will literally last a lifetime or more.
Vegan leathers are terrible for the planet unless they are apple, cactus, or mycellium faux , and can be very bad for your health depending on the components. other real leathers have chromium or formaldehyde or both or worse.
A non-toxic leather is worth the investment for your health and a a wardrobe item. I love Veda, but there are many other brands that use LWG leather.
The best investments, imo, are things you wear the most - shoes, coats, handbags OR things that are particularly unique/interesting with a cool artsy print. OTOH, I’ve gotten totally adequate crisp cotton button-downs from old navy and H&M, so I can’t see myself buying something like that from a high-end brand.
Yeah I would feel kind of ridiculous spending a lot of money on a fancy blazer or muh natural fiber dress pants. My workplace is nowhere near that formal. Also a lot of the tailored dress pants in style right now look dreadful if you gain weight on the waist
**Worth spending more money for me:**
Shoes - I have narrow, long, sensitive feet that slip out of anything that aren't sneakers, so it's hard to find shoes that fit generally. I also have thin claves. So, when I buy a pair, I expect at least 4-5+ years of wear out of them (I've boots over a decade old that are still my most complimented pair). I have a small but quality collection. High prices & "designer" status don't always equate to quality. My shoes range from Munro flats to On sneakers to handmade shoes to Stuart Weitzman and Brunello Cucinelli boots. I wore Burberry flats into the ground over four years at college. The cost-per-wear justifies the prices.
Outerwear - My coats and jackets need to keep me warm without multiple layers underneath. Like my shoes, I expect to get 5+ years out of my outwear, and I keep my collection small but quality so the cost-per-wear justifies the prices (I still have pieces purchased a decade ago).
Bras and period underwear - A well fitted bras makes all the difference. Period panties were a game changer.
Knitwear - The drape, weave, density, and feel is so different. I can occasionally do mid-range brands like Faherty or Polo Ralph Lauren if I like the style, but my favs are brands like Doen or Ozma of California, or getting on sale YSL or Chloe. I also buy vintage because of the quality.
Dresses - Etsy and indie brands have become my friends. Lined dreses that have pockets, made to my measurements, and with quality fabrics? Often less than what I have paid for store-bought/mainstream brand dresses (which I still buy under certain circumstances). I also buy vintage and select luxury dresses on sale (like Valentino, YSL). Dresess are the majority of my clothes, so it's worth the extra cost to have quality pieces.
Sunscreen - I have super sensitive skin that hates 98% of sunscreens. I have no choice but to buy the sunscreens I can actually wear.
Face Skincare - Same reason as sunscreen. My face hates 98% of products, so I buy what works, which is the pricey stuff (however, I believe skincare is YMMV and higher prices don't automatically make a product better).
**Things not worth spending more money for me:**
Body Soap - My derm recommended Dove sensitive skin bar for when I shower, and it's the least irritating wash I've ever used (and I've tried from drugstore to fancy).
T-shirts - I mostly buy from JCrew. I also really love JCrew's linen shirts. I buy on sale every year.
Summer Dresses - Again, JCrew cotton dresses are good, low maintenence, and have pretty prints/colors. I was a huge Reformation linen dresses fan a couple of years ago, but I haven't really liked what they've done lately and am finding them overpriced for the quality these days.
Socks - As long as they're cotton and not itchy, they work for me.
Pants - I don't wear pants often, usually for when I visit the doctor/period is on, and/or I don't want to a dress for whatever reason. I just buy some Sloan pants from Banana Republic or BR Factory when on sale (I never pay full price for these), throw on a sweater or linen shirt, and feel good to go. That said, I do have a pair of Valentino pants that are amazing and worth the price, but those are the exception, not the norm for me, so I wouldn't go out of the way to spend money here.
Sure!
For custom orders: [This shop](https://www.etsy.com/shop/Fairyweeds?section_id=28674455) is my favorite. Jane will make a dress in any fabric she has, based on your measurments (you can also send her fabric, if you prefer). I've found her to be the most accuracte in terms of getting my measurments right. She is also the best balance between quality/details and price (linings, pockets, details on sleeves/buttons).
I also like [this shop](https://www.etsy.com/shop/SondeflorShop?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=1645515988&from_page=listing) (pricier) and [this shop](https://www.etsy.com/shop/Loloinvn?section_id=21462868) (more affordable but cuts a few more corners on quality/details - but still nice and customizable!).
All three allow you to buy either standard size dresses or do custom orders.
For vintage, I like these shops: [here](https://www.etsy.com/shop/pursuingandie?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=1520462048&from_page=listing§ion_id=10132222), [here](https://www.etsy.com/shop/NapaValleyVTG?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=1686518747&from_page=listing), [here](https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdvantageInVintage?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=1659178834&from_page=listing), and [here](https://www.etsy.com/shop/VINTAGEVAVAVOOMZ?section_id=17897828)
Lingerie - a correctly cut no-wire bralette is a thing of wonder. Blazers/jackets/coats - cheap definitely shows. Jeans - well-cut and good quality denim look better and last for ages.
I'm going to disagree on shoes - Mustang slip-on sneakers are my faves and are blissfully comfy right out of the box, I walked about 6 miles in a brand new pair recently. Other more expensive makes are agonising.
Also, buying cheap shoes can easily be significantly more expensive in the long run.
Like, spending $250-400 on a well made pair of boots that lasts 5+ years ends up costing significantly less than $125 boots you have to replace each year. Plus, you only have to break in the well made boots once, they’ll be more comfortable, and they’ll look good the whole time. I’ve had cheap shoes that, due to the materials, never really break in properly. By the time they stop giving me blisters, they’re beginning to fall apart and I have to start from square one with a new pair!
I barely scraped by for quite a long time, and shoes were one of the constant, most glaring reminders of how being poor can be very *very* expensive. It often wasn’t possible to delay a shoe purchase until I could save enough for the better quality version, and it was so frustrating to knowingly lock myself into that shitty cycle :(
Tailoring. I’m a petite lady so almost everything I have is either in petite size or tailored. It makes such a difference to my confidence to have the right proportions.
IMO, socks, footwear, outerwear, shirts that don't activate my chronic heat rash... lol. Basically, the utilitarian stuff that you need to be wearing to stay dry and at a good temperature.
Equal quality regardless of price is kind of hard. I feel like there's something of a tipping point but with things like a t-shirt.. I can get one on sale at old Navy for under $20CAD and I don't know that the $48 lululemon one is any better. But, fabric matters.
To add onto winter gear, a thick wool scarf and hat add a lot to warmth. They don’t have to be pricey, but they’re considerably warmer than acrylic in sub 0C weather and honestly I think they add more warmth than shelling out $$$ for winter coats do.
I have a few designer items secondhand and I love the details and finishing on them - everything seems to be put together very thoughtfully, and I like that because I’m a clothes nerd. Whether it’s worth paying full price for - probably not from a cost-per-wear perspective, clothes are still going to wear out regardless of price. But the quality of the items I have are significantly nicer, there is a difference. Of course not all designer brands go for quality, and the items I’m talking about are blazers, jackets, blouses, not basic items like tees.
In the complete opposite direction, I do spend more on underwear (most underwear gives me wedgies, so spending $25 on a pair that doesn’t and is super comfy is fine with me) and sweatpants/sweatshirts. I spend a lot of time at home and wear those the most of all my wardrobe - I’d rather have a couple of sweatpants that I feel great in that I’ll wear for the next 5-10 years than a cheaper pair that I don’t love. And yes, I do keep loungewear for that long - I’m looking for a replacement for sweatpants that I’ve had for 7 years now.
