Outerwear is where spending more nearly always wins. A coat is worn almost daily for a third of the year and seen more than anything else you own.
The arithmetic
| The considered option | The cheap option | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $280 | $90 |
| Upkeep over its life | $60 | $0 |
| Realistic wears | 400 | 140 |
| Years of use | 5 | 2 |
| Cost per wear | $0.85 | $0.64 |
Here the cheaper option genuinely wins on cost per wear, at $0.64 against $0.85. This is one of the cases where spending more does not pay for itself.
Where the wear count comes from
Roughly 80 wears a season across five seasons.
Run it on your own numbers
The price you would actually pay, after any discount.
Be honest. For most people an occasion dress is under 5, a winter coat is 80 or more.
Dry cleaning, resoling, alterations. Leave at zero if there is none.
Cost per wear
$4.00
$120 across 30 wears.
- To reach $5.00 per wear
- 24 wears
- To reach $1.00 per wear
- 120 wears
- To reach $0.50 per wear
- 240 wears
Cost per wear is a comparison tool, not an accounting one. It is most useful when weighing two specific options against each other — this coat against that coat — rather than as an absolute verdict on a purchase.