The basic calculation
A piece that cost 120 and was worn 30 times costs 4 per wear. The same price worn three times costs 40 per wear. The comparison makes your real use more visible than the price tag alone.
Estimate wears if exact counting becomes a chore. The direction of the pattern matters more than false precision.
What the number leaves out
Dry cleaning, repairs, resale value, discomfort and the importance of a one-off occasion don’t show up automatically. A formal piece worn twice may have done its job perfectly. A cheap shoe worn often but painfully is not a win.
- Add big care and repair costs when they change the picture.
- Compare everyday pieces with each other, not with occasion wear.
- Don’t keep an unsuitable piece just to lower its cost per wear.
- Notice which shapes and fabrics keep earning repeat wears.
Use the pattern before the next purchase
Look at your hardest-working pieces and ask what they share: comfort, color, care, fit or how easily they combine. Those qualities are better shopping criteria than the number itself.
Before the next buy, run the piece through “Should I buy this?” in Shop. Seeing which of your clothes it goes with is the best early predictor of whether it will earn its keep.
Key takeaways
- A low cost per wear can signal a genuinely useful piece.
- The number ignores comfort, upkeep and sentimental value unless you add them.
- Use it to learn patterns, not to justify sunk costs.
