Wardrobe 101: Where to Spend and Where to Save

Quality over quantity is the motto I try to apply to my wardrobe – if I’m buying less and spending my money more wisely, it’s a win-win situation. I’ll end up with a closet full of items I genuinely love wearing, plus more money in the bank which I’ve saved from ‘failed’ buys (plus let’s not forget that it’s better for the environment to buy only what you need!). But, where should you be spending and where should you be saving when it comes to those wardrobe basics? I thought I’d run through a bit of a Wardrobe 101 today and chat about where I tend to shop, and how I like to ‘invest’ in my wardrobe. What works for me might not necessarily be right for you, so it’s worth just noting that a lot of this will come down to your personal lifestyle, how you structure your week, the climate, and how often you reach for these kinds of pieces.

Outfit 1: Joseph knit sweater (also love this one, and this is gorgeous from the brand too), Everlane Kick Crop Jean, Paul Andrew slingback heels, 3.1 by Phillip Lim pashli bag
Outfit 2:Everlane v-neck cashmere sweater (luxe option here), ASOS denim skirt (similar here), ATP Atelier sandals, c/o Linjer Sling Bag , Stone and Strand hoop earrings
Outfit 3: Vetta oversized sweater (c/o), Vetta leatherette skirt (c/o), Celine trotteur bag (affordable)

Where to Spend

1. Good Quality Knitwear
Somewhere I’ve been focusing a lot of my wardrobe budget on this year has been adding a few new quality knit sweaters to my wardrobe. They’ve become a huge part of my autumn/winter wardrobe, and I want to be sure that the ones I love and use most often are going to last. There are three types of knitwear that I like to invest in: cashmere, wool and cotton.

A good cashmere sweater is like a big hug; it’s so soft and cosy, but also keeps you incredibly warm. And it’s become incredibly popular in recent years for that reason, which means that while you can find it incredibly cheaply, the grade of the cashmere will be lower than alternatives at a higher price point. This is due to over-farming as a result of increased demand and you can find out more about it here. That being said, you can track down a good cashmere sweater around the $120 mark, which will last. My favourites include Everlane (I particularly love this sweater at the moment), Grana for their crew necks, and I’ve also heard good things about the cashmere from Uniqlo, which again, doesn’t break the bank.

Second up is the wool sweater. I’ve been investing in these for years – New Zealand merino wool is top notch – and I find that if you spend a little bit extra, you can generally track down a style that doesn’t itch. I decided to splurge a little and buy this oversized rollneck from Joseph earlier this year, and it’s turned out to be one of my favourite purchases of the year. I’d class Joseph as a more contemporary designer, and the quality is there. The sweater is incredibly soft, doesn’t itch at all, and it has the perfect amount of slouch.

The final type of knitwear worth spending on is a classic cotton one. For people who find wool too itchy against their skin, I think this is a really good alternative. I have a couple of great heavyweight cotton sweaters in my wardrobe which are perfect for the transitional season, or as a layering piece come winter time. My current favourite is the oversized sweater from Vetta; it has a lovely knitted yarn appearance, and it can be worn three different ways (!!) – as a simple crew neck sweater, as a rollneck, or unbuttoned and worn back to front as a cardigan. The second option I have is the cotton rollneck from Everlane; I have this in the faded black and it is a great winter wardrobe staple.

Outfit 4: H&M sweater (similar here and I like this lighter grey option), H&M skirt (luxe midi skirt option), c/o Mute by JL cashmere coat, Sam Edelman loafers (similar style), Cuyana tote bag

2. A Classic Everyday Bag
The phrase ‘Choose well, buy less’ couldn’t apply more when it comes handbags. Perhaps purely out of habit, more often than not I tend to find myself reaching for the same handbag day in and day out, so I like to spend a little bit more to get something that is quality, and is going to see me through a few years at the very least. Now I definitely don’t think you need to spend designer prices to get something that is high quality; all three of my classic totes bags have come in at under $350, and they’ve held up incredibly well (I’ve done a comparison here if you’d like to check it out). I can’t recommend Cuyana’s structured tote bag enough; this is currently my go-to tote bag of choice and it still looks new. I also adore my Linjer Soft Tote, which has a rich chestnut hue and is great if I want to wear something with more structure and a top closure. Finally, Everlane’s day market tote is a great choice too – the leather is smooth so it’s a little more prone to scratches, but it’s a great size and there are some beautiful colour options available.

Outfit 5: Proenza Schouler top, Storm check blazer (love this one too, and this is another great alternative), ASOS denim skirt (a white one would look gorgeous as well), Everlane loafer mules (similar), Isabel Marant belt (this is an affordable option), Celery black leather circle bag (this one is also cute)
Outfit 6:Everlane stripe cashmere sweater (alternative here), RE/Done skinny jeans (on sale here), Stella McCartney coat (also here and it’s available in camel too), Charlotte Olympia shoes (old but these are a gorgeous alternative), Isabel Marant belt, Cuyana tote bag (similar)

3. Classic Tailoring
Perhaps one of the places I’m really drawn to spend a little more is on tailored pieces such as a great coat, and a good fitting blazer. And it’s here that I probably splurge the most, as I tend to favour more contemporary or high end designers.

Perhaps the biggest argument I have for spending more on these items is not only how often you’ll wear them, but also the fact that my more expensive pieces have been the ones which have truly lasted. I have a classic black blazer in my wardrobe from Helmut Lang (similar option here) which I’ve had for about 7 years now, and will still pull out occasionally to wear even now. It’s had more than its fair share of wear, yet it hasn’t aged. The style is still relevant now, and the fabric has held up well despite suffering a lot of wear and tear.