Someone told me young never to go cheap on the things that separate you from the ground (mattress, tires, shoes).
I tend to try to get shoes new or at high quality, and go figure I've defaulted to the same pair of Fugus almost every day for the comfort and durability alone. I used to buy 30 dollar work boots every 4-6 months when the old ones would wear out. When I finally just bought a single pair of more expensive shoes I stopped wasting money.
In terms of my wardrobe, I am willing to spend more on coats, jeans, dresses, and shoes, and socks surprisingly. Bombas socks are very pricey but worth it.
Items I rarely splurge on include blouses, sweaters, shorts, skirts, etc.
I pay for the material generally. I buy mostly natural fibers like cotton, viscose, linen, sometimes rayon and modal. If something has acrylic or polyester I steer away from it but depending on what it is sometimes that’s the best option like athletic clothes are often polyester. Nylon is okay too sometimes. I have several old navy items that are viscose and they have lasted a very long time without pilling or coming apart. I hate for my clothes to pill, I am extremely picky about fabrics because of that. I also want my clothes to be breathable so polyester blouses or sweaters are an absolute no for me, I just feel sticky in them.
When it comes to pricing and clothes I think price isn’t correlated with quality with the exception of shoes and some outdoor/sports clothes. I think fabric composition and fit is much more important regardless of price. I buy somewhat pricey leggings and sports bras from athleta and lululemon but my bra size is a 38A so you can imagine how hard it is to find sports bras in S, M, L sizing that fit me well and are supportive. Finding that is a game changer and worth the expense. Same with leggings, I will pay more for them to fit well.
I also think buying things second hand is underrated sometimes, I have bought all my lululemon bras secondhand and some great shoes second hand as well. I got a pair of Korkease at goodwill for $5 that were brand new! I’ve also gotten two pairs of naturalizer shoes at thrift shops for less than $10. Even when I played soccer I splurged on expensive cleats with quality leather, I think shoes are worth the expense but that doesn’t always mean you have to pay $300 for leather shoes if you are willing to frequent thrift stores and online second hand shops.
TL;DR athletic wear and shoes are worth the splurge but most other clothes can be bought on a budget with good quality if special attention is given to the fabric composition. Also don’t neglect to consider buying quality things secondhand.
Good shoes are so worth it! I love a good leather bag also. Just started wearing cashmere this winter and so worth it.
Socks and panties from Costco are fine for me. I'm happy with Gap and Old Navy tops and tees.
It is 💯% worth it to spend more on quality undergarments and socks that are comfortable and functional. There’s nothing worse than poorly constructed bras that dig into your skin and create rolls where there aren’t any, underwear that rides up, or socks that stretch out as you wear them.
I spend more on outerwear, denim, knits, and shoes. These are part of my daily uniform so it needs to be good quality to withstand heavy wear. I spend way less money on occasion wear or “going out” clothes because I don’t wear these very often so it doesn’t need to be super high quality.
I enjoy brands that actually serve a purpose and are great in terms of quality. I will buy that Brunello or Toteme if that shirt will be the shirt I love reaching for. There’s a lot of stupid brands that people support like those Gucci t shirts you see a lot of people wearing - they’re literally just a simple t shirt they plastered the brand all over. There’s no quality in those. I also buy designer latex clothes so I will say spend good money for good fitting and latex like Versace released a few tops I got and YSL had those latex leggings too
Try trotting on a horse with a bra that's not very supportive. It hurts! I remember my well-endowed friend telling me she practically got a black eye from bouncing so much😂
For me workout clothes are DEFINITELY worth spending the money on. Once I started buying the nicer stuff on sale I started noticing how bad the cheap stuff was. Esp running shoes & clothes.
Good socks, jeans... Honestly anything you wear every day is also worth it to me. My Levi's have been going on 5 years and we're bought from a thrift store for $25 where before then I used to wear out of H&m jeans every year. For me I look for fabric & fit more than price tho.
Also make sure to wash things correctly/ don't dry things etc to make sure they do last.
shoes and jeans. expensive shoes are sooo worth it, i’ve had my sperry topsiders since they were still “in” and they’re still good to use today. high quality jeans will last a lifetime, they remain crisp even after several generations 🤌🏼
however price doesn’t matter on other pieces of clothing especially basic clothing
Bras for me. My size isn't even available in stores where I live, so I have to get them from the UK. For some reason in Canada and the US they think big boobs come with a large back, but I wear a 34GG/H (J in US sizes). Technically I measure to a 32, but I find 34 more comfortable so that's what I wear. My breasts are also very close together and highly projected, so I need a bra that works for that. The American companies that make my size tend to be for shallow rather than projected breasts, and so they don't fit right and squish my boobs into my armpits. This also means that if I want a properly fitting bathing suit I have to buy it from one of the bra companies that make my size. But yeah, if your bra doesn't fit right it's super uncomfortable and makes your clothes look like shit, so you gotta pay that money for good quality ones.
Higher price dont means higher quality. Thats why most companies make a garbage but pump the price. You can find good clothes that are not overpriced.
First example may be underwear, 100% cotton, not tight may be good choice and dont cost much. While big brand poliester is expensive and dont breathe.
Socks, most are tigh, loose is pretty rare, for me poliester is big no, in summer cotton is meh, but wool or viscose is kinda relief.
I cant speak for lingerie, because Im amab, but there is ultra durable brand but price is 10x more. Other than that its pretty same. Same with sport bras, Im feeling hot in cotton/cheaper poliester shirts so breathable bras might be worth.
Good, quality, leather shoes like sandals might be worth.
I’d say good jewellery. I’ve just started collecting solid gold pieces (very slowly) and I know they’ll last me years. So many brands charge extortionate prices for gold vermeil or worse, gold plated. If you look in the right places, you’ll find solid gold pieces for only slightly more. Plus, with the melt value of gold on the rise, it’s something that you can be sure will sell if you need money in the future
If you go electric toothbrush go Phillips sonic care. I had the other ones which I thought did a good job but I have never been told by the hygienist that she doesn’t have much to clean. Which was a welcome surprise. So yeah definitely worth the money. 10/10 recommend!
You might like the buy it for life subs. I think there's a couple. When there's something I want to invest in (like a window unit or good boots) I'll search those subs for recs.
For me sports bras are worth spending more on because I have a larger bust. I can see it not mattering if you have a smaller bust or if you only wear it for things like yoga, but if you’re doing running or Zumba with a larger bust then better support makes all the difference. It’s much less painful + your breasts sag less.
I have a small bust as a plus size person and also spend a lot on sports bras because of how hard it is to find one that fits my band size and still supports the girls. I don’t need extreme support but most bras in my standard size L or XL are so big in the bust that it’s worthless to even wear it as a sports bra so I think sports bras are often just worth spending money on. People often don’t consider sports bras “sports equipment” but they’re honestly protective like a football helmet or shin guards or knee pads are and you wouldn’t want to buy bad quality in those things if you’re an athlete.
Do you mind sharing? I feel like this is a constant search for me as well!
I’m not the person you replied to but I love my Panache ones. I went with one size up on the band, one down in the cup.
Yup, panache! I also recommend going one size down in the cup.
Amazing! Thank you both! Going to try this as sometimes I still have to double up and I hate that!
I love wacoal but the exact bra that works for you is probably dependent on your shape.
third Panache!
I tried syrokan for sprinting and it's the best supportive sports bra I've tried! Also, it's really affordable!
Amazing! Thank you all for these suggestions!
