The Best Buy Isn't Always The Best Deal

It's almost Autumn and, almost on cue, the urge to buy something new arrives with it. Perhaps it’s a flashback to the thrill of choosing a new back-to-school outfit. A new season. New clothes on the racks. A fresh start hanging in the shop window. It’s one of the most natural impulses there is. And one of the most expensive, in more ways than money.

Because while the new autumn collections are arriving, stores are also deeply discounting what remains from summer. So we find ourselves drawn toward the sale rack, looking for a bargain that will give us that little thrill of something new.

But here’s what I’ve noticed after more than 30 years of doing this work: A lot of the clothes women buy on sale never really get worn.

Often, they don’t get worn because we were more excited by the price than we were by the piece itself. We didn’t stop to ask where it would fit into our wardrobe, what we would wear with it or whether it suited the life we actually live. It seemed like too good a deal to leave behind.

But something isn’t a bargain simply because it was on sale. If it spends most of its life hanging in your closet, it may be one of the most expensive things you own.

So this season, before you buy anything, I want to give you a challenge: Instead of looking for the best deal, look for what your wardrobe genuinely needs. And if you find it, consider buying it at full price.

Before you shake your head, hear me out.

Last week, I realized that the basic black T-shirts I layer beneath many of my outfits were beginning to look, well…well worn.

Black is beautiful when it is rich and fresh. But repeated washing eventually takes its toll. The colour fades. The fabric loses its shape. And a dependable wardrobe basic begins to make everything you wear with it look a little less polished.

An “up to 70% off” sign lured me into a store, but what I bought wasn’t on sale.

I found a long-sleeved and a short-sleeved black T-shirt in the most exquisite cotton I have ever felt. It was almost like silk. The quality was beautiful. The fit was exactly what I wanted.

And yes, I paid a lot of money for them.

Full price. Willingly.

Because I know that within a few weeks, when the weather turns cooler, women will begin looking for exactly that kind of basic—and the best ones will already be gone.

Of course, there will always be inexpensive black T-shirts available. But when you want a particular quality, fit and feel, shopping early matters.

I always tell myself and my clients that the price on the tag is only part of the story. The more important number is the cost per wearing.

Buying two basic black T-shirts may not sound particularly exciting. They certainly weren’t the most eye-catching pieces in the store.

But they may have been the smartest.

These are pieces I will reach for again and again. They work underneath jackets, cardigans, sweaters and shirts I already own. They will make those clothes look better, extend the number of ways I can wear them and make getting dressed easier.

That’s what a strategic purchase does.

It doesn’t simply add something new to your closet. It supports what is already there. It fills a genuine gap. It solves a problem you repeatedly encounter and helps more of your wardrobe earn its keep.

We tend to think the exciting purchase is the statement piece, the beautiful colour or the unexpected find on the sale rack. But sometimes the most satisfying thing you can buy is the beautifully made basic you’ll wear twice a week.

It may not give you the biggest thrill in the fitting room. But it will keep earning your appreciation long after the thrill of the bargain has worn off.

So don't ask, "How much am I saving?" Ask, "How much will I wear it?"