While many New Yorkers are still shivering through winter and hibernating indoors, Gotham fashionistas are already thinking ahead to spring — tackling closet cleanouts and reassessing what actually deserves space in their wardrobes.
But with the cost of everything on the rise, especially fashion, which has seen a steep year-over-year increase, with prices across the industry almost $20 higher in 2025 compared to 2024 and that number is only expected to increase, according to CNBC — stylish women are following the “cost per wear” approach when it comes to spring cleaning their closets to avoid impulsive shopping sprees.
With elaborate budgeting spreadsheets and photos of their closets in tow, budget-conscious New Yorkers are dividing the price of a clothing item by the number of times it’s worn to see if they’re getting the most bang for their buck out of their clothes before buying anything new.
Across social media, users swear cost per wear (CPW) has transformed how they shop — steering them away from cheap, disposable buys and toward fewer, better-quality pieces that save money in the long run and cut down on clutter.
Many viral videos show women purging their closets while running the numbers.
“The cost per wear on each of these is getting down to the pennies,” one creator declares.
She preaches fabric literacy: “Start looking at tags and understanding what fabrics you’re buying — it helps you assess whether the price is fair for what you’re actually getting. Knowledge is power when it comes to building a wardrobe that lasts.”
Some take it even further. “I track the cost per wear of my entire wardrobe,” another user boasts, calling CPW updates “a core part of my routine when I get to work every day.”
But does the math actually add up?
Stylist Leah Van Loon says the concept is useful — if people stay realistic.
“The simplest way to calculate cost per wear is to estimate how many times a year you would wear the item and divide the price by that number,” she told The Post.
For example, a $50 cotton T-shirt worn three times a week adds up to 156 wears per year — bringing its CPW to just 32 cents after one year.
But Van Loon warns that quality matters just as much as frequency.
“You might wear that T-shirt three times a week, but if it isn’t high-quality, the cost also includes replacing or repairing it,” she said, adding that dry cleaning, hand-washing and maintenance time can quietly inflate CPW.
She also points out that most people wear “just 20% of their clothes 80% of the time” — making it critical to identify which pieces actually earn their keep.
“Trends tend to be very specific and difficult to incorporate into many outfits,” Van Loon said.
“A quality, timeless item will always offer a better CPW than a trendy fast-fashion piece that falls apart or goes out of style.”
Fashion historian Jessie Frances agrees that CPW can be a helpful guideline — but says social media often oversells it.
“Unless you’re a princess, the chances of getting your cost-per-wear to equal less than what you paid for the piece are slim to none,” she said.
That said, certain categories deliver more bang for your buck.
“Outerwear, shoes, accessories and jewelry typically have the biggest return,” Frances explained, citing her own Valentino belt — a splurge she’s worn at least five days a week for four years, bringing its daily cost down to $1.41.
Still, she cautions against rigid rules.
“Not all people live the same life,” she added. “If you’re an attorney, suits make sense. If you’re a work-from-home toddler mom, quality athleisure will serve you better.”
Aricia Symes, stylist, author and founder of Unfoldid, says CPW works best when it exposes bad habits — like buying multiples of items that are almost, but not quite, right.
“I often see closets full of twelve to fifteen pairs of black pants that are nearly identical,” she said.
“The money spent on ten pairs that aren’t quite right could be spent on one fantastic pair you reach for again and again.”
She encourages clients to run a simple CPW test: compare your most-worn item to your least-worn one. The difference is usually stark.
“You’ll get a better CPW by spending more on the blazer you wear fifty days a year than on the sequin tank you wear once,” Symes said.
Her rule of thumb? Allocate about 25% of your clothing budget to core essentials, another 25% to signature pieces — and use the remaining half for either trend-driven items or one high-quality splurge.
The takeaway, experts agree, isn’t to obsess over spreadsheets — but to shop with intention.
Because the most expensive piece in your closet isn’t the designer jacket you wear weekly — it’s the cheap one you never reach for.
