When it comes to men and their clothes, you will always hear the same question and demand: how to put together a lasting and money-saving wardrobe? How to make an investment that will work out right and how to be sure that the clothes you buy are not pieces you will have to throw away a year from now? These are the questions we find men asking the most.
This is why we decided to put together this quick guide to creating a lasting wardrobe and how to make sure that the clothes you own will do your money justice, without you needing to be a mathematician.
Choosing lasting clothes
Many men wish to have clothes that will work well in time and won’t become outdated any time soon. To achieve this, you need to follow two basic guidelines:
- Look for timeless styles. Classic pieces are easily spotted and will last through many seasons.
- Look for strong fabrics, professional sewing and overall production expertise. A strong item will last for several years without needing to retouch it.
To give you an example, Osmium is a brand that prides itself in offering its customers clothes that are made to last both in terms of fabrics and style. We love them because they use great fabrics and classic cuts that they bring up-to-date. This way, the result is incredible in our point of view: you get a timeless collection that is very versatile and works great for a refined, yet casual man.
The US-made clothes by Osmium are a perfect example of quality clothes. They use great fabrics and the design is inspired by vintage pieces, that have withstood the test of time.
To be able to tell if a piece is timeless you can check the following points:
- It’s simple (unnecessary embellishments will usually go out of style really quickly)
- It’s a classic (it’s been around for a long time, it’s not a fad (the suit for example is something that was “in” yesterday just as much as it was 100 years ago)
To be able to tell if a fabric is qualitative, you can check for the following:
- It’s natural. We don’t recommend synthetic fibers for everyday clothing, since they won’t make you feel your best and will have a bad impact on your skin.
- It’s strong. If a fabric is so frail that you feel you can tare it apart with your hands, it probably is. A soft fabric is not necessary a frail one, so make sure you test them out well.
- Check the seams and hems. The edge of seams and hems of a qualitative garments are sewn straight. If the hem is at least two inches wide, you are probably buying a quality product.
- Pull gently on the trim and see if it is strong as well. If it’s not, then you should move along to another piece.
- Check your clothes’ buttons, zippers and any other type of fasteners. If they are not well fastened or seem weird and loose, you have yourself a problem. Always make sure that all the details are in their right place.
- When it comes to jackets, blazers and suits, check the linings. These should hang a little and won’t be too tight, this way they will not rip or tear.
The cost/wear
In order to verify a product’s worth for you, you need to learn about the cost per wear (cost/wear) ratio. This will help you in any situation, while purchasing any types of clothes in any price range. Here is how it works:
Look at the label of the piece and see what it costs. Then, you need to divide the cost of the outfit to the times you wear it, so if something costs $100 and you wear it 100 times, the cost/wear ratio is 1. This means that it will cost you $1 to wear this outfit once.
The worth of the ratio is established by the item you make this calculus for. So, for example if you want to buy a really expensive suit, say $500 but you will only wear it twice a year, then the cost/wear is $250 and that’s a lot. But if you wear it often, then the cost/wear ratio is smaller.
The cost/wear ratio is to be taken into consideration when you are thinking about how often you buy clothes. So, a shirt that will cost $120 and which you can wear a lot is better than a $12 that you will wear three times, it will go bad and then you will have to throw it away. In this case, the cost/wear is $3 and that’s a lot more than if it was for you to buy a more expensive shirt and wear it 100 times.
We generally think that the cost/wear for casual clothes can be lower than that for luxury goods. It is also very connected to your budget and currency. We know that in some countries $1 is more and in others it’s less than their current currency.
If you make this simple calculus, you will always be able to tell if you are making a good investment. What’s more worth: buying a $100 belt that you wear for three years, or buying a new $20 belt every three months or so?
Using these “rules” will make you pick up clothes that are sure to last and that won’t give you headaches when it comes to dressing up. It’s important to be practical and organized when it comes to clothes and having a great wardrobe is a step in the right direction.
Fraquoh and Franchomme
P.S. What are your tips on creating a lasting and money-saving wardrobe? Share them with our community in the comments below!