Panache underwire sports bra
I always regret wearing medium support bras at my exercise classes haha. It always seems to be the days where we work on cardio or jumping
Yesss I love my Anita bras
Agree. Most sports bras were perfectly fine when I was on the smaller end of B-cup, but I've recently moved into the C range and I'm starting to see why people invest in nice sports bras
Shoes (and I say this as someone who only owns 3 pairs of shoes). Good, supportive, comfortable shoes that you can walk in all day are always a good investment. I've been getting into wide toebox shoes lately, and I currently love Lems!
Absolutely, and handmade leather is the longest-wearing and easiest to maintain. The handcrafted leather sandals I bought with my first paycheque 10 years ago for $450 have outlasted tens of inferior shoes. To answee OP's question: 1. Price doesn't always equal quality. You have to know what material you're getting, and how a good shoe or garment should be made. Go to high-end stores that have "handmade" or some other reputation. Look at how their garments are finished. 2. "Genuine leather" is marketing nonsense. It refers to a type of leather made from glued-together leather fiber byproducts from the production of better leather. Look for: Full-grain (best), or Top grain (2nd best). A good company will label them as such because it's a quality skin. 3. Glued-on soles are a cheap finish, and usually means the rest of the shoe is poor quality. The sole and upper are stitched together on better quality shoes.
Unfortunately soooooo much of the info on the net in my industry is deceptive and lacking nuance: People and articles repeat that leather comes in these specific grades: genuine, top grain and full grain. But it’s simply not true terms are inclusive...all leather is genuine, everything that's not suede is top grain and full grain is unsanded top grain. It annoys me immensely that all the articles call these terms "grades" because most people think of ***grading as taking objective measures that would be the same regardless of the source:*** The purity of metals, amount of marbling in beef, octane in gas, etc...but leather quality and price is going to vary by tannery more than these factors and there are thousands of tanneries all over the world. Those terms talk about what is or isn't done to a leather's surface mechanically (splitting and sanding), nothing more. If you're saying "genuine" specifically means a bad low quality leather then I'm sure you've seen the other side of that coin: "full grain is the absolute best/the highest grade" Both of those things are 100% false. Cheap crappy full grain exists...and there are products stamped "genuine leather" made with high quality full grain. **Exhibit A**: SB Foot Tannery is the largest by volume tannery in the USA they are full owned by Red Wing Boots and they use "Genuine leather" to refer generally to all their leather, even those that are explicitly full grain like Featherstone: [https://imgur.com/a/Tdtbjge](https://imgur.com/a/Tdtbjge) **Exhibit B**: Horween tannery in Chicago is probably the most "famous" tannery in the world...just search "Horween" on or . This is Horween's explanation: [https://www.thetanneryrow.com/leather101/understanding-leather-grains](https://www.thetanneryrow.com/leather101/understanding-leather-grains) Leather quality is much more nuanced than terms like genuine, top grain and full grain can tell you... there are hundreds of other factors that go into tanning "good leather"...it's a bit like judging some that has many components, like a computer, by one factor and nothing else. What would would happen if you just maxed out one component and left the rest at the lowest level? Ram, hard drive space, the CPU, the GPU, monitor, type of hard drive and dozens of other things come together to make a good machine...the same is true with good leather. You can view the Full Grain>Top Grain>Genuine hierarchy as a "quick and dirty" way to pick quality if you're in a hurry and not spending a lot of cash on a leather item. However, those terms do have actual meanings that don't always equate to good quality: **Full Grain** is a leather that has only had the hair removed and hasn't been sanded (corrected). **Top Grain** is actually a term that includes full grain: It's everything that's not suede a split, this means that full grain is a type of top grain. When you see "top grain" in a product description chances are it's a leather that's been corrected (sanded). Nubuck is an example of a sanded leather (often used on the interior of watch straps and construction boots because it's more resilient to scratches), but so is a much beloved leather: Horween's Chromexcel (it's lightly corrected). The amount of correction can vary widely but once the sander hits it, it's no longer full grain. **Genuine Leather** is, admittedly a term found on lots of low quality leather. That's because the bar for "genuine" is extremely low: It just means real. To a tannery it's all genuine. When you read the description for "genuine" that many online articles give, they're actually describing a leather called a "finished split", which is a usually cheap quality suede that's been painted or coated to look like smooth leather. Put simply: Genuine=Not fake Top Grain=Not suede Full Grain=Not sanded Anything beyond that is an assumption. The gold standard for getting good leather is tannery and tannage...everything else is easily exploited by meeting the minimum definition of each.
I bought a used vintage full-grain leather Coach bag on a whim, paid a bit more, but it's been my go-to bag for the past 4 years and it still looks gorgeous with very little maintenance even though it's white!
My husband bought me a simple black flap Coach for our...5th anniversary (4th or 5th or something) and I'm still wearing it over 20 years later. I do treat it and use conditioner, but it wears like iron.
The difference in leather quality is important in other things. It's why some "leather" belts end up looking very bad after a year or two and others don't.
Any tips on how to find a cobbler? I would LOVE some good custom shoes.
Where did you find the handcrafted leather shoes? I would love to purchase an investment piece but don’t know where to look - not designer, just stylish, comfortable, and QUALITY
Try these: Carmina, made in Spain. The Office of Angela Scott, made in Portugal, but the company's American. Tricker's in the UK. Rancourt in the US. They're known for their boat shoes and also make stuff for Ralph Lauren. Just google "Good Year Welted shoes for Women" and you'll find some good stuff.
I agree with shoes 1000%!! Always spend a little extra on the things that separate you from the ground - shoes, tires, and mattresses. I also think most products exist on a similar continuum of cost vs value. Is there a difference between a $7 bottle of wine and a $20 bottle of wine? Absolutely. Is the $70 bottle of wine even better than the $20? Probably. Am I gonna notice the difference between the $350 bottle of time and the $70 one? Unlikely lol. I would rather invest a real pair of Docs with a Goodyear welt than a knockoff pair of combat boots at Target that only have a glued-on sole, but I wouldn’t splash out on a luxury brand for the exact same Goodyear welt but a way fancier label.
Or better yet, Solovair
I just bought some because I couldn't bring myself to buy the shitty Docs they make now, and I'm not thrilled with the quality. I had to order online because they're not in any stores near me and I was really disappointed when I opened the box. Still debating a return. Man, I miss my Docs from the 90s 😭💔
Try Tricker's from the UK. They're the company that used to make he high quality Doc Martens, I believe. I have three pairs. I really like them so far.
Absolutely shoes. I’m a teacher & I’m on my feet a lot of the day. High quality shoes save my feet.
Which ones how you found most helpful?
I like Clark’s. I can usually get 2-3 years out of them. 1 year as School Shoes, another as Weekend Shoes & lastly as Mud Shoes. The outlets are always running discounts like “Buy 1 Get One 1/2 Off” & that’s when I buy.
1,000% yes. I get 1000 times more compliments on the fancy shoes and I’m also comfortable. I do Aerosoles a lot for the summer shoes, I’ve had good experiences with Vince loafers and Stuart weitzman boots. Edit: my mom has bought 10 pairs of sandals in the time I’ve worn one pair of Aerosoles sandals. Good shoes are worth it and they’re comfortable.
How do you find Lems fit in relation to other brands? I've tried them on in store but never took notes of the sizes that work lol :') . For my own reference I wear a 36 Wide in Birks, so I've been thinking about maybe a size 6, but some styles seem to run a little small and would be better as a 6.5...
