About to make a new fashion purchase? Break down the cost over time, then decide

Opting to ditch the cheapest items on the sales rack in favour of maximising the value of your fashion purchases over the span of their lifecycles may save you money in the long term. Photo: stocksnap.io

For Jake Welch, getting dressed is one big math problem.

The 36-year-old brand director for an advertising firm calculates the cost-per-wear of his wardrobe by highlighting 200 items in a spreadsheet – excluding underwear and socks – and meticulously listing the price he paid for each of them as well as how many times he's worn it.