I Am Recessionista Thoughts

In our shopping endeavors, we make fashion choices carefully, some hastily; some are thrust upon us; some we make without knowing it or knowing that we even have a choice. Nevertheless, they still all add up to make us what we are today. I once read a book titled "The Girl's Guide to Wealth" and I think some of the chapters do make a lot of sense; at least they were relevant to me.

So, how do we ensure that we get the best bang for our buck and not fall into a spending trap? From my personal experience as a Fashionista as well as a Recessionista, I can certainly say that I am no longer going to be a victim of sales. After my recent move from a house with lots of closet space that spans across 3 bedrooms to a city apartment with one walk in closet, I have certainly been much more careful in spending these days. I claim that I am a Recessionista when I started blogging in April this year, but now I can say that I am even more Recessionista-like than I ever was. Don't believe it? My apartment is just steps away from Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, H&M and BCBG - my favorite. And it has been almost a month since I moved here, and I haven't bought a single item yet.

I am going to summarize what I learned in a nutshell from this very painful lesson. First lesson I learned was, before I went out shopping again, I needed to purge my closet well to see what I really really needed. In my case, I wasn't lacking of anything. And more importantly, I had to understand what styles suit me best and what didn't look good on me. Balloon skirts and dresses are cute, but do they suit everyone's figure? Next lesson, I don't have to buy something just because it is on sale. I made this mistakes too many times before. Most importantly, I learned that buying cheap stuff that don't last is a bad bad decision. Instead of buying 3 dresses, 2 skirts and 3 shirts for $200, it would be a much wiser decision to buy 1 dress, 1 skirt and 1 shirt for $200. Designer quality always counts, you really pay for what you get most of the times, and they last a long long time. Remember my blog entry about cost per wear? (See links at the side of my blog for cost per wear)

Having been a victim of spending traps in the past, can I say that I am much smarter now? Very positively yes.

Recessionista Review #1: Are Christian Louboutins Worth My Recessionista Dollar?

In continuation to my previous blog entry titled Red Hot Christian Louboutins, this is my review on 4 different pairs of Christian Louboutins I tried on at the Christian Louboutin boutique in the fashion epicenter of the world - New York City!

Christian Louboutin Store Display

Shoe #1: $1495 Christian Louboutin Differa Multi-buckle Sandals

• Style: 4.0/5.0

• Comfort: 3.5/5.0

Verdict: This gladiator heel pair was one of the designs I loved from his collection. Some of my friends think that this shoe screams "Stripper", but I still liked it a lot. So I wanted to know if the hefty 4 figure price tag was worth it. Surprisingly, it was more comfortable than I thought. If I owned this pair in my personal collection, I would probably only wear it in the bedroom behind closed doors not because it was uncomfortable, but because I really can't bear walking in these $1500 babies on bacteria infested streets.

Shoe #2: $885 Christian Louboutin Orlan Double Platform T-Straps

• Style: 3.5/5.0

• Comfort: 3.0/5.0

Verdict: I liked the style of the Orlan when I saw its side view on the shelf, but when I tried it on, the front view just seems awkward to look at. Due to the platforms of this shoe, it seems comfortable to stand in them, but when I started walking, it started to hurt my front toes a little. If I owned this pair in my personal collection, I would probably wear it only for formal black tie events.

Rachel Bilson from The O.C in her Orlan T-Straps

Shoe #3: $865 Christian Louboutin Hyper Prive Peep-Toe Pumps

• Style: 4.5/5.0
• Comfort: 2.0/5.0

Verdict: This is one of Christian Louboutin's popular styles so I had to try it on. It is so gorgeous to look at, indeed a perfect stiletto silhouette. Standing in this pair of shoes almost seem unbearable even for 30 seconds. If you have wide feet, this shoe will absolutely make you miserable. If I owned this pair in my personal collection, I would probably wear it only when I am sitting most of the time, or if I only have to walk down a 10-feet long red carpet.

Elizabeth Banks in her Hyper Prive Peep Toes

Shoe #4: $695 Christian Louboutin Etrier Wood Sandals

• Style: 3.5/5.0

• Comfort: 5.0/5.0

Verdict: This is not a signature style of Louboutin, so aesthetically, it doesn't get high marks for style. But the moment I set my feet into this pair of sandals, I felt so comfortable in it that I didn't want to take it off. This is by far the most comfortable pair of Christian Louboutins I have ever tried on. If I owned this pair in my personal collection, I would definitely wear it every single day and everywhere.

Overall Verdict: So after trying on 4 different pairs of Christian Louboutins worth an astounding $3940, I fell in love with one of them; which then begs the question: Are Christian Louboutins worth my Recessionista dollar? First and foremost, I must not be in credit card debt because of this purchase; meaning I must have cold hard cash put aside to pay for these darlings before bringing them home to my walk in closet.

As Coco Chanel once said “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.” I know that I will get a lot of use out of the Christian Louboutin Etrier Sandals if I own them in my personal shoe collection today because they are so comfortable. If I can get the cost per wear of the Etri down to $10 before the end of the lifespan of this Parisian work of art, then it may well be worth my Recessionista dollar. What do you think?

