T-Shirt
Save or Spend? Save.
Experts Say: Save on tees because "you wear them close to your skin, so you wash them more, and they don't have that long of a shelf life," says Mary Lou Andre, a Boston-based wardrobe consultant and the author of
Ready to Wear (Perigee, $17,
www.amazon.com). Plus, white ones usually lose the fight with underarm-perspiration marks. "Go for a good fit first and for fabric that doesn't look flimsy," says Kendall Farr, a stylist and the author of
The Pocket Stylist (Gotham, $20
www.amazon.com). "Both of these criteria can be accomplished at good prices."
Jeans
Save or Spend? Spend.
Experts Say: Jeans might have been created for miners and manual laborers, but today you can wear them everywhere — in the backyard when you rake leaves, to work, and to dinner with friends. Splurge on one or two good pairs, suggests Farr. Premium denim has an attractive dark wash and the right amount of stretch and should fit better than a cheaper pair. Consider hemming one pair for flat shoes and another for heels, says Farr, so the length always looks just right.
Hosiery
Save or Spend? Save.
Experts Say: Hosiery will run. That $40 pair may take a little longer to ladder, but in winter especially, you're usually better off buying multiple pairs
of cheaper tights than one or two pairs of expensive ones, says New York–based image consultant Annie Brumbaugh. If you can afford it, expensive hosiery does "fit great, feel great, and hold up well," says Brumbaugh. But if you're looking for a place to save, skip the deluxe
version and buy a few cheap pairs for the same price.
Bra
Save or Spend? Spend.
Experts Say: Bras are a good investment item because they can affect your overall look, says Tim Gunn, chair of the department of fashion design at Parsons The New School for Design and a mentor on Bravo's
Project Runway. Focus on the fit. "A great bra can make a 5- to 10-pound difference in your appearance," says Amanda Sanders, a New York–based image consultant. "The bigger your bust, the more important the fit is. If you have a smaller chest, a quality bra can make the most of what you have."
