High vs Low Quality: When To Spend.

Hello ladies! I decided to start off this Monday with something I’ve been sitting on for a while. What items should you splurge on and what items can you save on? That is the million dollar question. Who has the time and money to spend on discovering this out for themselves? Lucky for you, I did the research for you and I have the answers your looking for!

I have put together a list of items for “splurging” and a list of items for “saving”. I am all for the phrase “quality over quantity” and really think that if you have a few key splurge pieces, then you can get trendy save pieces each season and your closet will be classic and well suited to your style all year round! Ready to dive into this? Okay.

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SPLURGE ITEMS:

Leather boots 

Leather boots are one of the items of clothing that I really believe should be bought high quality. I have had a pair of leather boots for over 5 years now that are still in amazing condition and are as soft as when I first bought them. I’ve seen so many pairs of boots that aren’t as high quality that don’t last longer than a season or two. You’ll spend just as much money buying and rebuying boots over the course of four years as you will if you just get the nice pair to begin with.

Frye is my favorite leather company. Their boots are amazing (and their handbags, too). The pair that I am LOVING this year are their Melissa Tab Riding Boots:

They are so beautiful , I am DROOLING! Do you think I can convince my husband to let me buy them….? I promise I need them.

Blazer

Blazers are another item that I will spend money on. I have a beautiful black blazer from The Limited that I love. Because it is nice quality, it really fits my body and hugs me in all the right places. When I compare it to a nude blazer I got from Forever 21, the difference is incredible.

Check out this blazer from The Limited (I actually think it is the exact one that I own…bonus points: right now it is on super sale!!):

It is double lined (quality check!) and really hugs your waist!

Little black dress

This one goes without saying. A classic silhouette and nice quality material will last you decades because this dress never goes out of style. I have a beautiful black dress that I’ve had for years and can pull out any time of year for fancy situations, interviews, or for a date with my husband. You’ll always look classy and put together.

Check out this dress from The Limited:

This is the perfect little black dress. It is modest but still beautiful (and right now it is also on sale!!)

Swim suit

I feel like this item of clothing is often overlooked when talking about items to splurge on. I used to always get my swimsuits at target or other similar stores and then a few years ago I bought my first quality swimsuit. It was a game changer (thank you Anthropologie)! The difference was outstanding. First of all, that first swimsuit I bought has been used for the last three years many, many times (to the pool, the beach, the lake, our honeymoon!) and it STILL looks brand-new. The elastic has yet to stretch out, there are no stains from the ocean or the lake. I recommend splurging on three good suits and then slowly adding one to your collection every year or so.

Look at this adorable suit from Anthropologie:

Pencil skirt

A really good pencil skirt falls along the same lines at the little black dress. Bonus points if it is also in black (universally slimming, as well as classic). I have a really nice one from The Limited (I obviously really like this store because this is the third item I’ve  mentioned by this brand). It is knee length, which is perfect. I don’t like to go much shorter than that. It is also really good material so it stretches but doesn’t stretch out.

Check out this similar style from The Limited here:

Handbag

This one can be controversial. I’m honestly not a very big purse person. I don’t like to carry big purses around. I always want to try because they look SO CUTE but I just don’t carry enough stuff around with me!! I think that once Adam and I have kids, that will change. But for now, I stick with my little cross body bags. All three of mine are Coach and I love them because they are simple and stylish and amazing quality.

Here is one of the styles that I love from Coach:

This is perfect because it is a color that can be paired with so many outfits. I also have similar styles in black and hot pink. I can match any one of my outfits and they’re just big enough to fit my phone, a lipstick, and my wallet (that’s all I really need!)

SAVE ITEMS:

Denim jacket

This is one item that can be saved on in my opinion! For example, my jacket is from Forever 21 and has held up for years. I’ve had it since my Junior year of high school, and I’m now in my senior year of college. It is a style that won’t ever go out of style so it’s worth it to have it in your closet, but you don’t need to spend $100 on it.

Check out this one from Forever 21!

Colorful flats

My opinion on spending money on shoes varies depending on what type of shoes we are talking about. Obviously, leather boots deserve to have some money spent on them. Seasonal flats, however, probably won’t last longer than one or two seasons so you can score those for less than $20 and feel good about it. I try not to spend more than $30 on them because I know that I will wear them out quickly no matter what.

Here are some adorable floral printed flats to add to your collection from Payless (okay, AND they’re only $15…score these. Seriously)! I am so into florals this year it’s not even funny. Floral tops…especially floral dresses…and obviously, floral shoes!

Statement jewelry

Statement jewelry can really pull an outfit together but you don’t have to spend $50 on a necklace in order to do that. There are so many options when it comes to less expensive jewelry. Because statement necklaces go in and out of style constantly, I don’t bother spending mass amounts of money on them. When I lived back in Indiana, I ALWAYS got my jewelry from Versona. It was perfect because they are amazingly affordable. Luckily, if you don’t have a Versona near you, they’re also online.

Check out this beautiful necklace from Versona here! It is only $14 but SO CUTE!

Blouses

Lots of people believe that you should spend money on your blouses. I don’t necessarily agree because the style of blouses constantly change. I think you can score some amazing tops that will last for half the price tag of a super pricey blouse. I have so many blouses that I have purchased for less than $30 that have lasted me a long time. I think that if you shop smart, you can get nice blouses at a reasonable price.

Check out this sweet top from Simple Addiction! They have the CUTEST clothes at seriously amazing prices. This top is only $15!

Jeans

In my opinion, the fit is the most important part of a pair of jeans and I think you can find a good fit of jeans without spending the equivalent of a down payment on a house. For example, Target has amazing jeans and they are usually between $25-$35, and they fit so well. They have amazing stretch and really hug you in all the right places. American Eagle also has great jeans, but are more like $40-$45.

Here is a pair of jeans from Target that I know for a fact hold their shape and stick to all the right curves because I own them.

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I like to define my style as classic but trendy, which explains the items on my list. You can tailor it to fit your personal style and needs. Do you work in an office? Do you work at a hospital? Are you a stay at home mom? Whatever you do, you know what you wear the most of and what it would be worth it to spend your money on. Also: keep in mind the time of year. Lots of times you can get amazing deals on Labor Day, end of season sales and other times of year. Understand quality, but also realize that you can be smart about your shopping!

I love styling and I would love to help you ladies!! Have questions regarding what kinds of clothes you should be wearing or what would fit your body type the best? Shoot me an email at blondeandambitiousblog@mail.com and I would be more than happy to set up a styling session with you to get you heading in the right direction with shopping. I hate when women say they “hate shopping” because they simply don’t know what items look best on them and it is overwhelming. Trust me, I’ve been there. but it doesn’t have to be that way! Shopping should be FUN and exciting! You should leave the store feeling so much better than when you left it. Let me help you reach that potential! 🙂

Let me know what else you would like to see in the comments, and as always, make sure you are following me on instagram (@blondeandambitiousblog) and are signed up to receive emails when I post new content!!