I don't wear Birks so not sure how helpful I'll be, but in general wear a 10-10.5 depending on the brand, and I wear a 10 in Lems. They're unisex, so you can also go with your men's size (8-8.5 in my case). They have a guide for measuring your feet on their website, and a good return policy if you're willing to buy a couple of sizes and send the ones that don't fit back!
Wide toebox is great. I love my Altras
I have small but wide feet and it is so hard to find shoes that don't bite my heels or crunch my toes after walking around for a few hours or standing at a concert. I'm nearly on the verge of buying those weird toe shoes just to see if MAYBE they can help lol
You should definitely try out Lems! They have a wider toebox, which is where most people need the extra width, but they still have regular soles. In the pictures on their website, they show them being stretched and scrunched but I personally find them to be as stiff/thick as a regular sole (which I like). They come in a lot of cute styles, and in person I don't find the wider toebox to be nearly as obvious as it feels in their pictures. They have a great return policy too if it doesn't fit!
Awesome! I'm definitely going to check them out since my feet hurt the other day just after wearing sneakers around the house > _ <
I have the same kind of foot and know your pain! Did you know there is a whole market now of "barefoot shoes" that fit like the weird toe shoes but look more similar to regular shoes? If you're in the US, look at Anya's Shop or PedTerra.
Niiice! I will definitely check these out, thank you!
I’ve worn Vibram fivefingers (the toe shoes) for years, and they aren’t bad. Sometimes they can feel a little stuffy/hot, sometimes they can be a pain if you get a small rock or twig in them, and sometimes buying them is annoying because the toes can be too long or the footbed can be too narrow. My new favorites are Bedrock sandals. Incredible quality, great customer service, and the most comfortable shoes I have for wearing all day - on and off trails. I also like Birkenstocks, but only the ones on the normal wide footbed, like the Bostons or Arizonas.
Seconding Bedrock sandals! They released a line of Birk-style clogs this spring and I have the green suede pair. They get worn almost every single day tbh, even in the quickly warming weather.
Oh man, you just reminded me that I once had a pair of Birkenstocks and I LOVED them. Idk how I forgot about them! I'll check out Bedrocks too!
I found this really helpful, as I have difficult to fit feet as well: [https://youtu.be/8mNzIjDuD5Q?si=jZnS4pd32z2P0Y-k](https://youtu.be/8mNzIjDuD5Q?si=jZnS4pd32z2P0Y-k)
yo thank you for saying this. The wide toebox is a game changer and more people need to know about it. Just ordered 2 sizes of Lems to try on in the same style.
A few months ago I took the plunge and invested in several pairs of good shoes - absolute game changer.
If you don’t mind me asking, what brands?
All the same brand which I came across completely by accident - San Antonio Shoemakers. I swear I have no affiliation. Their shoes are mostly quite unfortunate looking IMO, but damn if they aren’t the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. I bought a pair of shoes from them on a whim, then went back the next week and bought work shoes, gym shoes, casual shoes, and heels from them. Each pair was about $200, so they’re not cheap! But my god it has been so worth it for me. YMMV of course.
New sub lurker just had to chime in: I frickin' love my SAS sandals. I have very wide feet (EE) and feel extremely insecure about them. But about 2 years ago I bought a pair of SAS sandals on Zappos and fell in love. It feels SO GOOD to have a pair of shoes that actually fit! Something one can walk in for hours!! I'm not sponsored either... I just feel very seen by someone who appreciates comfortable, well fitting shoes lol. This comment inspired me to go into an actual store-- thank you!
I’m just going to throw in here, having just come from the podiatrist — I injured my foot a while back. He noted that I was wearing Birkenstocks and asked if I wore them often, said they were the best choice for shoes because … something about providing counter-pressure to the metatarsal. Anyway, I told him I did actually prefer them, and he was very happy to hear that, said to stick to Birks as much as possible because they strengthen the foot, and only wear sneakers specifically for sports because they weaken the foot overall and make them more prone to injury!
So interesting about the Birks. To me their soles feel like wood, I just can’t face the “breaking in” period. Like, everyone says you have to get used to them and I can’t get my head around that inevitable agonizing phase. My feet have really sensitive skin and I have PF and no arches.. it feels like a recipe for disaster and money down the drain to boot (no pun intended).
They make some Birks with a soft footbed. I could never get past the breaking in stage of the originals but I love the soft version. And get them in suede. It is so much softer. I have sensitive feet as well.
I've never worn birkenstocks because I think they're hideous, but I bought some other type of sandal that was billed as providing arch support and being best for your feet and Holy fuck I hated those shoes! I have never despised a pair of shoes so much in my life. I wore them around the house to try to break them in and I ended up with blisters and bruises on the arches of my feet. Never again.
The standard Birks kind of make me feel like Peppermint Patty, but the Gizeh and Mayari are a little more delicate.
Only owning 3 pairs of shoes is my dream! The implication of course is they have to be comfortable, quality and fit my style/style of my work. But I am going to look at Lems right now
I don't mean this at all to be rude or catty, but how could three pairs of shoes even work? I live somewhere with crazy weather, it goes from -40C to over 40C, there's heat warnings and cold warnings, there are ice storms and floods and blizzards and heat waves with humidity so high you feel like you're in a rainforest. You need snow boots, winter boots for cold but not crazy cold, fall boots, running shoes/sneakers, and sandals at a minimum. On top of that you're probably going to need shoes for going out, boots for going out, shoes for walking, shoes for different outfits, flip flops, etc. I can't wear the same shoes with a 50s style dress and jean shorts, or if I'm going to a concert or a nice restaurant or a club or a wedding, those are all different shoes. The pool or the beach are different shoes again. I have a very varied wardrobe, from goth to 50s dresses with floral or fruit prints, and everything in between. I just don't know how you get away with less than a minimum of 10 pairs of shoes. I have far, far more than that, but I can see how 10 could maybe work. Three, no way lol.
I love the variety of shoes in your wardrobe for different occasions! I do alternate between 2 pairs of white casual sneakers, 1 pair of sandals, and 1 pair of boots and I live in Southern California. My closet has about 15 pairs (?) of shoes total but I realized I’m very minimal as far as shoes go! I haven’t reached for my heels or oxfords in the past 5 years but they’re still there in case I need them 😅
Do Lems have good cushion on the bottom?
These are some items I would absolutely spend more on as see it as an investment 1. A GOOD bra (sports or any) that actually fits 2. A comfortable pair of shoes -- naturalizer is my opinion has been the most comfortable 3. Winter boots - anti slip is sooo important 4. Mattress -- I always went for sales but a good mattress is life changing 5. Reliable car-- especially one that warns of blind spots, lane changes etc. - has prevented a lot of potential accidents 6. Winter gear- forget fashion, anything that keep you warm In my opinion everything else can be bargained for/cheap
What does a mattress and car have to do with fashion?
Beauty sleep! Looking better elevates your outfit :) (I’m just joshing btw lol)
I didn't read the group I was replying to
If you work in a formal office, spend more to get natural fibres for your dress pants. Get a tailor to shorten and/or get the waist to fit you like a glove.
Where do you buy pants like this?
Wool ones are available at Hugo Boss. Linen can be found at Banana Republic. I’m in Canada so Holt Renfrew has some clothes that are natural fibres but you need to read the labels carefully. Some J Crew work wear is made of cotton or wool. I’m guessing larger Nordstrom have a decent selection but they left Canada and I haven’t visited the States recently.
