Practical Type 3 women love a good deal.
But not EVERYTHING in your closet needs to come from the clearance rack!
Which items in your wardrobe should always be a bargain? And when should you invest a little bit more?
Today, Type 3 Experts Carol and Sarah share their style spending habits. Their reasons for saving or splurging can help you decide where your buck will get the most bang.
So, ladies…
For each category of clothing in your closet, do you prefer to save, spend, or splurge?
- Save = You always choose the cheaper option.
- Spend = You spend a reasonable amount of money—not “breaking the bank,” but not skimping either.
- Splurge = You put your money here, even saving up extra to purchase this item.
Tops, Shirts & Blouses
- Carol: SAVE + SPEND. I would say I spend and save in this category. I rarely splurge, as I know I won’t be keeping it as long as the things I splurge on. I don’t hang onto tops, as they wear out faster than any other item in my wardrobe.
- Sarah: SAVE + SPEND. Most of the time I save. I like a quick turnaround on tops, so I don’t want to spend too much money. I get bored and want something new, so why spend a ton? But if it’s higher quality and I know could be around for a while I will spend.
Jackets, Blazers & Coats
- Carol: SPEND + SPLURGE. I spend and will splurge once in a while in this category, since these items have a longer life span. I would splurge more on a coat and less on a jacket or blazer. I shared some of my favorites in a past video about Type 3 outerwear.
- Sarah: SPLURGE. I will pay for high-quality outerwear because I know it will last a long time and is worth the investment. I wouldn’t say this is always the case but I am willing to do it if I love it.
Jeans & Pants
- Carol: SPEND. Fit is important to me. I keep jeans for several years and also pants, so they are worth a little more money to me.
- Sarah: SPEND. I’ll spend a decent amount for jeans. But I honestly don’t buy other brands a ton because I mostly wear all of our pants from the DYT Store. I would be willing to splurge for the right item.
Skirts
- Carol: SAVE. I don’t wear many skirts, so I would not spend much on them. I won’t get the value out of them.
- Sarah: SPEND. Most of the time I am willing to spend an average amount for a skirt.
Dresses
- Carol: SAVE. I rarely wear dresses, so again the value is not there for me.
- Sarah: SPEND. I am willing to spend a reasonable amount on a good-looking dress.
Shoes
- Carol: SPLURGE. I am more willing to splurge here for a good pair of shoes. Fit and comfort are very important, so I have fewer shoes, but ones that are worth it to me.
- Sarah: SPLURGE. Lately, shoes are the area in which I am spending the most money. I need comfortable shoes!! 🙂 But I really have always felt like a high-quality shoe is great to spend money on because they last a long time and are worth the investment. After all, the right shoes can make or break your outfit.
Bras & Underwear
- Carol: SPLURGE. A good-fitting bra makes you look healthier and more fit.
- Sarah: SPLURGE. I used to save but now I splurge because I watched Carol and Anna K’s online event about bras and decided I love and need a good supportive bra. I figure I wear it every day, so it’s worth investing in.
Exercise Clothes
- Carol: SPEND. I have a lot of tennis clothes that I have been willing to spend on, so I feel good and look good in them. They are all true to my Type.
- Sarah: SAVE. I typically shop deals for exercise wear. I have occasionally splurged, but not very often, probably because I seem to prefer a quick turnaround. There are so many inexpensive options in Type 3 colors and patterns.
Swimsuit
- Carol: SPEND. It has taken me years to figure out what I want in a swimsuit. I prefer two pieces with a high-top bottom, and an athletic racerback top. Making sure it fits, looks good, and gives me the coverage I’m comfortable with are things I am willing to spend on.
- Sarah: SAVE. I like a lot of variety in my swimwear. So I justify spending a smaller amount of money on lots of items so that I can have that variety. I typically buy one or two swimsuits every summer. I rarely spend a lot of money on one piece of swimwear for this reason. In the Type 3 swimwear video, I shared some various swimsuit options.
Purses & Handbags
- Carol: SPLURGE. I like a nice handbag that looks good for years. A handbag needs to have a few specific features for me to love it, which I talk about in the video about Type 3 handbags.
- Sarah: SPEND. I haven’t purchased a purse in a while, but I am thinking about doing so. I plan to spend what’s a reasonable price for me.
Watches
- Carol: SPEND. In my world, splurging would be a Rolex. I am willing to spend on a Michael Kors, so it lasts.
