in case you haven’t noticed, i’ve toned down the exorbitantly expensive features of late. not that we shouldn’t all be supporting the economy, but well, i know i’ve been spending more time at gap than nordstrom lately, so i assume the same is true of most of you.
that said, i’m always a fan of the occasional, well-placed splurge. but how do you decide whether something really is a “worthy splurge”? today, i’m going to share my cardinal splurge rules with you (exciting, i know).
at $246, this bold “lollipop skirt” from tibi certainly qualifies as a potential splurge. plus it’s bold, colorful, and definitely unique. i spied it over at chick downtown, and decided it was the perfect test case.
before you even start, make sure you love it. really and truly. not just that it’s “fun” or “pretty” or “useful.” if it’s truly worthy, it makes you smile when you wear it – plain and simple. once that’s decided, i use a pretty straightforward “3-2-1” formula to weigh a splurge, as i find that pure logic sometimes helps in the face of unrelenting temptation:
wearability: can i think of at least 3 completely different ways to wear the item?
longevity: can i envision it being worn in at least 2 different decades (other than this one)?
uniqueness: is it unique? or, put another way, do i have even 1 other item in my closet that could do what this item does?
in the case of this lovely tibi: wearability options seem pretty endless. make it classic with a sleeveless white shell and sandals, turn it tomboy with a ribbed tank and boyfriend blazer or leather jacket, or add a cardigan and a scarf to wear it to the office. as for longevity, i can definitely see this in the 60s and the 80s, and even the early 90s – can’t you see your mom wearing something like this when she was in high school? and as for being unique, i certainly don’t have anything like it in my closet.
on my 3-2-1 scale, the tibi skirt measures up pretty perfectly. of course, all of this hinges on fit: the one rule that trumps all of the others. a splurge simply has to make you look and feel amazing…or really, what’s the point?
so, what do you think? is this tibi a worthy splurge to you?
