It's friday so that means let's talk spending money! Above is a vintage Chanel silk skirt suit. I love a good Chanel suit as the next homo, but would I spend $2,000 on this? Even if it fit me? No. Why? A couple of reasons, one its not flattering for almost anyone. The color alone is ugly, plus it is from the late 1960's. For those who are not in the Chanel Cult, the late 60's was an interesting time Chanel. It was about ten years into her second attempt at Haute Couture at the 75-85 years old. Most of her pieces from this time are not her best by far. If you are going to spend 2000 dollars on a vintage Chanel piece, look for something pre-WWII, and get it in black. Chanel rarely ventured outside of the dark colors, except for the occasional khaki, camel and Red. I know I just ranted about black, but for Chanel there is no better color. Another issue I have with this piece, despite the color, is it is designed for a larger woman, but the pattern is a horizontal stripe. Can you say visual wide load? Plus it's not very structured, so that adds width, instead of hiding it.
Ok now that rant is out of the way. Time for Your Gay Best Friend's Laws of Spending part 1.
1. Never spend more then half your paycheck on a piece of clothing, or non-jewelry accessory.
But of course there are exceptions to every rule in my play book. Let's look at those.
First exception. A Wedding Dress. Never skim on a wedding dress, your wedding is your special day, where every woman wants and deserves to be the center of attention. This is the ONLY thing I would ever suggest spending an entire month's worth of pay on. Hell if you find one you like, spend a couple month's worth of income on it. Make it an heirloom.
Second exception. Classic accessories. Classic accessories come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, with some slight variation for personal taste. Here is a list of the classics.
Black Heels: Every woman in the world should have at least one pair of black heels. These heels should be at least 2 inches, and should be no more then 4inches(some exceptions for higher heels but not much). These shoes should be something that can go with almost every outfit, and for almost every season. Don't blow three quarters of your paycheck on a pair of strappy black Jimmy Choos. I know that Jimmy Choos are sexy, and they are classy, but think how foolish you would look going to a formal holiday party in a heeled pair of Gladiator style sandals? Yea I thought so. Exception, if you live in the warmer climates, aka where you don't have seasons, like Florida and Southern California. When looking for a pair of heels look at shoe itself, for a good all season shoe look for either a pump, or a sling-back. These are sexy, and can be worn year round, with skits, dresses and pants. I am personally fond of a pointed toe and so should you unless of course you have like a 55 mile inseam. In all my days I can only think of a handful of women who were too tall for pointed toes. If you fall into this category go for a more blunt toe, or a round toe. A peep-toe is also a big hit in my book, as long as it is just a peep, not a full on toe show. And of course if the soles are red, they are that much hotter! So review. 2-4 inch heel(skinnier heels are better. No Wedges for you!) black is key, and all season so either a slingback or a pump. Pointy toes, unless you are a million miles tall, or a peep toe, but not a toe show. See pictures below.
A neutral clutch: The clutch, probably one of the most useless things a woman could ever have, but one of the most used accessories. I mean what is the point of carrying a round a small bag that you maybe can fit a tube of lipstick, an ID, and if your really resourceful a condom in? With that said this useless accessory is a staple in any woman's wardrobe. Hey I don't make the rules, I just make them work. Your lifestyle will determine the style, color and price tag for this clutch. If you are a college student who goes out to the bar all the time, but doe not have many fancy events, go for something sparkly, or maybe with a bit more color(not too much tho.) Get a nice leather Dooney at the outlet store. If you are a woman who has a classier social life then a college bar, get something with versatility and class. May I suggest a black Chanel? Get the picture? And for simple convence stake do two things when shopping for a new clutch. First bring everything you might possibly need when carrying it(money, ID, Lipstick, phone, and condom) this way you can try it out in the store. Even Saks will understand if you bring these in. Secondly get a clutch that has either a removable wristlet or even a nice shoulder strap. Key is make sure they can come off when you need them too. Unless you are the college student at the bar. A permanent leash to your wrist is probably the wisest option.
Your LBD: Like I have mentioned earlier the LBD is one thing every woman must have. If you only own one dress, it better be little and black. This is another classic that I can totally understand and even support you spending your paycheck, or two, on. What other article of clothing will you ever own can do as much as a good LBD? Nothing. That's right nothing will ever beat this. It is a perfect base for any outfit, from a night out, to a wedding, to a client business dinner. So how to pick one out. First length, depending on your age, your social life, and your body type the length can range from above the knee to a tea length. If you are a young stick party animal then a shorter skirt is good. Remember it should be short enough to be interesting, but long enough to not give every thing away. If you are older, or larger, or have a more professional social life, go for a tea length. I personally like strapless, because it is the most versatile, but if you do not feel comfortable in strapless, go for a halter top, or thin strap. If you are built like a linebacker go for thicker straps, it makes your shoulders look thinner. Your LBD should give you a bit of cleavage, but give less away, and leave more to the imagination. If you have some extra baggage around the middle go for an empire waist. Otherwise a fitted bodice is always appropriate. For my own personal taste I like skirts that flow, like an A-line. But if you have the body for it, get something tight. If you need inspiration Google Little Black Dress, Chanel. As she was the creator of the LBD. Lastly Keep it classy, and keep it black. Add color other ways, not in patterns.
A mid sized purse: No matter who you are, you should have a mid sized purse. I am not talking about a purse that you could fit your entire family in, but definitely bigger then your useless clutch. Here is where you can spend some serious cash, and add color. You should be able to fit the following in your purse: a wallet( or that useless clutch) basic makeup kit(for touch ups) a handful of tampons(do I really need to explain?) a Tide to Go Pen(who doesn't need one of these?) and still have room for all that random stuff that magically appears at the bottom of any purse. If you are going to invest in a purse, make sure it's classic in design, and is in a color you are going to like for a couple of years. So do not buy some lime green and purple striped Burkin Bag. If you are going to go through the trouble of getting a Burkin Bag make sure its at least a neutral if you can. I would strongly suggest either a black, brown or red purse. All three of these colors go with most things, and do not show dirt as much as say a white bag. Black and Brown are classy, where Red is starting to make a run for class as well, plus it is a nice statement. Also pick a purse that is a complement to the main color of your wardrobe. If you were a lot of pink, don't buy a hot red, or orange bag etc.
Also Jackets are something you can spend a large amount of money on. I have too much to say about jackets, they are a whole other blog entry. Look for that next friday on What Not to Buy!
So there are the classic staples you can spend more then half your paycheck on. Other then that think long and hard about if you really need that pink and blue striped pant suit that costs more then half your paycheck. lastly never spend more then half your paycheck on something you will never wear more then once or twice.