- Sarah: SPLURGE. Because I wear a watch every day, I am willing to spend a little more for something I love and is higher quality. I feel like fashion watches break easily so I end up spending less money overall if I buy one nice piece that will last me a while.
Jewelry
- Carol: SAVE. Because we have so many great Type 3 options in the DYT Store, I am not willing to spend much on jewelry outside of our products, especially since the prices of the jewelry we carry are so reasonable.
- Sarah: SPEND. I like reasonable quality for jewelry and am willing to spend a little more to get it. I don’t buy much jewelry beyond the DYT Store, but when I do buy, I tend to spend a reasonable amount.
Eyewear
- Carol: SAVE. I wear readers that cost $20 or less. I have a lot of them since I like a variety of looks, so I don’t want to spend much.
- Sarah: SPEND. I wear them a lot so I want to look good. I feel like the higher price brings a better quality as well. There are some great Type 3 eyewear options in the StyleInspire.
Where else in your lives do you ladies SAVE?
- Carol: I am always glad to get a good deal, but I don’t require anything in my life to have to be a good deal if it is something I really want to experience or have.
- Sarah: My kids’ clothes is one area that I save. I am willing to use hand-me-downs from our cousins and try not to spend that much on their wardrobe, simply because they grow out of it so fast. The practical side of me knows it isn’t worth spending lots of money on.
Other places in your lives where you SPLURGE?
- Carol: Food, including what I eat at home. Travel, health care, supplements, bio hacking, and a personal trainer.
- Sarah: I think travel is where I am willing to spend money. This last year has changed a lot with having twins, but historically, my husband and I have been willing to splurge on a great trip or two. 🙂
What does all this mean for your Type 3 wardrobe?
Your practical Type 3 nature will always shine through!
Sometimes, that means prioritizing the deal. Other times, that means investing in something that will hold up to your swift movement through many wears.
Let your spending habits support you in creating amazing style that moves with you!
How do your spending habits compare? Where do you spend when the Type 3 Experts save? What’s worth a splurge for you? Share in a comment.
I love this post! I made my own save/spend/splurge list, including my reasoning for each. It was a fun exercise that really made me think about how I spend money (or not) and what is important to me and why. Very interesting and thought provoking. Thanks!
I am a saver inasmuch I don’t pay a lot for anything, *but* I do that for the same reason Sarah saves on swimwear…I confess I shall never be a minimalist. I am a clotheshorse…my closet is filled with awesome options..must be cus I’ a 3/1….everything needs to be cheap cus even though I will wear things till they wear out, I like choice, esp as I like patterns in my skirts and dresses so it would be obvious if I were rewearing them frequently. Almost all my dresses are sundress styles tho and I pair them with solid color short/long-sleeved tees depending on the weather (Los Angeles). I also love wearing tees with long comfy a-line skirts….with heavier weight tights underneath, some go to ankles (I cut the toes out..I like socks) and some end at knees for hot weather, I’ve found them easier to move in than even the jeans I used to live in! I have jackets and sweaters cus of our crazy weather…layering is a must cus I live near the beach….my shoes are mostly boots…tho I have 3 pair of sandals and a pair of trainers and a pair of deck shoes for warm weather park outings..but I ADORE boots…cowgirl and steampunk styles, esp….rugged yet fashionable and go with everything! I don’t pay tons cus I also love the thrill of the hunt and adventure of thrift store shopping. Virtually every piece of outerwear I have is from a thrift store and I get so many compliments. I get tees mostly from Target….there are lots of 3’s there right now as a matter of face, and yes, I do what 3’s do…I go in each fall and spring and buy one in every 3 color in the mainly v-neck design. 😉
I like to think in terms of cost per wear. If I am only going to wear something one or two times I am not willing to spend as much as I would for something I would wear dozen’s of times. When it comes to purses and shoes, I do like higher quality, but will try to buy at the outlets or on sale. I also think it is a good idea to buy a good quality winter coat. Although I wear them less frequently, I have the same ones for years/decades. I splurge on food. I buy good quality, organic food when possible.
I’m all over the place when it comes to my wardrobe. I thrift shop for tops, sweaters, skirts, and one-of-a-kind pieces and splurge on handbags, watches, shoes, dresses, and coats. I’m learning to buy nicer jeans that wil last for years instead of a season or two – because I wear jeans year round and I don’t like shorts or capris. Funny thing, the idea of spending $100-$200 on a nice coat or boots/flats is okay but spending that much on jeans that would be worn several days a week is hard to wrap my head around. Using the price per wear concept has helped me a lot.
Great post! Thank you.