No Regrets, Only Duplicates
The investment purchases I’d make ten times over
Typing this feels like a bad omen, but I often think of what I would sprint to replace if my luggage was lost in transit (and if said luggage housed all of my heavy hitter items.) Digitally saging this space to forget I ever put that on paper.
In my thirties I decided I was exhausted by the thought of revamping my closet by every next rip of a polyester shirt, the stretch that never snaps back of a poorly made jean, or a shoe that bottoms out on the heel. I’m not going to say I live by this rule 100% of the time; rather, I treat it as a suggestion/starting point. There will always be a time and a place for a good, cheap flat or a burn-through white tank top.
Recognizing that everyone has a different lens for affordable, I’ll be the first to admit these are pricy buys. But when I break down the cost per wear it becomes no-brainer math. Quality comes at many different price points — even if the material isn’t natural or top notch, the stitching could save the garment and outlast the latter.
Enough circling the drain here. Time to hop up on my soapbox and gab. AND — none of these are sponsored; everything mentioned below has been purchased with my own hard-earned cash.
It’s not often that a pair of flats come with zero break in time. And I mean ZERO. Enter: the Jada flat from Freda Salvador. OG subscribers will remember that I wrote about these in February of 2024 — an article in which I convinced myself to hit ‘checkout’ simply by clacking on my own keys. I also mentioned cost per wear (CPW) as my rationale to complete the purchase, and I’m happy to report that, two years later, I have no regrets. I love a data point, so let’s crunch numbers: I paid $317.16 with a promo code for my beloved Jada’s in a buttery-soft white leather, and while there is no definite figure I can point to for days worn, I’d wager 150 wears is a safe bet. That makes these ring in at $2.11 per wear; a price I’d happily pay again and again. You can see me above wearing them, yesterday at that, for a 151st time — paired with another forthcoming investment buy (so please continue your scroll.)
In the spirit of honesty, this denim (and the next) are new investments for me. HOWEVER, I’m applying my same school of thought with retail math that surely will make these shake out to be a sound purchase. The moment the Buck Mason Roper Jeans hugged my body, I was sold. I’m 16 months postpartum and down 40-ish pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. Getting dressed last Tuesday left me with a familiar feeling of dread, but in a new sense — almost a reverse body dysmorphia. All of the jeans I loved through previous versions of myself were now hanging off of my body. This should've been a proud moment — to finally feel like myself again — but it reminded me of everywhere I've been. I loved the woman I was before pregnancy, and I love her now, too, but it was a melancholy realization that marked the passage of time. Who knew denim could dredge up such serious emotions?
So, I traipsed along on my lunch break in search of retail therapy. Lately, Japanese garments and fabrics have been tickling my fancy, and Buck Mason’s denim line is seemingly crafted entirely of exactly that - 100% cotton, Japanese indigo denim. The Roper in the L055 wash fit the bill for the jean I was missing in my lineup: tight in the hip and thigh, a subtle bootcut, and a “wore these into the ground” hem, all in a buttery soft, vintage-inspired fabric. At 5’1”, they make my legs look like they go for miles. HUGE bonus points: free alterations (!!!)—the seamstress at the Boston location assured me they could keep the original hem, despite the note on their product page describing the opposite. Keep that in mind, but you could get lucky with your own alterations angel.
I’m no liar, so I’ll stay true to my word that the CPW will most certainly be worth the investment. I’ll report back in due time.
On the same morning of my unrecognizable reflection staring back at me in my pre-partum jeans, I acted on impulse and gave into an ad on social media that had been haunting me for weeks. Seen here are Ayr’s ‘The Culture’ jean. Now you may be thinking, “Michela, that’s a ton of money to spend on denim, and in ONE DAY” to which my rebuttal is, yes. Entirely true. But again, we’re talking CPW investments here, and for someone who has a very specific body type to fit (emphasis on 5’1”), I’ll try anything that comes in a petite inseam. The Culture also is crafted from Japanese denim, but a different fit from The Roper. These are an off-duty, running around after my daughter, flows away from the body type of jean. What truly sold me was the tagline — “Our designer’s most worn jean.” I’ll corroborate that statement. These are mid rise, whereas the Roper is high. Consider The Culture to be the daytime sister of those. Both of these expensive pantalones will be shaking hands in my closet for years to come. This goes without saying, but I did in fact use a promo code and my own commissionable link which peeled off approximately $100 from the retail price. Once again, I’ll report back on my future findings.
This next article needs no introduction, if you know and follow me. You can see me talk about it here, here, and here. This is, of course: the Plain Jane New York white t-shirt. Three sleeve lengths, perfect waistband-skimming cut, with just the right amount of sheerness. All in, you guessed it, 100% cotton. From the branding, to the messaging, the dedication of craft poured into the white t-shirt is something I can stand ten toes down behind. My CPW of the PJNY tee is pennies on the dollar at this point. Unfortunately, you’ll have to hold your horses until their relaunch on April 13th to get your hands on one, but if I could make a guess, it'll be worth the wait. Vogue-editor backed, you can trust the investment. I’ll be springing for the cap sleeve version upon their return (but I’ll miss the old branding!!!) (I’ll love the new tag just as much, I swear.) (Follow PRESHRUNK while you wait.)
Switching gears from clothing to something that dazzles — seen above, and soon to be below — it’s Dazzle Dry. A bewildering technology that I’ve been wearing on my nails for the last two months. Here’s another look:
I was a dip manicure purist who was religiously SAT in front of my nail tech every 2.5 to 3 weeks for well over 2 years. As you can imagine, this became a point of contention upon entering motherhood (both by cost, and time spent away from my darling gal.) Not to mention, the state of my nails afterward was nothing short of frightening. I started to do my own gel at home, which I still have in my back pocket for when the mood strikes, but now that I’m a Dazzle Dry convert, I’m not sure when I’ll return to the UV lamp. Because, if you didn’t know—D.D. requires no light, and five minutes of dry time, for a mani that lasts 10+ days (for me). A factor less mentioned but worth noting is the state of my nails underneath; they are truly hard as nails (the metal kind) and look renewed.
There is a bit of an upfront investment versus your regular nail lacquer, but you’re paying for the tech behind it that makes it last. What that tech is, I truly have no idea, but it’s genius. I’ll be investing in the full-size kit in due time; right now would be opportune as Dazzle Dry is running a 20% off $85+ promotion. But if you’re skeptical, I’d recommend the mini kit with Transform included (a ridge filler that makes the mani finish as if it were gel) and adding on a lacquer. I purchased mine during a killer promotion, making it $25.32—plus an additional $37 for more mini colors (I have Red Hot Chili, Sundress, and Touch of Love.) So far I have done five manicures, making the current CPW $12.46 per mani. That said — on appearance alone, it looks like I’m not even halfway through the mini bottles yet, so this number will be dropping. A sound investment I’ll be making time and time again.
If you prefer to not do your own nails, you can bring Dazzle Dry to your local salon (or maybe they already have it), but doing my own nails has become a ritual in my weeks that I’ve come to look forward to.
At the end of the day, investments are personal and rely on the worth you are placing on them. Whether a purchase is $20 or $1,000, the value of it can only be determined by oneself. How’s that for wisdom?
In the lifelong pursuit of curiosity, tell me: what are your favorite investments? Frivolities welcome! Cheap thrills, too! I don’t discriminate.
Until next time.
This made me laugh and then cry and then smile and then cry again. Full range of human emotion. 🫶