How I Decide What To Save On and What To Splurge On
When you’re shopping on a budget, sometimes it’s hard to know when it’s worth spending a little more money on something and when you should hold off or buy a more budget item. Here is my breakdown of how I tend to shop, what I usually splurge on and what I usually save on.
Items worth splurging on
EVERYDAY SHOES - If there’s anything I’ve noticed over the years with all the shopping I’ve done, it’s that there is a HUGE difference in comfort, quality and longevity when it comes to shoes. 9 times out of 10, more expensive shoes are more comfortable and last longer than cheaper shoes - and since they are something you wear basically every day, in my opinion they are worth the splurge. If you’re not sure where to start, I’d start with these:
Everyday sneakers (I have Veja Campos and wear them all the time - they are the best! I have also heard great things about these Sam Edelman ones and have them on my wish list)
Sporty slide sandals (I love Birkenstocks and these ones from Steve Madden)
Dressy slide sandals (These ones from J.Crew are so timeless and chic, and these Amazon ones are a great dupe for the Hermes Oran sandals)
Ankle boots (I have a few different pairs from Nordstrom)
PURSES - I highly recommend investing in a few high-quality, neutral purses because they will go with everything, last for a long time, and will help elevate your outfits and make you look more expensive over and over again. I would start with getting 1 black, 1 tan/brown, and 1 cream/white purse, and look for timeless styles that will stand the test of time - Quince has some fantastic options if you want real leather, and there are also some decent designer dupes on Amazon!
DENIM - I’ve learned my lesson with denim so many times. Almost every time I have bought a cheaper pair of shorts or jeans, I’ve regretted it - the denim usually wears out much more quickly and just looks worse after washing. I am a huge fan of Everlane and Express denim because it’s still pretty affordable, and the quality stands the test of time.
JACKETS - This is another item where price usually makes a big difference, both in overall appearance as well as in functionality. To put it simply: higher-quality jackets are warmer and last longer. Here are some of my favorite jackets:
WELL-TAILORED ITEMS - This is more of a general rule - when I find any item that fits me extremely well (whether it’s pants, a shirt, etc.) I tend to be willing to splurge on it. Reason being that items that are well-tailored and fit well just help make your outfits look more elevated and expensive.
UNDERWEAR/BRAS - Kind of one that you don’t think about, but having the right kinds of underwear and having high-quality underwear is so underrated!
Favorite thongs: Hanky Panky Breathe
Favorite everyday: Quince Micromodal Cheeky Brief
Favorite t-shirt bra: Calvin Klein Invisibles Bralette and True & Co Convertible Bralette
Favorite nipple covers: B-Six Nippies + Gatherall
items I Try To save on
TANK TOPS, T-SHIRTS AND BODYSUITS - There are honestly so many high-quality options for tanks, t-shirts, and bodysuits on Amazon these days that I don’t find it necessary to splurge on these. And since they are things I wear all the time, they’re just going to get worn out more quickly, so I’d rather not spend a ton of money on something I’m going to have to replace frequently anyway.
TRENDY ITEMS - Whenever new trends appear, I always try to buy budget options first - just because trends can come and go so quickly, I don’t want to invest a lot of money in something that isn’t going to stand the test of time.
DRESSES - This is the hardest category for me because I am always tempted to spend more on occasion dresses and convince myself that I’m going to wear them more than once - but the reality is, it’s almost never true. It’s just not worth it to spend a lot of money on something you’re not going to wear more than once. I’ve found that rental services like Nuuly or FashionPass have been the best ways to solve my problem, because I can access the higher-end more designer looking dresses that I like without feeling guilty paying full price for them.
JEWELRY - There are so many great brands that have quality 14k gold plated jewelry under $20 that again, I just don’t find it necessary to spend a lot of money on this category.
SOCKS - My favorite no-show socks are $17 on Amazon and are AMAZING. And since they get a lot of wear and tear and need replacing often, I love not having to spend in this area.
OCCASION SHOES/HEELS - Similar to occasion dresses, I don’t wear heels or occasion shoes super often - so my recommendation would be to just buy cheaper pairs or to buy one more expensive pair of nude heels that go with everything.
LOUNGEWEAR - This is another category that’s easy to find on Amazon on a budget. And since it’s not typically something you are going to wear outside of your home, it’s not as important for it to look more expensive.