True Cost Series | Cost Per Wears with a Classic Denim Jacket
Returning again with another True Cost Series, but this time, we are going to look at it a bit differently. Instead of the usual cost to make the garment, we are going to think more on the consumer side and how we can make higher prices seem more accessible in our minds. For many of us, seeing anything over $100 seems ridiculous. We think, ‘well, we can get that cheaper somewhere else’. Unfortunately, we don’t tend to think years down the road, and where the value of our money leads us. Sure, we can find a denim jacket for less than $50 at Target, but is it going to wear as well year after year, or are we even thinking of the implications of the planet and the people before the product even reached our hands? I think budgeting ‘cost per wears’ is similar to budgeting that morning coffee or those glasses of wine at happy hour. It enables us to look at the bigger picture, and really see where our money is going. It makes a well-made, ethical garment more worth it, and once we can put a value to each time you wear it, it makes more sense to purchase it.
Let’s Break It Down
Piece | Merly Jacket
Brand | ABLE
Price | $148
I decided to go with a piece of clothing that stands the test of time, and goes with almost any outfit. ABLE is one of my favorite brands. Their denim is amazing, and wears so well over time. A few months back, I received their Merly Jacket to add to my denim collection, which I thought would make a great topic for a True Cost Series. It’s made from cotton & lyocell and is the perfect combo of vintage tomboy and feminine. Since I know the costs associated with making a garment, $148 seems reasonable and accessible for something you will have for years.
I’m sure many of you are familiar with the concept of ‘30 Wears’ where you only purchase something you think you would wear 30 times or more. If we were to just break it down to cost per 30 wears, you would be spending less than $5 each time you wore the jacket - basically, a cup of coffee at your local coffee shop. Seems fair, but this is the type of clothing you can wear WAY MORE than 30 times, so we need to break it down even further. Let’s say, we wear it twice a week for half of the year - a little over 50 times, and then we do that for at least 5 years. This brings us to about $.56 a wear. Reasonable, no? Here’s another equation example from Jen at ABLE who has owned a Merly for 3 years…
1 Wear Per Week for 6 Months out of the Year = 26 Wears
26 Wears x 3 Years = 78 Wears
$148 / 78 Wears = $1.90 Cost Per Wear
Since the jacket is very well-made, Jen plans to keep it longer which only adds more value to your dollar & a decrease in cost per wears. I feel like a good goal is to have a cost per wear below $1 for most items in your wardrobe.
We all want value out of the items we purchase. If we can sit down before each purchase, and look at cost per wears, we may think twice before purchasing something. Remember, fast fashion brands like Zara & Forever 21, create pieces that hold up on average 10 wears. So, you buy a $40 jacket and are paying $4 per wear… Not so much value there.
Okay - let’s style this awesome denim jacket so we can be inspired to wear it more & more, and really get value out of our dollar! I put together a week of outfits with the Merly Jacket for florida fall. I’ll make sure to style it for winter coming up soon. This really is something you can get away with wearing almost everyday!
How do you feel about this way of thinking when making your purchases? If you want to learn more about why a sustainably-made garment comes with a heavier price tag, please check out my other True Cost Series:
Why Does a Sustainable T-Shirt Cost $36?
The High Price of Hemp
A Bra with No Secrets
