The cost per wear of your clothes

Did you know that you’re naturally inclined toward sustainability? Just like that, without any outside pressure? No? Well, you are. Purely and simply because of this one thing... Curious as to what that is?

WOMEN ARE BAD AT MATH? #NO WAY

Scenario:

You’re in a store/online shop/on the couch looking at the latest issue of “you want every piece of clothing in this glossy right now” (cross out what doesn’t apply).

You spot The. Perfect. Pants/Skirt/Jacket/Blouse/Sweater (again, cross out as appropriate). Then you see the price. Ouch. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Now what? How are you going to justify this purchase in the name of Jesus’/God’s/Allah’s/Buddha’s (cross out what… you get the idea)? How do you talk your way out of this crazy splurge? Just like how you — and millions of other fashion lovers with you — always do.

You take the price, estimate how often you’ll wear the coveted item, and calculate the final cost per wear. Eureka! Suddenly, that purchase seems perfectly justifiable. Well done! You’re outsmarting your budget. Let’s bring you back down to earth for a moment: you’re not the first or only one to pull this trick. There’s even an official term for it worldwide: Cost Per Wear.

DO THE MATH

Nine times out of ten, after doing the math, you’ll end up with a perfectly reasonable total cost. Eleven times out of ten, you’ll be over the moon because this purchase will top your favourites list for years to come, and its sheer perfection will keep you from making future purchases. Because that’s what the Cost Per Wear principle does: it makes you aware of your clothing needs and helps you monitor the ratio between the purchase price and the estimated lifespan of your clothes. You care about clothing that lasts—which is partly why you’re a fan of PLEIN PUBLIQUE and read our blogs. Clothing that lasts a long time is, in principle, more sustainable than so-called fast fashion.

Far-from-fun Fact:

Did you know that? Shocking, isn't it? After being worn an average of 7 times, a garment is banished to the back of the closet, moved via a “push-through” system from the attic to the shed or storage room, and eventually deposited in the clothing donation bin, taken to a thrift store, or even thrown away. That’s so outdated. With a few exceptions, the Cost Per Wear principle can help prevent bad clothing purchases by ensuring you make the right buying decisions.

To bring you back down to earth: not every exorbitantly expensive purchase automatically has the potential to last a long time or remain a favourite for years. If you want the “Cost Per Wear” formula to succeed, you’ll need to follow a few basic rules:

1. Be Realistic
   We may joke about it in the introduction, but the message is dead serious. The point isn’t to fool yourself or convince others that an expensive purchase is perfectly justifiable. The Cost Per Wear principle is a tool that helps you take a critical look at your own buying behavior, with the goal of doing a favour not only to yourself but also to our overburdened environment. So base your calculations on as realistic a number of times you’ll actually wear the item as possible.
2. Choose Quality
   And by that, we mean, in particular, durability and maintaining a clean appearance. A lightweight jersey T-shirt — no matter how high-quality it may be — is simply going to wear out faster than a sturdy pair of jeans. The fabric might hold up well for a long time, but the shape is another story. Cotton (blend) denim wears out more slowly. Here’s another example: synthetic textile fibers can last 20 to 200 (!) years before they decompose, but they tend to look worn out faster, which might lead you to discard them sooner. At the same time, synthetic fabrics aren’t necessarily a sign of lower quality. Just think of your high-tech workout leggings with moisture-wicking and breathable properties. Or items made from high-quality travel jersey that are lightweight, wrinkle-resistant, and dry in a flash. It’s a case of the famous Dutch football player Cruijff’s saying, “Every disadvantage has its advantage.” So you can’t measure quality in absolute terms, but do keep it in mind when you’re making a purchase. Shop smart.
3. Think About When You’ll Wear It
   Simple example: don’t spend thousands of euros on a party dress you’ll only wear once (wedding dresses don’t count, just to be clear ;)) If you’re aiming for an excellent Cost Per Wear, you’ll need to invest in a wide variety of social circles so you can keep wearing that ridiculously expensive dress without hearing the dreaded whisper: “There she is again in that same old dress.” A black or dark blue blazer can be worn on many different occasions—from work to visiting your in-laws to an outing with the local business association (just to name a few)—and is therefore infinitely more versatile than the dress mentioned above. By this logic, apartment pants (https://www.pleinpublique.com/products/gebreide-broek-le-lourdes-antraciet) might just be worth the biggest investment :-).
4. Stay True to Yourself
   This might go without saying, but purchases you expect to enjoy wearing for years should align closely with your signature style. Example: If you like to wear black often, a bright pink dress will turn out to be far less timeless than you imagined when you were head over heels in love and calculating the Cost Per Wear . For pricey pieces, it’s best to stick close to your natural style. Build a versatile capsule collection (https://www.pleinpublique.com/en/blogs/blog/in-7-stappen-je-eigen-capsule-wardrobe-samenstellen-plein-publique) that you can always fall back on.
5. Make, Do & Mend
   If something’s wrong with your favourite item, there’s often still a way to fix it. Loose threads and seams are often easy to repair (or have repaired), faded colours can be revived with a quick dye job at home (just make sure to check if the fabric is suitable for that), pills on a sweater disappear like snow in the sun with a pill comb (https://www.pleinpublique.com/products/pluizenkam-bruin), and we’ve already written a short article about (creatively) mending holes in knitwear. Just take the time to do it yourself, or give a friendly look to a crafty friend in your inner circle. Spread the re-love!
6. Recycle
   Cost Per Wear is bigger than you. By the time you’re done with a piece of clothing, that piece might not be done with itself yet. Maybe you’re tired of it, your life has changed so much that it’s become unnecessary, or it needs a repair you can’t or won’t pay for. Don’t throw it away—recycle it! Sell it on Marktplaats or Vinted, take it to a thrift store, or donate it to a charity. Nonprofit organizations like Dress for Success are also happy to accept your quality clothing to help job seekers with limited resources find suitable attire for job interviews—free of charge. Just take a moment to do a quick Google search, and you’ll easily find a good place to donate it. The Cost Per Wear is inherent in the garment, regardless of who paid for it at any given time.

Have we inspired and motivated you to make your future purchases not only with your heart but also with your head? Great. Mission accomplished.