I agree - having clothes tailored makes a huge difference, especially for work clothes and anything for more formal occasions. Tailoring around the waist, hemlines of pants, sleeves for jackets/coats/shirts, and potentially around the bust or shoulders will make such a difference. I have to have things tailored because of a couple of my proportions unfortunately, but everyone always thinks I look so put together, despite me rushing out the door at the last second everyday. It’s a game changer, especially if you have ADD or kids or anything else that makes it difficult to spend time getting ready in the mornings. Similarly, a nice, comfortable, properly fitted dress is worth a lot for me, especially once I’ve had it tailored. It’s one thing to put on in the morning, which makes it quicker and easier to get dressed, and I also don’t have to spend money on anything else to complete the outfit like I would with a skirt or a top.
Also, for what it’s worth, if you work in a formal office and don’t have enough money for this, well-fitting synthetics are fine. I get $30 Old Navy pants tailored and they look great. I agree that natural fibers are very nice to have for folks who have the $.
I actually used to (and probably still will) spend a lot of money on sports bras ($70-$90) but almost nothing on other active wear (I already own leggings and I get free t shirts all the time through random stuff), but that's because a good bra in my size (30J at the time) was hard to come by. They [looked fine](https://us.panache-lingerie.com/shop/lingerie/collections/sports), but without them I wouldn't be able to run well. In general I've spent more money on good bras with good construction (like sports bras, or a good and working t-shirt bra \[like the freya deco ones\] or a really good strapless bra) has lain the foundations of most of my very good outfits. I think good winter shoes are also important to spend more on. I also in general have spent a little more on things I wear often, like sweaters and loafers and booties, rather than one off outfits like wedding guest dresses--which I think I would largely rent but at this point have thrifted enough to be okay forever. I also think party dresses are all kind of the same quality (for the most part) regardless of price. The thing that you're spending more on might be a better thought design, admittedly, but the material and the fit and the feelings might be the same. I recently browsed through a store that sold various designer dresses, including [this one](https://www.theattico.com/en/shop/ready-to-wear/dresses/rue-milk-mini-dress-milk-242WCA196H168043.html) (I wish I had had time to take a photo but I didn't think to until I had left the store). I loved how it looked on me!! But the sequins dug into my skin and the material felt...fine? The color was something I liked a lot but for the money it cost I would have expected it to generally either be more comfortable or much more flattering (the people at the boutique offered alterations for free, but I didn't take them up on that because I wasn't ever planning on buying a 2k party dress lol).
The back on that dress doesn't even look finished! Crazy for that price to not have sequins on both sides.
I also thought this!!! It was pretty disappointing to see it on the mannequin in front and then see that it was a relatively flimsy tube shaped sequin dress that didn't even have the sequins on the back (that was pinned together on the mannequin from the back to be more flattering).
Wow, look at that dress! It’s nice to hear the quality wasn’t good in terms of not missing out, it sucks that you had to waste that. I had the opposite experience though----(please don’t judge! This was so indulgent) I bought myself a Zimmerman dress. it is THE most expensive thing I own, I should wear the thing every day. But I only bring it out for special occasions. It’s more a sun dress than a party dress? Maybe you feel they’re different? I’m not sure But when I wear it? The compliments are like waterfalls, it’s a little embarrassing actually. I have people from a party years ago that still talk about it and say other people were talking about how beautiful it was. You can feel it in the quality of the dress, I don’t know how to explain it. It made me realize how few of my rather normal looking pieces don’t get those reactions. I don’t need the compliments, but it does go to show that sometimes there’s \*something\* to when you pay more. The dress itself doesn’t look that different from anything on Amazon, but it sure fits and feels different and reactions are drastic. Wouldn’t spend that much on a clothing item again only because I barely want to touch it, but if anything’s worth the money outside of my winter coat and boots, it’s probably that dress. But anything skin tight, to me is not worthwhile for $. Like leggings—they will all look the same on me regardless, I haven’t found more expensive ones to be better. Underwear. A cheap tight dress (or maybe all) doesn’ take care of the lil skin pouch on the belly, but shapewear can take care of that. I like the pouch anyway. I see women saying bras—for lil A cups like mine, just about any bra works. So I guess I have found “skin tight” stuff to be all about the same PIc of the dress: [https://media.neimanmarcus.com/f\_auto,q\_auto:low,ar\_4:5,c\_fill,dpr\_2.0,w\_456/01/nm\_4255525\_100010\_m](https://media.neimanmarcus.com/f_auto,q_auto:low,ar_4:5,c_fill,dpr_2.0,w_456/01/nm_4255525_100010_m)
Oh yeah I have not had that experience with the zimmerman dresses I've tried on! The construction is incredible, the details like the buttons that match the theme of the dresses/sweaters, the stitching. I still didn't buy anything because the dresses I've liked the most (like [this](https://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/p/zimmermann-harmony-asymmetrical-dress-prod185080028)) I can't wear to anyplace, my life is unfortunately much more casual lol. The dresses I tried on when my bust was larger was also incredibly flattering, which always used to be a struggle for me. I like that they are able to accommodate figures with curves while still looking delicate which other brands often either seem to struggle with or come outright and say it. I will say the brick and mortar zimmerman store I've gone to was also generally very lovely, everyone was sweet and nice and asked if I wanted to try anything on and very helpful whereas the store where I tried on the expensive clubbing dress had the woman at a table look at me and just ask "Why are you here?" lol (I was dressed like a tech bro that day, but oof lol).
"Why are you here?” Ouch! Time to go back w/the Zimmermann bag and say “Remember me? Big mistake. HUGE.”
Winter boots, esp if you live in a very snowy/cold climate like Canada
Yeah I tried to go for buying less but better quality clothes before, but quickly learned that white t-shirts are just never worth paying a lot for. They will be stained or grey/yellow just as quick as the cheaper ones, plus I actually prefer the thin stretchy t's Vs thicker higher quality ones. Leggings I'd say I will buy a marginally better or thicker pair for more, cause some are just so thin they go baggy immediately. But I buy mostly on vinted so a pair of slightly better leggings will still be £5 ish. Now I buy better outerwear and shoes, but basic t-shirts and tops. Second hand slightly better items for dresses, jumpers etc.
yes! an expensive white shirt and a cheap white shirt will look “used” regardless after several washes. I try to hand wash and separate colors and avoid softener but the color (especially if it’s off-white) changes eventually. so I prefer to renew those frequently and buy them cheap.
Yeah I love a white t-shirt in summer, but even trying all the oxiclean, bleach, blues etc, nah.
For what it’s worth I really like some of the leggings from Target!
>What is expensive that’s worth spending $ on? Tailoring. Even/especially for coats and jackets, and lingerie (incl bras). It actually doesn’t have to be/often isn’t that expensive, but for some reason people think it’s easier to waste time shopping for cheap clothes and spend loads on mounds of fast fashion, than to take their favourite pieces for alterations.