Red Hot Christian Louboutins

Recognize these red soles? Does the brand Christian Louboutin ring a bell? If you haven't heard, these Christian Louboutin "IT" shoes are coveted by women of all walks of life around the globe; literally from celebrities to socialites to regular people. In contrast to its relative the "IT" bag - whose status is based of a checklist of criteria such as rarity, price and waiting list – the "IT" shoe is a whole different league on its own.

French designer Christian Louboutin a.k.a "Man with the Red Shoes", with his radical designs; has successfully captured the mystique of the extremely sexy pump and more importantly, communicated the subtle branding of the red sole. Sometimes it makes me wonder if women are after the design of a pair of Louboutin shoes or the signature red sole itself. Louboutin heel heights practically start at 4 inches, and prices range from anywhere from $595 to $1,695 or higher for limited editions (like the Marie Antoinette inspired pair that sold for 5 grand). Despite the discomfort of striding in these high heels plus its hefty price tag, Christian Louboutins are still a must-have for many Fashionistas.

Being the Recessionista I am now, I knew that spending close to a grand on a pair of shoes might not be the frugal thing to do. But then again, if I considered the Cost Per Wear value of these Louboutins, then it might actually be a good "investment". With that being said, I decided to try on 4 pairs of Christian Louboutins, then do a review on them.

Look out for my upcoming blog entry titled Recessionista Review: Are Christian Louboutins Worth My Recessionista Dollar? for my honest opinion.

Shopping Tip #2: IamRecessionista's Cost Per Wear Analogy

We've probably heard celebrities, models, personal shoppers and fashion stylists mention about Cost Per Wear (CPW) over the mass media too many times. For those of you who don't know what CPW means, it is a concept that rationalizes the expense of a fashion item by dividing each time you wear or use it into the original cost. According to "The Budget Fashionista" Kathryn Finney, she says that whenever you buy something new, your goal should be to wear it enough so that your cost per wear becomes less than $2. Achieving a CPW of $2 would be ideal for anyone, but that might pose a challenge for many Fashionistas.

Personally, I have gone with my own analogy that as long as the cost per wear for a fashion item does not exceed what I make in an hour, that item is considered an "investment". My logic is derived from the fact that since it typically doesn't take me longer than an hour to pick something in the store, the cost per wear for that item shouldn't be more than what I make in an hour. More than often, I follow my CPW analogy diligently, but like everyone else, I have had my weak moments where I fell prey into the arms of a spending trap in disguise. To illustrate what cost per wear means, I will reveal my Top 3 CPW purchases of all time.

Best CPW Purchase: H&M Mod Double-breasted Wool Coat

I got this coat at the H&M NYC store on 7th & 34th street for only $70, and it is definitely my most favorite winter coat of all time. It exudes Twiggy's mod-style, and the color is a nice shade of light heather gray which goes with almost anything in my closet. I have always been a believer that the retail price of an item is an indication of its quality, but this coat has proven me wrong. Although it wasn't made of 100% wool or cashmere wool like most of my other coats are, it is by far the most wearable. Its CPW is probably down to a low 50 cents!

2nd Best CPW Purchase: Rock & Republic Kasandra Jeans

I can declare that this pair of Rock & Republic low rise, bootcut jeans are the best designer jeans I have ever owned. Amongst my collection of designer jeans which include Rock & Republic, Seven for All Mankind, Antik Denim, Joe's Jeans, Miss Sixty and Paige Denim, I love my Rock & Republic jeans the most. I paid about $180 for this pair and I have worn it probably more than 100 times since I got it last May, so its CPW is now at a low $1.80. Soon, it is probably going to be down to $0.

3rd Best CPW Purchase: Prada Daino Shopper Tote in Acciaio

I was invited to the Saks Friends and Family Day at their New York store. My goal that day was to purchase a handbag using my 20% discount, but unfortunately the discount could not be applied to all my favorite brands like Chanel, Prada and Dior. As I was browsing that department, this eye-catching yet subtle shade of metallic silver peeking from Prada booth just caught my attention. I was hesitant at first to purchase it since I couldn't use my 20% on this, and the color is not the typical black or brown or taupe that I mostly own. While I am touching its beautifully-grained calfskin and sturdy gold hardware, I started calculating the cost per wear of this $2k "investment" in my mind. Fifteen minutes later, I was the proud owner of this gorgeous "baby". And I am glad to say that since I acquired this investment piece last March, I have used it almost every single day. I have used it when I am in the States, on my overseas business travels and even vacations, and the bag is still look immaculate! The CPW for this Prada baby of mine is now down to a low $5.

My CPW analogy has worked for me so far in getting the most bang for my buck for most (unfortunately not all) of my fashion items; achieving a balanced wardrobe of both high-end quality pieces and mid-range pieces that I continually wear over and over again. Being the wiser shopper I am today, I always ask myself before I make any purchase something "How many times am I actually gonna wear or use this?" While mental math calculations have never been my Forté, I am still able to calculate the cost per wear of that item before I decide to flash my plastic at the cash register.

What's the best CPW of an item you have gotten so far? Let me know under comments.