As the VERY wise Carrie Bradshaw once said,

And let’s face it : at times, Fashion can be an investment!

I personally always choose quality over quantity when it comes to clothes, which sometimes leads to me owning pieces a little over my means.

On the bright side though, I know for a fact that good craftsmanship will not only make you look more put together but will also “keep” way longer.

To counter balance my expensive tastes, I have a few tricks, too :

Fist and foremost, designer clothing and accessories don’t HAVE to be expensive!

I mostly shop resale, and, if you haven’t done it (yet), you’ll be surprised by the number of times you will find brand new, still tagged or really very lightly worn items.

That is how I got, amongst many other treasures, my L.A.M.B. Edinburgh plaid purse, a $250 fixture, for about $30 in a resale store while weekending in Santa barbara.

Did I mention the bag was brand new?

Pre, sample and private sales are unvaluable sources of shopping bliss, too.

Ebay and other online addresses can also be great to find sold out items, given that you know your “Online Shopping 101” (but THIS will need its own post!SOON.).

Another great way to protect your assets is…Well…To simply take care of them!

That Hermès Carré certainly is worth the few box a professional cleaner will cost you!

(Yes, this one!Ahhhh, Hermès Indian Dust Collection…)

Even getting a newer washer or simply good quality detergents (Yes, detergentS PLURAL : you’re also not mixing white or black with colors, and neither are you cleaning your darker clothes with regular detergent, duh!), will help you preserve fabric and shape, as will taking your dry clean…To the dry cleaner (unless you are lucky enough to own a Swash!)

Also, consider tailoring your new purchases, as well as tightening loose buttons and shaving pilling sweaters your best allie to look your best.

Details, details…

Lastly (for now!), if you are thinking about reselling your treasure at some point, remember that the more details and accessories you keep (dust bags for purses, boxes for shoes, tags and even receipts for expensive clothing, extra buttons, …), the better price you will be able to get from your closet sale.(But THIS, of course, will be the subject of an upcoming post on The Art of Consignment!).

Here you have it!

I hope this will free you (a little) the next time you hesitate on that $-too-many silk dress…