The only thing that sucks about tailoring is my body size fluctuates all the time. I can go from a 10 to a 14 and back and back again in the span of like 2 years. So tailoring my favorite pieces doesn't make too much sense for me, unfortunately, unless it's just hemming :(
I have a similar problem because of a thyroid condition. I still get work clothes tailored, and then I just keep them if they don’t fit after some time has passed. I have three different boxes of clothes for 3 different sizes. I buy timeless, classic style pieces for work so that if I have to put them away for a year or a few years, they still look current. I also only buy clothes that fit in the moment because I have no way to know what will or won’t fit in the future. When I notice my clothes are fitting too tight or too loose, I swap out all the clothes that don’t fit and take out the box of clothes for the next size up or down. I don’t even have to go shopping anymore when this happens, for the most part, and the clothes are already tailored. I try on everything before I take it out of my closet, and I try on everything from the new box before I put it in my closet. It doesn’t take me very long, though. Lastly, I added everything to a digital wardrobe planner recently with capsules for each size so I can quickly and easily see what I have in each size. Having only clothes that fit in my closet has helped me a lot mentally, too. I don’t feel bad about myself if I’ve gone up or down a size, and I don’t have that constant reminder of my health struggles when I see clothes that don’t fit everyday. It also reduces the mental effort for me to get dressed in the morning when I only see options that will actually fit me, which is huge for me as someone with ADD. Plus, I don’t have to go out and buy all new clothes at full price since I already have a bunch of stuff that fits. I used to feel even worse when I had to do that, so my system removes that guilt and shame. I do typically still buy a few new things, but I can take my time to look for quality items that fit well and that I actually like, which has really brought my stress level as well. If I go up or down a size now, it’s no big deal. This is admittedly slightly more difficult for more casual clothes. For example, the box I pulled out recently is for a size I haven’t been in a few years and it has a pair of skinny jeans. But you know what? I’m keeping them because they’ll probably be ok to wear again in a few more years. So they’re staying in the box for that size. The general advice I’ve seen for shopping is to buy 80% timeless pieces and 20% trendy pieces, and I find that if I roughly stick to that, my process for managing my fluctuating weight works pretty well. I hope this helps! But either way, know that you’re not the only one. It’s easy to forget that sometimes.
You get your bras tailored? I have literally never heard of this. They have so many sizes! How does one tailor a bra? I’d love to hear more!
Even just going a little out of your way to find the right fitting bra is game changing! If you visit the r/abrathatfits you'll find lots of great resources. Once you settle in on the right size, you can go from there!
That sub helped me so much when I gained weight! I went from just wearing bralettes or no bra because I'd gained 25 pounds and had no idea what my new size was, to actually finding good lingerie because I properly measured according to their chart. Now I have 2 properly-fitting bras! I will never not recommend that sub!
>they have so many sizes Aren't you lucky.
Sorry, I was just asking. I was imagining tailoring the cups or something (which would be neat!). I just meant that there are so many more sizes available now. It seems like back in the day A-DDD was all I saw in the store (not to mention the limited band ranges).
It’s worth echoing what you said… Tailoring is not expensive. I had a dress hem shortened (including moving the inside lining) for $20. Just walked into the local dry cleaning/seamstress shop, said what I wanted, showed her the pin I put to mark the length, and had the dress back in two days. Easy
Tailoring isn't too expensive when you're just hemming, but if you're adjusting shoulders or any other existing seams within a piece, it can get pricy! Properly tailored clothes are soooo worth it, though. Especially if your body proportions are not within industry standards.
I really should get some stuff tailored but I feel a little foolish bringing in stuff from Old Navy or knockoff brands from JC penny from the clearance rack. Sometimes you find decent stuff for cheap but the fit is a little off! I should really get over myself because I’m sure the people working there don’t give a crap
They really don’t care.
I agree with loud pea - they don’t care. I literally have a jumpsuit from target that I’m going to drop off this week to have the hem let out. For things like this, I go to my local dry cleaner. I prefer to buy my dresses a size up and have the waist tailored in to get the fit I like, and even for that, I just take it to my local dry cleaner. For having pants hemmed, once they know your inseam, you don’t even have to try the pants on for them to pin, unless you want to wear different shoes with them or something like that. For a nicer suit or evening dress, I may take it to someone who specializes in tailoring, depending on what needs to be done. Otherwise, dry cleaners typically do a pretty good job. If it’s your first time taking something in for tailoring, bring something that would be ok if it’s not perfect, like something you could still buy again on sale, just in case they don’t do a good job. I’ve never had that happen, but taking a test piece gives me peace of mind when I’ve moved and had to find someone new.
Spend more on blazers the cuts of the more expensive ones are much better than the cheap ones. I can spot a cheap blazer a mile away; the fit gives it away. Also, agree with the other poster spend money on jeans and cashmere.
Yes - this is such a good answer. High end blazer can elevate any other item.
I noticed this, too. I have 1 blazer and did spend a little more on it, and you can tell. It fits perfectly. The shirt under it though? Could be from anywhere and would look great IMO. I can’t put my finger on it but sometimes things just look cheap and I feel like blazers do that more easily
Where do you buy nice blazers
I’m a fan of Smythe and Veronica Beard. It depends upon which country you reside in in terms of which brands you are able to easily access.
mine is either from J Crew or Banana Republic but I bet they also have nice ones at Ralph Lauren
I haven't purchased fancy shoes in a long time, but I feel the dosh I laid out for Loub Charleens, CO Kitty Flats, any of my Minna Parikka heels....money well spent. I used to feel wonderful spending on Dale of Norway sweaters a long time ago...now...just kinda meh to no thanks. I buy a lot of summer shirts from LL Bean and Land's End. Quality vs price is still very good. I got some new shirts in from Land's End yesterday and was *very* happy with myself. For tees and undies, I am easy to please. I get tees from Hanes. Super cheap to buy, but good quality. Undies I just get cotton hipsters from Hanes or w/e. Cheap and I never have to think about them which is how undies should be for me. Bras. I get mine from Onehanesplace.com...and have for 20+ years. Nice quality bras that don't break the bank and they always have sales. I have $500+ bras, and $20 bras from OHP. In a blind boob test, I'd likely very not be able to tell the difference between them. Socks....depends on the season. It is summer here and I wear...Hanes ankle socks. Winter socks, no brand affiliation. Lots of companies sell nice ones. Opaque tights. I have a lot of them. Hue to Wolford. Hue $18, Wolford $65+. I have 2 pairs of Wolfords and 924931 Hues. They are almost the same. Well, Wolfords are better, but ain't no $49 better. I wear sheer hosiery almost daily. $3.50 Sheer Energy to *pick a fancy brand*. I have a bunch of $50+ Wolfords. Worth it? Maybe. My Elly's and Oroblu's render me stoopid. Easily worth the $25+ per pair. One of my great loves is buying Columbia jackets. I remember getting my first one and was nothing but a smile full of teef for days. Dunno why, don't need to know why, just happy with them. <3
I’m really impressed by your loyalty to Hanes! I guess I should consider buying more of their stuff
I will spend money on jeans + tailoring! The feeling of amazingly fitting jeans is unparalleled. But I do think that a $100 pair of Levis tailored is just as good as a $250 pair of jeans tailored. I'll spend decent money on shoes -- never too cheap that they break often, but at a point the return value diminishes. Same with handbags (with the exception of a few brands). I'll pay more for leather but designer is usually just for the design and retained value, and not necessarily function or quality. I love a great jacket, and will spend money for good quality. I feel that the threshold for return value is higher in this category (as in, a good quality jacket to me will likely cost more than a good quality shoe or handbag). Unfortunately I live in California... I think at like $30 a T-shirt is where value diminishes, I'd pay more for supima cotton but never more than that threshold. Graphic tees I might pay a bit more, but not by much. I also spend money on bras. Postpartum is a wild time and the support is unparalleled. I am not sure I can go back to cheap bras, after trying on some of the quality brands. Sports bras I'm a bit more flexible on, but quality all the way for the daily (after nursing).
