Wardrobe as an Investment?

That’s the idea behind this article by NY Magazine. Can the clothes we wear potentially be worth something in the future? Are they collectibles? Clair Watson, who works for an NY auction house, assesses one woman’s wardrobe for its potential worth at auction. The stylish New Yorker who allowed her person style to be monetarily assessed is music artist Sandra Hamburg. Her sense for statement pieces that pop and quality craftsmanship may make her wardrobe one of the few that actually appreciate in value. It also helps that her mother passed down some great iconic clothes from the past.

But does “investment wardrobe” apply to everyday people like you and me? I’m thinking not so much. We really don’t have the expendable income to buy Dior couture dresses, hold on to them for fifty years, and then sell them to a museum or collector. Nevertheless, I like what this article and ideology promotes.

This article encourages me to be more careful about what I buy. I want to limit the things I buy at malls/high-street stores to items that I tend to wear down: tees, jeans, and comfortable shoes. But for statement pieces, I want them “investment worthy.” Instead of turning toward H&M or Macy’s, I want to find gems on ebay and charity/vintage shops or save up for sales on designer brands. I’ll try to buy more leather, fur, and silks because those items hold their value well. Because they are potentially valuable, I plan to take better care my clothes and hoard them longer. This idea promotes wardrobe longevity and buying less overall. I would even like to pass down some of my favorite pieces to my daughter if they last that long. Although we probably won’t make a fortune (or break even) from clothes, I do think that this article present a sophisticated way of looking at our wardrobe that most people could benefit from.

Fun Fashion pt. 1: Monochromatic Wardrobes

I do my fair share of reading fashion blogs and articles, and over the years have stumbled upon many wacky/riveting stories. I'd like to share three of the best: monochromatic wardrobes, duplicating Walmart, and crazy shoes.
New York Magazine did a great article about five people who have monochromatic wardrobes (but not in all black because that would be too easy). Some people go to extreme lengths to make sure everything in their wardrobe is that exact color. Personally, I loved Valeria McCulloch's wardrobe which is in electric blue. It's stylish and bold. She must spend a lot on her wardrobe because she buys Louboutins and colors them in custom blue sharpie.

I think monochromatic wardrobes are a cool concept. People will think of you when they see that exact color. Also you would never have to worry about matching because everything goes with each other. I wouldn’t do it myself because 1) it's too difficult to accrue so many items of the same color and 2) I enjoy being a different color on different days. You can express a lot more through mixing and matching.

The closest I would get to this is probably creating a whole monochromatic look for a day like Susie Bubble and Fops and Dandies.