How to look expensive (on a budget)
Fashion insiders share the pieces they will and won’t spend their hard-earned on.
Blame the enduring ‘quiet luxury’ trend, Succession or Jennifer Lawrence’s much talked-about style renaissance with pitch perfect outfits from uber luxury label The Row but lately people want to look expensive.
Unluckily for most mere mortals, a wardrobe featuring only perfect cashmere from The Row and Max Mara camel coats (a sure-fire way to look the part) is out of reach.
However it is possible, as with most things, to fake it until you make it. That certainly doesn’t mean buying fakes but it does mean being clever about what you do buy, when you buy it and the kinds of pieces you buy.
Crucially, while there are certainly pieces that are worth investing more of your hard-earned money than others — not only because they will elevate your entire outfit but because they will go the distance — there are others you can save a little of your hard-earned on too.
Buying well might mean something different to everyone. This might mean a classic trench coat you’ll have season after season or it could be buying quality denim rather than spending the same amount on a dress you’ll wear to a wedding once — after all if we’re talking cost per wear, jeans are the truest workhorse item.
As Louise Edgely, creative director of the LA-based denim label SLVRLAKE, puts it, “a great fitting pair of high-quality jeans are the foundation of a well-functioning wardrobe. When it comes to cost per wear, they are the hardest working garment.”
However you slice it though, thinking in these terms means that you really can follow that ultimate fashion mantra, to buy less but buy better (and wear it to death).
Another key take-out, just because something is expensive doesn’t make it automatically ‘better.’ As the inimitable Dolly Parton once said, “it costs a lot of money to look this cheap.”
Stylist Nicole Bonython-Hines, who also does personal styling for mostly corporate women with little time to think about their clothing choices, buying good quality knitwear and tailoring will elevate your entire wardrobe.
One of her biggest investments is in tailoring. Better quality fabric, she says, means less pilling for a start. It’s also the kind of thing you’ll get a lot of wear of — at the office, and beyond.
For a warm climate like Australia Bonython-Hines recommends investing in lightweight wool fabrics when it comes to suiting, though she says some acetates can hold their shape well too.
Another item worth your money? Knitwear. But as Bonython-Hines notes, it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune to find good options.
“It doesn‘t have to be expensive, but shitty knitwear looks cheap very quickly. It falls and the design might be great, but after a couple of wears it’s losing its shape and balling and all those things look really cheap. There’s no fixing it. If you buy a good quality knit, you’ll have it for many years to come, “ she says.
“Some of the cheaper manufacturers [do] get it right. Uniqlo’s merino knits are fantastic and their cashmere is really good.”
Prue Webb, who recently left a full time job in fashion PR to concentrate on her personal styling and consulting business, says while she always advocates for quality over quantity there are some smart ways to get more bang for your buck when it comes to building a hard working wardrobe.
Webb says the likes of Uniqlo and Swedish high street brand COS are great options for good quality knitwear and layering pieces.
Webb stocks up on Uniqlo cashmere knits, but she also advocates taking good care of your clothes, regardless of their price tag.
“I tend to hand wash them and de-ball them as required to keep them looking fresh,” she says.
Webb also likes more affordable bags that offer quality leather in interesting shapes.
“While I love a fabulous bag, you can get quality in leather bags without the designer stamp or price tag. Aesque, By Far, Polene, APC, all do great, fashionable handbags at a quarter of the price of a high-end designer bag. And they become a point of interest because they are not the ‘it’ designer handbag that everyone is sporting,” she says.
Pieces she says are worth the splurge include suiting, a warm winter coat and a statement shoe that can “elevate the entire look and last the distance.”
Meanwhile, stylist Jessica Pecoraro, whose clients include Zoe Foster-Blake and Jesinta Franklin, says she never tries to save money on tailoring, shoes or bags.
“I find them to be the core pieces in a solid and well put together outfit, and are pieces that can live in your wardrobe forever. I always gravitate towards classic looking pieces rather than trend focused pieces when it comes to investment pieces,” she says.
Where she will save money is on trends that she doesn’t think will last the distance, but might be fun to try for a little while. She’s also another card carrying fan of Uniqlo knitwear.
“The items that I will save on are items that are heavily trend based that I know will only be around for one season. ZARA and Mango are great to get that trend fix without over spending and quality and fit are also quite good for the price point. Zara denim is also a go-to for jeans that fit well and for $79.95 last as much as my Khaite denim,” she says.