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01/27/2009 18:53 pm
Jackie O. Catherine Deneuve. Kate Moss. Iman - they all have that certain je ne sais quois. No matter the moment, dressed up or dressed down, these women are all enduringly chic. What is it about them? Essentially, they're all classic dressers who can make a white t-shirt and jeans look like a million bucks. What do they know that you don't? They know that when building a wardrobe, it's important to invest in quality pieces that will be long lasting. Shopping for the thrill of the deal can be intoxicating, but the high wears off when January's steal of the month still has the tags on it in September. Additionally, deciding that you will never spend more than a certain dollar amount on one item, may mean that you limit yourself from buying some truly great pieces that will stand the test of time and take your wardrobe from good to great. Focus on fit and quality over price. I've come up with an equation to help you really think about the price of an item, I call it KALYN'S SHOPPING RATE of RETURN:

The Relative Market Value of the Item The Number of Wears per Year =

The Expected Rate of Return on Clothing Assets

Look at it like this, most of us have at a minimum, a few items we regret purchasing. You know, those items you haven't worn because: (i) it looked better on the hanger in the store than it does in your closet; (ii) you thought you'd lose that 5 pounds you needed to in order for it to fit you properly, or (iii) you bought it in a pinch because you didn't have something to wear, you wore it one time and each time you reach for it you put it back because you just don't love it ... So, let's say you're in the process of dusting your resume off and your old interview suit as well. If your old interview suit doesn't make you feel like a million bucks, you may want to consider buying a new one that does, think of it as an investment in your future. So, do the math. If the suit is on sale for $600 and you wear it 10 times in the next year (let's say you wear it to 4 interviews, a Bar Mitzvah, 2 luncheons, and to work 3 times because you did get that new job), the suit only ends up costing you $60 per wear. That's as much as you spend on Starbucks in a two-week time span ...

To create an enduringly chic wardrobe, you need to: (i) Build a great foundation with classics; (ii) Invest in an array of shoes and boots to help to dress up or dress down an outfit; and (iii) Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! Before you go to the store, do a little shopping in your closet to help you figure out what you really need versus what you have decided you would like to have. Shoe shopping is a great way to illustrate my point. How many times have you found a great pair of shoes, worn them to death and wished you'd bought a second pair? If you find a pair you like, let me repeat this, if you find a pair you like (unless it's a classic for the maker and you know they're going to issue it next year), buy 2 pairs. It may seem like a lot up front, but I promise you this will save you a lot of headache on the backend. Shoes are an accessory. As you'll see below accessories can make or break your outfit.

So, when you hit the stores, look for the shopurtunities! A shopurtunity equals beautiful clothes that fit you well at a fraction of the retail price. It's not a shopurtunity if the price is right but you don't love the look or the fit. So, keep this in mind as you hit the racks or the online sales. Our economy has taken a turn for the worst, but the economic downturn is a fashionista's paradise.

For more fabulous information from Kalyn, check out her website: www.kalynjohnson.com.


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