What is cost per wear?
Cost per wear (CPW) divides what you pay by how many times you wear something: price ÷ wears. It reframes a purchase around use rather than sticker price, which is exactly how a smarter wardrobe is built.
Why a dear coat can beat a cheap one
A $30 trend top worn three times costs $10 a wear. A $200 coat worn 200 times over five winters costs $1 a wear. The expensive piece is, in truth, twenty times cheaper. That is the whole case for buying better and less.
Be honest about the wear count
The number that decides everything is how often you'll genuinely reach for it. Occasion pieces flatter the ego but fail on CPW; versatile basics quietly win. If you're unsure an item will clear a reasonable bar, run it through our 30 wears calculator first.
Include the hidden costs
Dry-clean-only and delicate pieces carry ongoing costs. Adding lifetime care to the price gives a truer figure, and often nudges you toward low-maintenance fabrics you'll wear more anyway.