What do you consider a splurge item?
When Marsha suggested this theme, I thought it would be fun to see what everyone considered a splurge item. I do have a few pieces in my closet that cost more than this dress, but I have shared them several times on the blog such as my New Orleans skirt or my “real” cowboy boots. So I spent a few minutes in my closet and realized how much was thrifted or bought on clearance or just a good deal. I then took a look at my dress and while this was not my most expensive dress, I consider it a splurge item because I bought it for a special occasion and really have only worn it twice making its cost per wear around $25. I wore it for Easter a couple of years ago and here is that blog post.
I do not especially love this dress, but I like it okay. I just do not reach for it much. I am thinking maybe this fall it would have been nice with a denim jacket or a moto jacket: Jodie styled a similar one some years ago and I have yet to replicate that look. However, I decided to give it to a friend from church: I hate when I force myself to wear something just because I bought it and really don’t love it.
Peek at my thrifted white cowboy boots: I will be sharing more about them in about 10 days! All of my accessories are budget friendly from the little clutch I bought as a souvenir in Georgia to the clearance bracelet. I think my mom gave me the earrings.
So because I have worn my other more expensive items more often, and their cost per wear is lower, this would be a splurge piece. I guess what I am saying is that the more you wear/use a splurge piece the more it becomes an essential piece or an affordable piece! It is not a splurge item anymore: so wear that fancy piece of jewelry or purse or that special expensive dress!
I am glad I found someone who will enjoy this dress. I really tried to figure out why I don’t like it because I do think the print is really pretty and it is fully lined: it’s a nice quality piece. Maybe it’s the sleeveless sleeves, the waistline or maybe because unlike all of my other dresses I really doesn’t look great with casual shoes. The material is not great for hot summer days.
I like a lot of my dresses with sneakers, but this one just didn’t look right even with my white sneakers. I do like the dress with the boots though! Do you ever regret the purchase of a “splurge” item?
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26 Comments
Joanne
I do have a few items that have a very high cost per wear too because either I kept it even though I didn’t love it (like the dress I’m showing on the blog today that needs minor alterations I’ll probably never get around to doing!) or because it was something a bit too “extra” for me to feel comfortable wearing for a more every day use sort of outfit.
mimifce
Same here: I think that is the problem for me with this one: it’s pretty but a little too dressy maybe?
Jill
I’ve had buyers regret many times with splurge items. Your dress is so pretty and I love it styled with the cowboy boots!
Jill – Doused in Pink
mimifce
I do think it looked good with the boots =)
Amy Johnson
I’m surprised you don’t like this dress and gave it away because I think it looks great on you. But if the material wasn’t comfortable, I understand. I don’t like wearing anything that isn’t comfortable. Love your white cowboy boots too!
mimifce
It’s weird, it’s not that it was uncomfortable… I think it was partly that I didn’t like it as much as all of my other dresses and I have quite a lot. Also my other sleeveless dresses, I wear a Halftee if needed and it looked weird under this one.
Rosemary Davis
Let me say you look beautiful in this dress. But I understand that the cost-per-wear is my determining factor in building a workable wardrobe. I always plan on three ways to style an item. Plus, I plan for the style that will work for three years.
mimifce
Oh, that is something to think about especially if something is more trendy.
Sally in St Paul
When you have a good-sized wardrobe, it can be hard to rotate through everything you have in a season, so to me it makes sense that if this was a piece you didn’t love and had to push yourself to wear that you’d give it away to someone who will get use out of it. Sometimes an item like this can become a favorite when you figure out how to style it, but I think you hit the nail on the head when you observed that it feels wrong worn a way you prefer to style dresses in summer, with sneakers, and that the material wasn’t great for summer.
It’s interesting…this dress is very pretty and the light colors work well with your hair, but somehow I also didn’t love this color on you as much as I do other dresses you’ve shared. Maybe the neutral color scheme of the dress is a little blah? Not sure. Don’t get me wrong – it looks good! Just not as great as other dresses you own, which is all the more reason I think it makes sense to pass it on.
I love that you talked about cost per wear in this post! A splurge can definitely become a bargain if it’s worn often. This is just a splurge that didn’t work out – it happens, right?
mimifce
I think you hit the nail on the head! A lot of my dresses are full of colors or even my white dresses do more for me: and I have so many to choose from.
jodie
I like how you try to analyze why you don’t wear something. Not that we will never buy something we don’t wear much, but it’s good to try to figure out what we love and what we don’t.
I ended up removing the lower tier on my dress that is similar to this one, and then I also dyed it.
It’s nice when you can give it to someone who will love it, but I’m starting to think about not just purging items because so many don’t go where we think they do.
XOXO
Jodie
mimifce
Very true: which is why I decided to give it to a friend. Another reason why I should get back to donating to the little church charity shop in town vs Goodwill.
Jennifer
I do have a few splurges! I love your dress!
Jennifer
https://curatedbyjennifer.com
mimifce
Thanks, Jennifer! My splurges are usually from boutiques when traveling and those are favorites!
Di
I like this dress on you and the way you styled it with your cowboy boots and pops of blue! I get it that you only want to keep those things that you reach for and love in your closet. I have a donate box and keep things there, out of the closet, for a while before I decide to let go. This way I don’t regret purging something that I just don’t have inspiration for at the moment. Thanks for sharing I hope you enjoy your weekend!
mimifce
I had been thinking of donating the dress for a year so this was the last push! I am glad it went to a friend’s closet though.
Laura
Sometimes the reason why we don’t wear something often doesn’t really come across in blog posts. I think you look fabulous, but I’m glad you aren’t keeping something in your closet that you don’t LOVE. I can’t wait to hear more about those boots!
mimifce
Oh that outfit with the boots coming up next week (I think), is so cute!!! But yes, I have found something freeing about giving away something I really don’t wear and then it actually makes me want to shop my closet to wear all the stuff that I do love.
Leslie Susan Clingan
Oh, I really, really like this dress. It is different for you. I love how you enjoy wearing color and patterns. This dress is softer in color and print but it looks lovely. LOVELY!! And I think the cowboy(girl?) boots work to make it less dressy. It would be very fancy with some strappy black sandals for an evening out. I like the blue cuff and your beaded bag. Turquoise jewelry, your boots and a denim or fringed jacket would be cute with it. Hope you wear it more often as we move from summer into fall.
mimifce
I gave it away to a friend. I know it looked fine on me but I have so many other dresses that I like so much better…
shianne
such a great read . I feel like we all have different ideas of splurges beacuse we all have different wants and needs 🙂
– shy – https://www.shyyshianne.com/post/fall-fashion-trends-that-will-dominate-fall
mimifce
exactly!
Kathrine Eldridge
Love this dress but understand why you gave it away. The boots look great with it!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
mimifce
Thanks, I did like the boots with it and my dressy sandals… Just not a dress I wanted to wear often and always needed a topper for church.
Marsha Banks
I think you look lovely in this dress, but I wonder if it is the neutral palette that you didn’t care for. You seem to gravitate to more colorful dresses. I’m glad you were able to find a friend who will love it. I also really liked the way you define a splurge item as one you just don’t wear that often, regardless of price. Loved your take on this prompt, Mireille!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
mimifce
That could be part of it. I do love my white dresses and the tan/white outfits, but maybe it is the neutral print of this…