We talk about Return On Investment (ROI) in business all the time, but when it comes to our closets, we rarely ask: Was it worth it? Why is that? Let me give you a hint: there’s an inconvenient truth here: admitting our disappointing purchases means confronting the money we’ve lost. Who likes to talk about money, we “threw out of the window” as my grandma used to say, for a red sequin dream of a skirt which keeps reminding me of Santa Claus? Or a shimmer-glitter version of a jacquard dress, which feels one generation too short for me if I’m being honest.
Fashion Psychology: Why We Buy What We Buy
Our favourite pieces bring out the best in us, don’t they? We feel confident and in control, which, especially in situations in our professional life, is half the work. On the contrary, I still have pieces in my closet I rarely look at because I haven’t made the best memories with them. I bought them for a variety of reasons, most of them being driven by some FOMO: FOMO driven by trends, identity, and the need to belong.
And that’s the thing about clothes – they hold more than fabric; they hold emotion, which is precisely why we need a new way to measure their real value.
Your Wardrobe Is a Portfolio - Start Managing It Like One
What if your wardrobe worked like your bank account – where every wear adds value, not debt?
That’s the idea behind Wardrobe ROI: a blend of cost per wear and emotional return per wear. It’s the finance logic of fashion: just like assets, some pieces appreciate with time, while others lose value the moment you bring them home. Your timeless blazer that’s been styled ten different ways? A style asset. That trend-driven top you wore twice? A fast fashion liability. In finance, we call that depreciation. In fashion, it’s what happens when your clothes spend more time waiting than being worn. The real risk isn’t the purchase – it’s the idle potential sitting in your closet. So, I challenge you to photograph every piece you own and start building new outfit combinations – especially the ones you’ve never tried before. Dream about your wardrobe. Reimagine your outfits. Because the more you wear what you have, the higher your Wardrobe ROI becomes.
Picture me in Hamburg at the beginning of the summer in a charity shop where I found my latest Harris Tweed (men’s) blazer: two sizes too big and slightly smelling of history. It was love at first fit, but it swallowed me whole. A few tailoring tweaks (and another EUR 60 investment) later, it went from too oversized to perfectly oversized. Which is why I’m challenging the idea that the real cost of fast fashion is financial – it’s the chaos it leaves behind. Let me explain.
When Style Turns into Stress
The cluttered closets. The guilt of forgotten purchases. The decision fatigue of having “nothing to wear” in a closet full of clothes. Every impulse (‘but it just looks so nice’) buy adds up – not just in euros, but in mental noise. So, the actual hidden cost is psychological. We keep chasing the next new thing, hoping it’ll make us feel fresh/put-together/’that Pinterest-worthy girl´ again – but it rarely does.
Redefining “ROI” in fashion gives us control back – over our money, our mindset, and our identity. It’s about shifting from reacting to trends to investing in ourselves. That’s the essence of fashion psychology – how what we wear becomes a mirror of who we are and who we aspire to be.
Here’s one key takeaway for you: Conscious consumption isn’t about perfection; it’s about intention. Wearing what you have. Choosing secondhand first. Buying new only when it’s built to last. And when you do, choose brands that ethically honor culture, family tradition and slow craftsmanship.
And maybe, just maybe, the best investment you’ll ever make isn’t a stock – it’s a jacket you’ll still love ten years from now.
