The idea that investment pieces have to be expensive is so funny to me. My winter coat literally came from Walmart almost 20 years ago and it was $50. Lol.

Personally to me, an investment in my closet is more than a piece. It’s also investing in caring for the items (following the care label, hand washing, etc.). If I purchase an item, I want to be able to wear it for a long time and not have to buy it again and again because I can’t maintain the quality.

My husband laughs everytime I say something is an investment, even the expensive antique jewelry I buy. He always said "it's a liability more than anything" 😂

Also also, as soon as a piece of clothing is coming up to the same price as a flight… I think about how in this life visiting my loved ones who live far away will always make me happier than clothes.

Re: investment pieces, it definitely feels like a rationalization on the part of influencers. It offers this halo effect of responsibility and restraint and curation to their expensive purchase even though you know that they're constantly cycling through clothes, you can see it in their own videos lol

"You are not entitled to owning something or a dupe of something." YES!! If you cannot afford something, it is not for you!! Obviously this does not go for the essential products you need to be fed, clothed, safe, clean, and presentable, but I am amazed at the kinds of products (clothing especially) people feel entitled to. It's so so weird to get mad at a brand because you cannot afford their non-essential, often luxury, products. Nobody is forcing you to buy them, and you are not entitled to them!

I went into Nordstrom for the first time in ages recently and I swear to god, everything was polyester and $200 😢 unreal

You deserve sooooo many views omg. I never feel like youre regurgitating things that other creators are saying and you actually have your own opinions you aren’t afraid to voice ! Idk why I find that so refreshing but I literally love your channel 🫶

Personally, "investment pieces" for me is restricted to utilitarian things (e.g. a good pair of long lasting winter boots that I can wear most/all days of the winter), or things I intend to wear a lot but that don't get a lot of irreversible wear and tear (like jewlery). I don't think something like a sweater or a jacket that will get wear and tear every time you wear it and every time you wash it as a worthwhile investment, especially if you're someone who actually wears your clothes. If you want to put it in a closet just to look at it, sure, but then you miss out on the joy of wearing and using your beautiful things.

The investment label does seem more like a shield from criticism from others or ourselves for buying something overpriced. Our ideas of quality have skewed over time to align with branding rather than craftsmanship, which you point out well in this video. Naomi Klein describes this trend towards “hollow brands” in her book No Logo

it’s insane to me that there are ppl making “5 investment pieces you need” content. like if something is actually an investment piece to YOU, do you think it’d be something that you were influenced to buy?

also if it’s a piece that you discovered existed within the last couple of months, that’s not an investment piece to me—i gotta be doing research for a while and know that it’s something i’m not going to get tired of within a year.

I think any time the word “investment” comes out of a fashion influencer’s mouth, it’s a marketing strategy from a salesperson. An investment piece for me is something I wear a lot that I had to spend a lot of money on, relative to my income. For me, that looks like the two pairs of 100% cotton Everlane jeans I wear multiple times a week. I put a lot of thought into it, poring over the size guide and fit information, knowing that these are going to be workhorses in my wardrobe.

Okay … an investment piece to me means a comfortable pair of shoes, warm coat, waterproof coat, very comfortable underwear that washes well, a pair of jeans that make you feel fab …😉

Great message. For me: A good quality leather bag in a classi silhouette, winter boots, good coat, fine jewelry. Anything that is great quality, classic and lasts. I tend to buy second hand vintage classic pieces. They were made better and of better fabric.

For me an investment piece is getting an expensive item that I know I will wear to death. Getting my investment back is getting to $0 cost per wear! I usually only get investment pieces in work wear, shoes, and outwear jackets. Things that I know I will wear often that I’m not wanting to repurchase in a few years, but I usually try and purchase timeless items too. I do have a few expensive bags but those are my favorite luxury item!

IMO, any trendy item is not an investment piece. To me, an investment piece is something that will always be in style and can be worn for years to come (e.g. a trench coat, a classic well-made pair of shoes, a nice piece of jewelry, etc.). If it doesn’t have longevity, it’s not an investment - it’s just expensive lol.

I also agree with your take on fashion companies putting out mediocre quality clothing that’s way overpriced. That’s a big reason why I thrift the majority of my wardrobe - I can’t justify paying retail prices when the quality often doesn’t match up.

Honestly this was a great video and you put together your thoughts very eloquently without being too overbearing. I def think that people use “investment pieces” as an excuse to just buy something expensive. In the other side- is an investment piece something that’s actually more practical? Like for example, if you’re a nurse like me- you look to invest in a pair of shoes that you can wear for 12 hours that won’t leave your feet crying at the end of the work day.

waiting for trends to go out of fashion is a pretty good way to see if the clothing item is a legitimate investment piece for you ngl. if you love it in a world that has moved on from it and now hates it, you'll love it forever lol

if the flats are flaking then that most likely means they aren't taking care of the leather. you need to oil/moisturize leather every 3 to 6 months. otherwise they fall apart really quick as opposed to lasting up to 30 years or more. the fact that the dupe jacket is 100% wool and the original is not just proves that price and label do not correlate with quality

Would love a video on your take on dupe culture!!