Women in their thirties reflect on the best fashion piece they’ve invested in
image via @lizsunshine/INSTAGRAM
as told to daisy henry
“I want to choose clothes wisely, build my style slowly and repeat outfits often.”
While I believe in the notion that with age comes wisdom, I also know this never happens overnight. Rarely do we wake up on the morning of a birthday with a sudden, life-changing realisation about ourselves. More often, those kinds of revelations come gradually, through time and experience.
Depending on how you approach it, age can be a catalyst for re-evaluating your values. Maybe you’ve reached your mid-twenties and found yourself reflecting on how you’ve changed in the past few years. Or perhaps your mid-thirties have prompted you to stop and reflect on how far you’ve come.
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When it comes to fashion, my attitude has evolved in large part with my age. I’ve slowed down my consumption habits and become more confident in what I do and don’t like to wear. With that in mind, I looked to some of the most fashionable women I know and asked them about how their relationship with fashion has changed as they’ve gotten older, starting with the best piece they’ve invested in since turning 30.
Jade Leung, fashion stylist
The 30s were the era I was able to finally afford the pieces I’d been coveting in my 20s. For me, it was always this Balenciaga Le City bag, with the obsession starting in the 2010s. There’s nothing more rewarding than being able to finally acquire an item you’ve always wanted, so this bag represents a lot of commitment, persistence and hard work. Even though it went through over a decade of being in trend, then out, then coming back in again now, I’m always going to love and cherish this bag and what being able to finally buy it means to me. Most of all, I love all the trinkets I’ve collected along the way.
Lara Daly, Fashion Journal‘s Features Editor
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learnt to invest in the practical pieces I wear the most often: denim, outerwear and knitwear. I spend a lot more on a pair of jeans now than I used to (my favourites are by Kahe and APC), but I really look after them, knowing they’ll last. I also invested in a Frisson Knits jumper last year that I’ve worn to death through Melbourne’s winter.
But I think my smartest investment piece to date is a camel trench coat by NZ designer Penny Sage, it’s perfect and I look forward to pulling it out every Autumn. I think you should never compromise on quality outerwear as you’ll keep those pieces forever! I’ve yet to invest in any overly ‘glamorous’ clothing – I might save that for my 40s.
Erika Geraerts, writer and founder of Fluff
When I really think about it, my wardrobe choices haven’t changed with age but rather influence (and not the TikTok kind). I’m talking about books, people, conversations, stores, and learning about designers, fabrics and truly questioning what I like. This, for me, isn’t something that peaks at 30 but it’s a realisation people can have at any age, pending their surrounds.
My favourite fashion pieces are all black, can be dressed up and down and don’t have overt logos or branding. You wouldn’t know where they’re from but they’re beautiful and their quality has meant they’re still in my wardrobe a decade later.
These pieces include a black Parra Bomber I borrowed from an ex boyfriend and never gave back (cost: a six year relationship); black boots from Ann Demeulemeester which I bought secondhand from Vestiaire Collective for about $800; black tailored trousers from Acne Studio, which I’ve had for 10 years and cost between $600 to $1000; and a black strapless evening dress from Rick Owens which would’ve cost me a few thousand dollars. I really believe in investing in timeless pieces like this that you’ll have forever. Also, there’s something nice about not wearing the same thing as everyone else.
Harriet Pudney, writer
I don’t think my everyday style has changed hugely since hitting my 30s but what I go for when I want to look hot certainly has. Ten years ago, something as slinky as this silk jersey Paris Georgia dress would have made me feel like I was in costume, pretending to be an adult. Now, I feel totally at home.
That’s not to mention it came to me essentially by divine provenance. I saw a woman wearing a dress just like it at the Brunswick Green last April and spent weeks searching ‘black backless halter dress’ without success. Months later, I got served an Instagram ad for the brand’s online warehouse sale. This dress wasn’t pictured but I clicked through and found it several pages in, $130 down from $600. It was meant to be, I just need more occasions to wear it.
Tali Zevi, founder of Who Boutique and Exotic Import
I would say the biggest shift in my 30s was that I started dressing for comfort and not for the male gaze. Once you remove dressing for other people, I think that’s when you truly find your personal style. In terms of tracksuits and baggy T-shirts, the two things I feel the most comfortable in and as I could never find the perfect cut of either, so I decided to design my own which has now become the biggest investment I’ve ever made. Good quality T-shirts can set you back $89, which can seem like a big investment for a top but as I get older I realise that feeling good in clothes is priceless.
Liz Sunshine, writer and photographer
My best investment piece is a JLC Reverso watch. All of my jewellery is sentimental and my husband and I bought this one together for our 10-year wedding anniversary. It feels like the perfect balance of everything I love: quality, utility, craftsmanship and design. The simple white face flips on a special mechanism to reveal a second black face with diamonds.
The dual-face design actually dates back to the 1930s. It was originally created to protect the dial during polo matches by letting the wearer flip the case around to show a solid metal back instead of the glass. In the 1990s, it evolved into the duel watch face version I own. I’ve worn this watch every day for the past two years and I plan to wear it for life.
My approach to building my wardrobe has recently switched to looking at everything as an investment. Whether it’s a singlet or a watch, I want to choose clothes wisely, build my style slowly and repeat outfits often. It’s also thinking about the toll that fashion has on our natural world. I love beautiful clothes but not at the cost of other people or the planet.
For more on investment pieces, try this.
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