How to Justify a Splurge...

We've all done it at various times: paid too much for something and either happily lived with it or admitted we made a mistake.

It's rare the splurge itself isn't fraught with machinations of justification, ranging from "I deserve this" to  "If I wear it four times a week for ten years it will cost nothing". Sometimes there is no hesitation and only regret. Think of a Mimosa-filled brunch with friends that ends with the group trolling through Saks Fifth Avenue and, well, you can guess what happens.

Sometimes the splurge does not justify itself immediately. I treasure an unusual, pricey dress by a designer no longer in business that I purchased almost 20 years ago. It's a style vaguely '20s but not really and can be tied several ways for different looks. It always answers the What shall I wear to this thing? question. At the time I was not so sure. I just knew it was love.

RIP Christopher Deane

Likewise the reverse. You may hold onto that white $ilk shirt for years before realizing you have never worn it. By then it's yellowed a bit and won't button at the waist. This is easy to get rid of because you can always blame the short life of 100% silk.   

There are splurges for good, such as when you have found The Perfect Something-or-Other. This is the purchase that will stop your ever looking for it again: the perfect handbag, the perfect cashmere cardigan, the perfect pair of jeans. You will only search again when it's falling apart, way too late to have bought a second "just in case". Invariably this is the most expensive version of what you seek. If it's not, you may still keep looking.

There is something wonderful about buying a basic piece you will wear and wear, and every time you do you will know it's the best of its kind you could buy. I'm not talking about spending $600 for a pair of pants from The Row. That's only paying for the name, and we're not playing that game.

Any time I've done it (and there have not been many), I've never been sorry. In fact fairly recently I did something similar. I've had a pair of slim leg double knit black pull on pants for years that were probably $15 at TJ Maxx. Even though they look good and still do, really, I am aware that A) someday they are going to fall apart and B) they are not The Best. 

When I get dressed to impress (so to speak) I'm very aware those pants are not "good". So when I came across their equivalent from Vince (also at T J Maxx but in The Runway) I plunked down the $100 and am not sorry. It does make a difference; you know what you are wearing.

Don't worry, as I have, that paying too much for a basic will set you on the slippery slope where you will henceforth only be happy with $475 Loro Piana t-shirts. We've long been told that it's better to have fewer items of quality than many which are not. As someone who loves volume and choice, I've not always agreed. In the case of a good basic, I can now see the wisdom. 

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There are three categories of splurges:

THE WAIT-AND-SEE
This one operates with a carefully thought out battle plan. You dream about it, locate it, find the best price, dream some more, start justifying, etc. I'm presently trying to find a tiny but thick pair of real gold hoop earrings on a post, not impossible because I found a cheap, costume jewelry pair. My search for the real thing is a great excuse to go shopping. I've yet to find them, but I will splurge when I do. I just hope it's not too soon.

THE SPONTANEOUS
I'm all for this splurge because one never knows when you will fall for something. Unless it's a flash sale or final markdown, you can usually put it on hold. Go home, think about it, come back, try it on again. After all that you should know. If you don't/can't put it on hold you may be playing a game of Russian roulette. If you lose you can always convince yourself "it wasn't meant to be." Personally, I don't enjoy that game. I'd rather buy it and return it.

THE AFFORDABLE
You really don't need it, but it won't set you back much. This is kind of my philosophy when trolling through a vintage store or a sales rack. I might not need it, but it scratches some itch. I set a $30 limit for myself and don't look back. Over time, however, these "little splurges" can add up. I try not to do the math.

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Now no one likes returning something. If not an admission of guilt, the return will be an inconvenience at best, an annoyance at worst. I counsel, in the immortal words of Cher in "Moonstruck", get over it. I understand; it's a hurdle, but you will feel so much better unloading this thing you don't really want. Just don't make it a habit.

Always know the store's return policy. Have you ever been confronted with "no returns, exchanges only" when trying to get your money back? This mainly happens at small, expensive boutiques where you have spent too much by even going in (longing can be costly).

In conclusion a splurge can be justified with some kind of logic (twisted or otherwise) and can (usually) be rectified should your cooler head prevail. In any case a splurge is an act best made sparingly.

PS While researching images, I found the photo of that dress, above, on Poshmark, along with a cropped blouse version in the same arresting print. Well, I already have the dress, but I just bought the blouse. $25—an affordable splurge.