For coats, I look for a classic design in a classic colour, with a high wool content. I’ve got a few that I tend to have on rotation, but the spendiest purchase for me this year has been my Stella McCartney edith coat. This is essentially a tailored oversized peacoat, with strong features – it makes a bit of a statement, but I know I’ll still be reaching for it years from now, and I’m impressed that after wearing it all winter, it still looks brand new. I’ve had my eye on the bryce coat from Stella McCartney too, which is a more streamlined option (perfect if you want something a little more close cut and understated).

4. Good Quality Leather Shoes
The final place I like to spend on is good quality leather shoes. Having a bunion on my left foot (due to school shoes, for those curious), means that I need to be really smart about my footwear choices. If it gets aggravated, it’ll only get worse, and I find that synthetic shoes don’t have any real give to them, which makes them a terribly uncomfortable choice for me. For this reason, I find it’s well worth spending the extra money to buy a pair of high quality leather shoes that’ll soften well with age, and that I can get re-soled when they are starting to look a little worn.

Outfit 7: Whistles ‘de rien’ t-shirt, Topshop asymmetrical hem skirt (alternative spot skirt here and in yellow/white stripe here), Everlane editor slingback flats, Chanel boy bag (affordable option here)

Where to Save

1. The Humble T-Shirt
T-shirts have become a huge part of my personal style over the last couple of years, and it’s really been in that time that I’ve found myself experimenting with different brands and different styles, and figured out what really works for me. As much as I love my close-cut tee from RE/DONE, the high street does them just as well, at price points that won’t break the bank. My favourite pima cotton tee, which has a nice drape and lightweight feel is from Grana. I’ve got a couple of these in my stash now, and I love the soft hand feel of the cotton, plus they’ve really lived up to regular wash. As a side note, we buy all of Luke’s tees from Grana these days, and I can attest to the fact that they’re good quality – you get a lot of bang for your buck. If you want something a little more structured, I’ve been very impressed by the Uniqlo U cotton tees. I bought a couple of these recently and while it took me a little bit of time to come around to the structured fit, I think these are an excellent choice if you want something a bit thicker to wear for day to day.

Outfit 8: Vetta oversized sweater (c/o), T by Alexander Wang stripe top, Riders by Lee skinny jeans, Sarah van Oosterom belt, Mansur Gavriel gingham pumps, Celine trotteur bag (affordable alternative)
Outfit 9: Uniqlo t-shirt, Dr Denim skinny jeans (similar), Everlane wool oversized blazer (worn in size US 2), Isabel Marant belt (affordable here), Vaneli pumps, Elleme bag

2. Denim
Another huge part of my style uniform, I’ve quickly identified that you don’t really need to spend a lot to track down good quality denim. On the high street, Topshop is always a good place to start (their Jamie jeans are great), and I’ve been really pleased with the farleigh mom jean from ASOS. If you want to go for a more ethical option, Everlane’s denim is very reasonably priced and uses a sustainable production process (PLUS it’s $50 USD today!!). Their washed black denim is probably my favourite as it has stretch but doesn’t seem to bag out much (I personally love the cheeky straight leg jean). The pair of jeans I’ve had in my wardrobe the longest just have to be this Dr Denim high waisted pair – these are probably at the higher end of the price spectrum, but they have a lot of stretch and wear incredibly well – I’ve had mine for five years now!

3. Cotton Shirts
When I was just finding my feet in Sydney, I decided to do a ridiculous thing: spend $500 on a white cotton Dries van Noten shirt. At the time, it was part of my mission to invest in the ‘perfect …’, but I quickly realised that I could get the same look and find quality which was on par, at a much lower price point. I’d recommend shopping around a bit and checking out different cuts and options within the same store. For an oversized short sleeved shirt, I can’t recommend the courier shirt from Madewell enough. It has a soft textured feel, and doesn’t shrink when washed.

Outfit 10: Sportsgirl polka dot top (old but similar here), Zara trousers (similar option here and I love these), Boden houndstooth coat, Everlane editor slingback flats, ABLE satchel bag

4. A Pair of Tailored Trousers
Where I like to invest in tailored jackets and blazers, I like to save on tailored trousers. It can take some time just to identify the right type of trouser silhouette for you, but I’ve found that once you have, the high street does it very well. Some of my favourites include the Uniqlo smart style ankle trousers (which are machine washable, and they have an in-store tailoring service), the Everlane work pant (I have these in the ankle length – the lack of pockets make these very flattering), and finally, Zara, where I always get surprised by the styles and the quality of the cut.

5. Occasionwear
The final place I like to try to save is on occasion wear. It’s the one area of my wardrobe that I know I’m not going to get my cost-per-wear. While I might have day dreams of regularly going out for fancy dinners and attending events, the reality of my life is pretty different – Luke and I are homebodies and while we enjoy the odd evening out, we prefer to cook our own meals and enjoy a nice bottle of wine at home. I usually look to brands like Bec & Bridge, Calli or Tussah the Label for more reasonably priced options in classic designs (keeping an eye out for any discount codes or sales!) which I can wear a number of times, or I’ll check out the pre-loved market. I recently bought a gorgeous Lover dress from eBay which didn’t break the bank, and I tend to keep a look out on The Real Real for something special but that’ll only set me back a couple hundred dollars. Once I’ve worn these pieces a few times, I like to on-sell them to someone else who can get a little bit of love out of those pieces, just like I did.

Where do you like to spend and where do you like to save when it comes to your own wardrobe?