What Not To Invest In

I talk a lot about investment pieces. I even did an entire episode of Fashion Friday on it! While I do think that investing your money and voting with your dollar is incredibly important, there are a few things that just aren't worth the money that people spend on them. Here are just some of the things that you're better off pinching your pennies on.

DESIGNER SUNGLASSES

Did you know that the glasses you buy at Target are made in the same location as Chanel, Gucci, Versace, Stella McCartney, and countless others? They are all owned by an Italian based company called Luxottica. Sunglass Hut carries brands that you pay hundreds for, that were made right next to the $20 pair. You may like the looks of them, but at the end of the day, you are just going to bend them, break them, or leave them on the bar one Friday night. It's better to "go get yourself some cheap sunglasses" as ZZ Top says. For instance, there was a special I just watched on trends for Spring 2017 that included a $400 pair of aviators with yellow lenses. I got an identical pair at Pre to Post Modern Vintage for $12. I've attached the 60 minutes special on Luxottica so you can learn more!

COSTUME JEWELRY

OK, so, this is a bit of a grey area. I don't condone going to the nearest Forever 21 and buying them all out of their Arrow bracelets and midi rings. But as far as your "going out" jewelry, it doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg. If you're not going to be wearing these pieces on a regular basis, you're far better off going the vintage route. Raid your grandmother's jewelry box! I'm not kidding! My favorite pieces are a gold bracelet that belonged to my grandmother in the 70's. It's a fox that wraps around my entire wrist. It didn't cost me a fortune! Head to your local vintage boutique and drop $20 on something for your next night out. No one else will have it! That's for sure! I also am a huge supporter of independent small business jewelry designers. Here is a photo of one of the old video shoots I did. My 1940's onyx ring was from a swap, and my cuff is from Fernweh Jewels. Check out Instagram and Etsy to discover some hidden gems (no pun intended)

TRENDY PIECES THAT WILL DIE OUT

You know the ones I'm talking about. The chokers, the cold shoulder tops, all of that. In ten years, we will look back and laugh at how silly we thought these trends were. In twenty years, our kids will be wearing them. Now is not the time to spend oodles of money on things that have a shelf life of fifteen minutes. Stick to dropping dough on clothes that will last for years that you'll actually want to wear. Don't put your money to waste for a cute picture on Instagram!

What do you invest in? What do you need to get better about? I know that I tend to buy "wow!" pieces without investing in basic staples to hold them all together. BUT! That was one of my resolutions for the year!