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The Iconic Edition
Advice
|20 Aug 2019|3 mins

Why I'm An 'Investment Piece' Girl

Tips on how to join the club.

Everyone has a shopping story. It’s the one we tell ourselves to justify a purchase. My story has been passed down by my Mum. It started as I watched her try on clothes in change rooms when I was a little girl. She’d look in the mirror, then reach for the price tag and say, “It’s not cheap, but I love it and I’ll get a lot of wear out of it.” I’d nod, as if I understood the complex psychology that informed adults our spending habits. 

By the time I was a teenager, the lessons were reinforced. “We don’t buy things for the sake of it,” Mum would remind me. I recall standing in a store one day, it was perhaps 1997 — a time when my parents still purchase my clothes for me. I was wearing beautiful musky pink roll neck jumper. “I love it.” I insisted. “If you get that it’s your only new jumper this winter.” 

You Are What You Wear

I wore that jumper every winter for at least five years. First it was my ‘good’ jumper. Then it was my casual jumper. When holes began to appear, it was my ‘around the house’ jumper. 

For some, there is always of course a place in our wardrobe for seasonal items and trend pieces, but, according to Rachel Evans, THE ICONIC’s Head of Fashion, while investing in classic designer garments might feel costly at the time, it provides long-term value. “Well-made quality items are key to building a beautiful wardrobe piece-by-piece,” she explains. 

But how do you know which new item will go the distance with your existing rotation? “Choose a great two piece which is easily styled back with other items or a dress: you can create a casual look and wear it on the weekend or to work by adding styling touches, such as wearing it with a sneaker or a belt,” she adds. 

When it comes to investing, think about staples that you’ll go to all year. “We all love it when we find that perfect jean. Invest in a well-made pair and you will be handing them to your kids. For jewellery to treasure forever, consider a Natalie Marie. You can’t go wrong with basics like Jac + Jack, for comfort and style,” she suggests. 

Conscious Shopping is on Trend

Now that I’m responsible for my own purchases, the lessons stay with me. Each season, I purchase one very good item. I have my staples: jeans, t-shirts and shoes. Then I trawl fashion sites until I find ‘the one’. The beautiful fabric, the timeless cut, the essential addition to my wardrobe. I will pay $300 for a silk shirt, or $500 for a blazer, but only if I love it and it works with lots of my existing garments. It means that each season, I add to my rotation, while still pulling out items from previous seasons, too. And, because they’re high quality, they look as good as the day I lifted them out of the tissue paper and hung them for the first time. 

Of course, it’s not just the purchase itself that must be conscious, but the way its cared for throughout its life that matters, too. Hand washing might be tedious, but you want your cashmere or linen to last beyond a season, so it’s imperative to give it the respect it deserves. 

People often ask me how I can afford a wardrobe full of designer clothes. The truth is, I simply spend wisely. Trust me when I say sometimes less is more. There’s nothing like finding ‘the one’. 

What to invest in.

What to invest in.

Shop The Look
The Trench Coat
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The Trench Coat
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Azar Clutch Bag
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Azar Clutch Bag
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Kadhi Stone Ring
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Femme Midi Dress
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Sunset Signet Ring
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Hana Mini
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Hana Mini
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Nicole Haddow
Writer
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