Monday 16 August 2010

This old thing? I’ve had it for ages. No, really!


Have you got an old favourite lurking in your wardrobe? I know I have. 
It’s a gorgeous but simple black Vivien Westwood dress. I must have worn it over a hundred times already, but I'm convinced I'll be toddling off to get my pension in it in years to come. Topped with a plastic rain bonnet of course.

In these days where everything seems disposable and new items are in danger of going out of fashion before you get them home, some research from M&S* money is quaintly reassuring.

Apparently six million women hang on to their ‘LBD’ (little black dress) or its equivalent for an average of 12 years. 

These are what the researchers found are women’s top old favourites, with one in ten items dating back to the 80’s!

1 Shoes
2 Jacket/coat
3 Top
4 Handbag
5 Jeans

Most people surveyed said they hung on to the item because it was of a quality that stood the test of time. I wonder how many of today’s ‘cheap’ fashion items will last 12 years, or even 12 washes?
It does highlight what a false economy those quick-fix low-price Primark-type purchases can be. Clearly cost-per-wear - not actual price ticket - is the critical factor to take into account when buying fashion.

*M&S Money (the trading name of Marks & Spencer Financial Services) was founded in 1985 as the financial services division of Marks and Spencer Group plc, making 2010 the company's 25th anniversary.

The company is a top-ten credit card provider and the second-largest travel money retailer in the UK. M&S Money also offers a range of insurance cover, including home insurance and car insurance, as well as loans, savings and investment products.


2 comments:

  1. I've got a few 80's things and lots of 90's stuff too. If it's more classic than fashionable you can just accessorise to bring it up to date ....or is it I just never have time to shop now?

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  2. Dead right, lots of stuff can be updated or even reappears in the fashion pages (who'd have thought we'd ever see should-pads again, for example, but they're back)! A couple of guys have responded to my tweets on this topic and say they've got old punk t-shirts from the 80's. They're so relieved they can now call them 'vintage' and get away with still wearing them. You can take the idea a bit too far....

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