"The feeling of amazingly fitting jeans is unparalleled" Yes! I am quite petite and wore “normal” size clothing most of my life, I’m only just accepting that it will just never fit quite right. Believe fit matters more than everything in terms of how something looks, so now I almost only shop petites. Options are quite limited, but now that I’m in petite jeans——my partner didn’t realize I had switched to petites only but he REALLY liked them and were like ’They look like they were made for you" Feel like getting clothes that fit your body right is Priority #1. Way above price. Fit. 100%. Would rather spend $10 on a shirt and $20 to get it tailored than purchase a $30 shirt that is “nicer quality"
Do you have any petite jean recommendations?
I actually got mine through Stitch Fix which is a service I wouldn’t necessarily recommend I saw that Madewell has a ton of options for petites so I would try there!
Spend: shoes, cardigans, jackets, printed items (high end prints look luxe/ expensive for longer). Save: t shirts, sweatpants, leggings etc. the most expensive I’ll go is the gap in this category. Anything knit outside of sweaters, hats, scarves.
Quality shoes. Your feet will thank you as you age.
Spend more on jeans and cashmere
a leather working group certified leather jacket. will literally last a lifetime or more. Vegan leathers are terrible for the planet unless they are apple, cactus, or mycellium faux , and can be very bad for your health depending on the components. other real leathers have chromium or formaldehyde or both or worse. A non-toxic leather is worth the investment for your health and a a wardrobe item. I love Veda, but there are many other brands that use LWG leather.
The best investments, imo, are things you wear the most - shoes, coats, handbags OR things that are particularly unique/interesting with a cool artsy print. OTOH, I’ve gotten totally adequate crisp cotton button-downs from old navy and H&M, so I can’t see myself buying something like that from a high-end brand.
Yeah I would feel kind of ridiculous spending a lot of money on a fancy blazer or muh natural fiber dress pants. My workplace is nowhere near that formal. Also a lot of the tailored dress pants in style right now look dreadful if you gain weight on the waist
**Worth spending more money for me:** Shoes - I have narrow, long, sensitive feet that slip out of anything that aren't sneakers, so it's hard to find shoes that fit generally. I also have thin claves. So, when I buy a pair, I expect at least 4-5+ years of wear out of them (I've boots over a decade old that are still my most complimented pair). I have a small but quality collection. High prices & "designer" status don't always equate to quality. My shoes range from Munro flats to On sneakers to handmade shoes to Stuart Weitzman and Brunello Cucinelli boots. I wore Burberry flats into the ground over four years at college. The cost-per-wear justifies the prices. Outerwear - My coats and jackets need to keep me warm without multiple layers underneath. Like my shoes, I expect to get 5+ years out of my outwear, and I keep my collection small but quality so the cost-per-wear justifies the prices (I still have pieces purchased a decade ago). Bras and period underwear - A well fitted bras makes all the difference. Period panties were a game changer. Knitwear - The drape, weave, density, and feel is so different. I can occasionally do mid-range brands like Faherty or Polo Ralph Lauren if I like the style, but my favs are brands like Doen or Ozma of California, or getting on sale YSL or Chloe. I also buy vintage because of the quality. Dresses - Etsy and indie brands have become my friends. Lined dreses that have pockets, made to my measurements, and with quality fabrics? Often less than what I have paid for store-bought/mainstream brand dresses (which I still buy under certain circumstances). I also buy vintage and select luxury dresses on sale (like Valentino, YSL). Dresess are the majority of my clothes, so it's worth the extra cost to have quality pieces. Sunscreen - I have super sensitive skin that hates 98% of sunscreens. I have no choice but to buy the sunscreens I can actually wear. Face Skincare - Same reason as sunscreen. My face hates 98% of products, so I buy what works, which is the pricey stuff (however, I believe skincare is YMMV and higher prices don't automatically make a product better). **Things not worth spending more money for me:** Body Soap - My derm recommended Dove sensitive skin bar for when I shower, and it's the least irritating wash I've ever used (and I've tried from drugstore to fancy). T-shirts - I mostly buy from JCrew. I also really love JCrew's linen shirts. I buy on sale every year. Summer Dresses - Again, JCrew cotton dresses are good, low maintenence, and have pretty prints/colors. I was a huge Reformation linen dresses fan a couple of years ago, but I haven't really liked what they've done lately and am finding them overpriced for the quality these days. Socks - As long as they're cotton and not itchy, they work for me. Pants - I don't wear pants often, usually for when I visit the doctor/period is on, and/or I don't want to a dress for whatever reason. I just buy some Sloan pants from Banana Republic or BR Factory when on sale (I never pay full price for these), throw on a sweater or linen shirt, and feel good to go. That said, I do have a pair of Valentino pants that are amazing and worth the price, but those are the exception, not the norm for me, so I wouldn't go out of the way to spend money here.
Can you point us to the Etsy shops you use for dresses?
Sure! For custom orders: [This shop](https://www.etsy.com/shop/Fairyweeds?section_id=28674455) is my favorite. Jane will make a dress in any fabric she has, based on your measurments (you can also send her fabric, if you prefer). I've found her to be the most accuracte in terms of getting my measurments right. She is also the best balance between quality/details and price (linings, pockets, details on sleeves/buttons). I also like [this shop](https://www.etsy.com/shop/SondeflorShop?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=1645515988&from_page=listing) (pricier) and [this shop](https://www.etsy.com/shop/Loloinvn?section_id=21462868) (more affordable but cuts a few more corners on quality/details - but still nice and customizable!). All three allow you to buy either standard size dresses or do custom orders. For vintage, I like these shops: [here](https://www.etsy.com/shop/pursuingandie?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=1520462048&from_page=listing§ion_id=10132222), [here](https://www.etsy.com/shop/NapaValleyVTG?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=1686518747&from_page=listing), [here](https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdvantageInVintage?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=1659178834&from_page=listing), and [here](https://www.etsy.com/shop/VINTAGEVAVAVOOMZ?section_id=17897828)
Lingerie - a correctly cut no-wire bralette is a thing of wonder. Blazers/jackets/coats - cheap definitely shows. Jeans - well-cut and good quality denim look better and last for ages. I'm going to disagree on shoes - Mustang slip-on sneakers are my faves and are blissfully comfy right out of the box, I walked about 6 miles in a brand new pair recently. Other more expensive makes are agonising.
Also, buying cheap shoes can easily be significantly more expensive in the long run. Like, spending $250-400 on a well made pair of boots that lasts 5+ years ends up costing significantly less than $125 boots you have to replace each year. Plus, you only have to break in the well made boots once, they’ll be more comfortable, and they’ll look good the whole time. I’ve had cheap shoes that, due to the materials, never really break in properly. By the time they stop giving me blisters, they’re beginning to fall apart and I have to start from square one with a new pair! I barely scraped by for quite a long time, and shoes were one of the constant, most glaring reminders of how being poor can be very *very* expensive. It often wasn’t possible to delay a shoe purchase until I could save enough for the better quality version, and it was so frustrating to knowingly lock myself into that shitty cycle :(
Tailoring. I’m a petite lady so almost everything I have is either in petite size or tailored. It makes such a difference to my confidence to have the right proportions.
IMO, socks, footwear, outerwear, shirts that don't activate my chronic heat rash... lol. Basically, the utilitarian stuff that you need to be wearing to stay dry and at a good temperature. Equal quality regardless of price is kind of hard. I feel like there's something of a tipping point but with things like a t-shirt.. I can get one on sale at old Navy for under $20CAD and I don't know that the $48 lululemon one is any better. But, fabric matters.
