Luxury Items Series: How to get more out of your high end items
I’m starting a little series here on This Mama Needs a Vacay – it’s a luxury items edition. You know those items that can cost up to a mortgage payment (ahem – like a Gucci belt), but aren’t for anyone else in your family except YOU! (and maybe your teenaged daughter.)
Each post I will be sharing any sale alerts, links to similar items at more affordable price points and style tips for big ticket fashion items that many of us see on social media and magazines that we covet. But like most women, paying THAT much for a PURSE (or a belt, or shoes or…) can seem ridiculous. I mean we could pay for an entire season of hockey for our kids instead or for even a week of groceries for our teenaged kids! (if you know, you know). However way you chose to spend your hard earned money is up to you and these big ticket items are most certainly not for everyone. But if you are on the fence to justify a big purchase, or even just looking for similar more affordable items, then keep checking in here to follow along with this series.
Gucci Belt Edition
This week I’m talking about that one, small item you’ve seen EVERYWHERE. The rise of the ‘Gucci Gang’, and specifically the popularity of the Gucci Marmont belt. Personally, I am a fan of the slim black leather version of it, as I am generally a fan of a slimmer belt because it feels more classic and timeless to me. Plus it is also the least expensive option!
Money Saving Tip:
This belt DOES NOT go on sale. Sorry, let me just break that news to you right now. NO SALE prices. Even if you wanted to shop for it on consignment (and I did some research for you) , you won’t find any substantial savings, because it a high in demand item.
What you could do is, save up for it. Yep – save up for a belt, sounds weird, but if that’s what you want, then no judgement here. You could get a small discount if you purchase it from a retailer that has it’s own rewards program or offers incentives for signing up for their own credit card. Saks Fifth Avenue has the Saks First credit card and offers 10% savings on your first purchase with their credit card. Similarly Nordstrom has it’s own rewards card. BUT please read the fine print, ask an associate in store to clarify since Gucci is often excluded on any kind of discount.
Tip: Nordstrom has a great return policy, so you take the item home, think it over for a month and if you need to return it because it really isn’t something that makes you feel good about yourself, then they have a great return policy.
Basically if you want the Gucci belt – you’ll have to pay full price for it.
Style Tip:
Whether you purchase a Gucci belt, another designer, another good quality leather belt or even a vegan version, you can can make it work more for you. Take it to a shoemaker who can add an extra hole, this is usually done at no charge. I purchased my belt with the intent of wearing it on trousers or jeans around my waist, but then had an extra hold added (for no charge!) so that I could wear it higher up on my torso when wearing a dress. This way I can elevate a simple dress and draw attention to the thinnest part of my torso which for most women is just below their ribcage.
Value:
Is it worth buying a designer belt? This is always subjective. The answer is always up to you. A little trick to help you value an item is to figure out the price per wear. This is basically the only belt I wear, so whenever I need to wear a belt, this is the one I reach for. So if I wear it 3 times a week for one year, it breaks down to basically $3/wear for this belt over a year. I’ve had it for over two years now, so I’ve gotten even more wear out of it.
If you have many belts, or prefer variety, then perhaps you won’t get the same price per wear out of it. If you prefer vegan and don’t want leather, you could look at a canvas option from Gucci, or a pleather version like some that I’ve suggested in my shop section below.
Resale Value:
When we tire of items or not longer have any need for them, what do we often do? We donate them or give them to someone. However, with luxury items most often you can consign and get a decent amount of your money back. I’ve gone and checked some reliable consignment stores, and this belt is a hot one. If they get one to sell, it sells basically at the current market value. Do I think this item will always retain it’s value? It’s tough to say, but Gucci has become a brand that has been retaining it’s value and has had high demand for the last few years.
Shop the Post: (affiliate links)
Loved this focused blog post on the Gucci belt—can’t wait for more! I would probably get this if it ever went on sale, but otherwise I’d rather save and get different ones to change things up.
I’ll keep you posted if I ever see it on sale!
These are all really amazing tips especially for somebody who does not ever wander into luxury items. Love the idea of reselling when you’re done because it’s so true that sometimes people want the item but don’t want to pay the full price. Great options for both ends.
Thank you so much for that!
I’ve never thought about investing in a belt, I usually just get something inexpensive that looks my style and mostly in black and tan. But this getting me to think about putting more thought into it. Thanks for the insight!