Spend or save
Money changes some clothes and not others. This is the rule we use for every look on the site.
Spend where wear is frequent, construction decides lifespan, or fit cannot be fixed later. Save where the thing is a solved problem or will wear out whatever you pay. These are our rules, not a law: run the numbers on your own habits.
Spend
Coat
Worn most days for months, and the first thing people see. Fabric and construction show here more than anywhere.
- A high share of wool in the outer fabric (read the label, not the hanger).
- Shoulders that sit flat with your arms forward.
- A full lining and buttons sewn through, not glued.
Shoes
Construction decides how long they last. A stitched sole can be replaced; a glued one usually cannot.
- Leather or suede upper.
- A stitched welt or a sole a cobbler can replace.
- A firm heel counter: press the back, it should not collapse.
Knitwear
Spend on the fibre, not the name. A plain jumper in pure merino from a basics shop often outlasts a famous label in an acrylic blend.
- Natural fibre content first; acrylic pills fastest.
- Hold it to the light: a dense knit lasts longer.
- Seams linked, not just overlocked, at the shoulders.
Tailored jacket
If you wear it weekly, it earns its price. Shoulders cannot be altered cheaply, so fit has to be right at the start.
- Shoulder seam ends where your shoulder does.
- A wool or wool-rich cloth breathes over a long day.
- Sleeves show a little shirt cuff.
Spend on fit, not fabric
Trousers
Fit matters more than fabric. Hemming is cheap, so buy for the seat and thigh and alter the length.
- Seat and thigh fit without pulling.
- Enough hem allowance to lengthen if needed.
- A little elastane is fine; a lot loses shape sooner.
Save
Jeans
Good denim is a solved problem at most prices. The cut matters more than the label.
- 100% cotton or up to about 2% elastane.
- A straight or slightly tapered leg ages best.
- Wash rarely and cold.
Shirts
Cotton poplin and oxford are made well at modest prices. Pressing does more than paying.
- 100% cotton.
- A collar that holds its shape under a jacket.
- Buttons sewn firmly, with some spare.
T-shirts
They wear out whatever you pay. Buy a heavier cotton and replace without regret.
- A heavier weight hangs better and lasts longer.
- A neck rib that springs back.
- Side seams that run straight, not twisting after one wash.
Anything on trend
Cost per wear is about years. A piece you will not want next season has no years in it.
- Would you have worn it three years ago?
- Does it go with at least three things you own?