how to invest in your twenties
I bought a Louis Vuitton tote the summer after I graduated from high school. Ever since I made that purchase, I have been consistently asked if it is real or if I am serious. It’s very real! I worked my booty off in high school so I treated myself with a lifetime purchase.
This begs the question, “how did I make the decision at 18 to buy it?” Long story short, I saw someone carrying the bag three years prior and ever since that sighting I could not get it out of my head. My rule when it comes to shopping is: can I style it three different ways before I buy it? When I asked myself this question, I realized this bag had every box checked. It went with everything, was durable, was a classic print and style, and could be used for travel or everyday use. I like to say it will hold my babies’ diapers and my own diapers and I will still feel chic. Because in two words, it’s a timeless classic.
I wear my Louis to the gym, to interviews, to Trader Joe’s, to church, to the theater, to weddings, and to the airport on top of my suitcase. Because we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow, I don’t think we should save our special occasion and fancier pieces for one day. Wear your clothes! Shop your closet!
“They [Golden Goose Sneakers] are not intended for catwalks, but for traveling the world.” -elena
People turn to cheap options at the snap of a finger because they are afraid of the number on the price tag. Here’s an example — college girls wearing cheaply made suits for presentations. I’m not saying to go to Net a Porter and get yourself a $2000 pair of pants and jacket. I’m saying to know that a suit is an investment. It isn’t going anywhere and it helps you and other people take yourself seriously. Plus you’ll feel confident. In other words, please don’t buy a chiffon ruched sleeve blazer with rhinestone buttons and FBI pants because you “have to have presentation clothes for this class.” Invest in those pieces now because there is no better time to dress for the role you want.
So what should you invest in? I’d encourage you to shift your mindset and ask yourself what should I not invest in? I automatically consider life time longevity, practicality, & cost per wear when I make purchases. To quote Lindsey Kubly, “Before buying new clothes, think about what percentage of the year you’ll be able to wear it. The higher the percentage, the better the investment.” Golden Goose talks about timeless pieces “feel[ing] like opening a long-forgotten wardrobe to discover beloved coats, sweaters, and sneakers just begging to be worn and experienced again. Well-worn new additions adding another chapter to your story” (Family, 2021, p. 93).
I recently changed the scent that I wear. I was wearing the same scent you could buy at CVS for ten years. Now I have a new scent that I learned about from my summer time roommate (who asked for this blog post by the way!) I wear the scent everyday, loved it all summer, couldn’t stop thinking about it, it made me feel fancy, and looked chic on my vanity. I made room in my budget for it because I knew I would love it forever, would use it every single day, and would feel pretty when I wore it.
Please don’t invest in trends or something like a button up shirt or denim. Denim and shirts are wardrobe favorites of mine, but I would never need to spend $200+ on either. & trends? They break the cost per wear and longevity rules immediately. Is it a classic? Will it go out of style? The answer is most likely going to be a resounding yes every time.
If you have ever hired me you know the next thing I’m about to say. If you don’t feel like you in it, don’t wear it. It’s all about authenticity. Even if you are in a classic piece that looks and is expensive, if you don’t feel like you you will indeed come off looking like a try hard or even look cheap. This is literally the opposite of luxury ha!
An example of this for me personally would be a leather jacket. It’s never been me but there was a LEVI coat that was leather and shearling that I thought was fabulous. It was on sale on Amazon, so I went for it! However, it wasn’t an investment piece because it was more of a trend.
“Being timeless also means following your intuition. We try something. We change it, potentially making a mistake. Then we try again. But we always stay true to our ideas.”
-nicolo
Finally I would say pray about your purchases. God genuinely cares about every facet of your life. It is easy for money and budgets or materialism or status to become an idol in your life. We must proceed in big time purchases with prayer and surrender. It may sound silly, but if you think about it He created the universe [John 1:3-5] and wants every single detail of your life to glorify Him. This is indeed a God permeated world to quote Dallas Willard.
References
Family, G. (2021). Perfect imperfection of golden goose. Rizzoli.