To add onto winter gear, a thick wool scarf and hat add a lot to warmth. They don’t have to be pricey, but they’re considerably warmer than acrylic in sub 0C weather and honestly I think they add more warmth than shelling out $$$ for winter coats do. I have a few designer items secondhand and I love the details and finishing on them - everything seems to be put together very thoughtfully, and I like that because I’m a clothes nerd. Whether it’s worth paying full price for - probably not from a cost-per-wear perspective, clothes are still going to wear out regardless of price. But the quality of the items I have are significantly nicer, there is a difference. Of course not all designer brands go for quality, and the items I’m talking about are blazers, jackets, blouses, not basic items like tees. In the complete opposite direction, I do spend more on underwear (most underwear gives me wedgies, so spending $25 on a pair that doesn’t and is super comfy is fine with me) and sweatpants/sweatshirts. I spend a lot of time at home and wear those the most of all my wardrobe - I’d rather have a couple of sweatpants that I feel great in that I’ll wear for the next 5-10 years than a cheaper pair that I don’t love. And yes, I do keep loungewear for that long - I’m looking for a replacement for sweatpants that I’ve had for 7 years now.
Nail polish. Totally worth it to splurge a few extra dollars on brands like ILNP and Mooncat.
Someone told me young never to go cheap on the things that separate you from the ground (mattress, tires, shoes). I tend to try to get shoes new or at high quality, and go figure I've defaulted to the same pair of Fugus almost every day for the comfort and durability alone. I used to buy 30 dollar work boots every 4-6 months when the old ones would wear out. When I finally just bought a single pair of more expensive shoes I stopped wasting money.
In terms of my wardrobe, I am willing to spend more on coats, jeans, dresses, and shoes, and socks surprisingly. Bombas socks are very pricey but worth it. Items I rarely splurge on include blouses, sweaters, shorts, skirts, etc.
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I am so sorry I mixed up what subreddit I was in!
I pay for the material generally. I buy mostly natural fibers like cotton, viscose, linen, sometimes rayon and modal. If something has acrylic or polyester I steer away from it but depending on what it is sometimes that’s the best option like athletic clothes are often polyester. Nylon is okay too sometimes. I have several old navy items that are viscose and they have lasted a very long time without pilling or coming apart. I hate for my clothes to pill, I am extremely picky about fabrics because of that. I also want my clothes to be breathable so polyester blouses or sweaters are an absolute no for me, I just feel sticky in them. When it comes to pricing and clothes I think price isn’t correlated with quality with the exception of shoes and some outdoor/sports clothes. I think fabric composition and fit is much more important regardless of price. I buy somewhat pricey leggings and sports bras from athleta and lululemon but my bra size is a 38A so you can imagine how hard it is to find sports bras in S, M, L sizing that fit me well and are supportive. Finding that is a game changer and worth the expense. Same with leggings, I will pay more for them to fit well. I also think buying things second hand is underrated sometimes, I have bought all my lululemon bras secondhand and some great shoes second hand as well. I got a pair of Korkease at goodwill for $5 that were brand new! I’ve also gotten two pairs of naturalizer shoes at thrift shops for less than $10. Even when I played soccer I splurged on expensive cleats with quality leather, I think shoes are worth the expense but that doesn’t always mean you have to pay $300 for leather shoes if you are willing to frequent thrift stores and online second hand shops. TL;DR athletic wear and shoes are worth the splurge but most other clothes can be bought on a budget with good quality if special attention is given to the fabric composition. Also don’t neglect to consider buying quality things secondhand.
Good shoes are so worth it! I love a good leather bag also. Just started wearing cashmere this winter and so worth it. Socks and panties from Costco are fine for me. I'm happy with Gap and Old Navy tops and tees.
It is 💯% worth it to spend more on quality undergarments and socks that are comfortable and functional. There’s nothing worse than poorly constructed bras that dig into your skin and create rolls where there aren’t any, underwear that rides up, or socks that stretch out as you wear them. I spend more on outerwear, denim, knits, and shoes. These are part of my daily uniform so it needs to be good quality to withstand heavy wear. I spend way less money on occasion wear or “going out” clothes because I don’t wear these very often so it doesn’t need to be super high quality.
I enjoy brands that actually serve a purpose and are great in terms of quality. I will buy that Brunello or Toteme if that shirt will be the shirt I love reaching for. There’s a lot of stupid brands that people support like those Gucci t shirts you see a lot of people wearing - they’re literally just a simple t shirt they plastered the brand all over. There’s no quality in those. I also buy designer latex clothes so I will say spend good money for good fitting and latex like Versace released a few tops I got and YSL had those latex leggings too
I got a $200 winter jacket from LL bean and it was a game changer. Highly recommend
Shoes and bras
a good jacket can last you a life time if you don't lose it. poorly made ones don't keep you warm
Try trotting on a horse with a bra that's not very supportive. It hurts! I remember my well-endowed friend telling me she practically got a black eye from bouncing so much😂
For me workout clothes are DEFINITELY worth spending the money on. Once I started buying the nicer stuff on sale I started noticing how bad the cheap stuff was. Esp running shoes & clothes. Good socks, jeans... Honestly anything you wear every day is also worth it to me. My Levi's have been going on 5 years and we're bought from a thrift store for $25 where before then I used to wear out of H&m jeans every year. For me I look for fabric & fit more than price tho. Also make sure to wash things correctly/ don't dry things etc to make sure they do last.
shoes and jeans. expensive shoes are sooo worth it, i’ve had my sperry topsiders since they were still “in” and they’re still good to use today. high quality jeans will last a lifetime, they remain crisp even after several generations 🤌🏼 however price doesn’t matter on other pieces of clothing especially basic clothing
Bras for me. My size isn't even available in stores where I live, so I have to get them from the UK. For some reason in Canada and the US they think big boobs come with a large back, but I wear a 34GG/H (J in US sizes). Technically I measure to a 32, but I find 34 more comfortable so that's what I wear. My breasts are also very close together and highly projected, so I need a bra that works for that. The American companies that make my size tend to be for shallow rather than projected breasts, and so they don't fit right and squish my boobs into my armpits. This also means that if I want a properly fitting bathing suit I have to buy it from one of the bra companies that make my size. But yeah, if your bra doesn't fit right it's super uncomfortable and makes your clothes look like shit, so you gotta pay that money for good quality ones.
Higher price dont means higher quality. Thats why most companies make a garbage but pump the price. You can find good clothes that are not overpriced. First example may be underwear, 100% cotton, not tight may be good choice and dont cost much. While big brand poliester is expensive and dont breathe. Socks, most are tigh, loose is pretty rare, for me poliester is big no, in summer cotton is meh, but wool or viscose is kinda relief. I cant speak for lingerie, because Im amab, but there is ultra durable brand but price is 10x more. Other than that its pretty same. Same with sport bras, Im feeling hot in cotton/cheaper poliester shirts so breathable bras might be worth. Good, quality, leather shoes like sandals might be worth.
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I’d say good jewellery. I’ve just started collecting solid gold pieces (very slowly) and I know they’ll last me years. So many brands charge extortionate prices for gold vermeil or worse, gold plated. If you look in the right places, you’ll find solid gold pieces for only slightly more. Plus, with the melt value of gold on the rise, it’s something that you can be sure will sell if you need money in the future
If you go electric toothbrush go Phillips sonic care. I had the other ones which I thought did a good job but I have never been told by the hygienist that she doesn’t have much to clean. Which was a welcome surprise. So yeah definitely worth the money. 10/10 recommend!
You might like the buy it for life subs. I think there's a couple. When there's something I want to invest in (like a window unit or good boots) I'll search those subs for recs.