Finding and Storing Investment Pieces
With the Primark’s of the world driving our lust for cheaper garments, the mantra “out with the new” is creating an increasingly fickle breed of shoppers. The average woman spends as much as £84,000 over a lifetime on clothes*, and you bet your bottom dollar that much of it will be relegated to the back of a wardrobe within a couple of wears.
Recent research at Big Yellow Self Storage reveals that despite spending so much money on clothes, two-thirds (63%) of us view our purchases as purely functional and throw away. But there is a new group of savvy shoppers who understand that a collection of clothes can be more than once worn glad rags – they can be an investment too. Selecting key pieces and knowing how to store them effectively is paramount.
Here are some top tips:
- Investment pieces don’t have to be designer – costing thousands – the high street is a goldmine of collectable clothes that over time will significantly go up in value as long as they are stored and looked after properly.
- Seek items that are only available for a short length of time. H&M collaborations with high end designers such as Matthew Williamson, Versace and Marni have already increased in value.
- Classic pieces always stand the test of time but won’t necessarily become sought after in the future – wacky, quirky, fun and controversial pieces are more likely to command interest.
- Store your clothing in a regulated environment to avoid damp, mould and mildew getting onto the clothes. Never store in the attic or cellar as these are prone to extreme heat in the summer & freezing cold atmosphere in the winter, which will ruin the clothes instantly.
- Don’t store fabrics against wood and bear in mind that certain fabrics need specific care i.e. use muslin or acid free tissue between delicate fabrics for added protection.
- One of the best ways to store handbags is to put them in plastic boxes to allow air to circulate. Just make sure the boxes are big enough so that you are not folding over the bag handles.
- Sterling silver jewellery tends to tarnish easily (the result of a natural reaction between silver and the air and environment) – store it in an airtight container or zip lock bag to prevent this happening or with anti-tarnish strips (you can also use silica gel).
Finally, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the pricing of your investment pieces to see if they’ve grown in value (and to be able to decide when to sell). Of course, searching on eBay will return bids for similar garments, but one simple no hassle way to keep track of specific pieces is to create a Google alert for each item. For example create an alert for “Mary Katrantzou limited edition Topshop” and be notified by email whenever anyone mentions the garment on websites, blogs or forums (you can choose to be notified once daily, weekly or “as it happens”). Refine the words in your alert if you get over generalised results. Alerts are also a good way to track prospective investment pieces and help you get the best price.
*Study by Sure Women Linen Dry.
About the author:
Drew writes for Big Yellow. Their large wardrobe-sized locker storage is perfect for storing high quality fabrics. For more tips, see their blog.