The Balancing Act

With the economy the way it is, now, more than ever, it is important that fashionable young women decide what is really important and what is worth spending money on.  Personally, I rarely spend much on individual items of clothing.  I love finding great pieces at thrift and consignment shops, and stores like H&M are great for trendy clothes that are affordable, too.  However, there are two features of my final look that I will spend more for: my skin and my haircut.  At the end of the day, all make-up, from the drugstore or MAC, looks better on clean skin and a great haircut complements any outfit you put on.  Also, unlike that $300 pair of jeans, your skin and hair come with you everywhere, everyday.  Both lead to increased self confidence, too, which always makes you look infinitely better.  They’re really the ultimate investment pieces.

I know that many women love to spend big bucks on shoes and bags.  My problem with that?  Because I commute to New York every day, my shoes wear out faster than most people's – and not just from the normal wear of the sidewalk.  There are grates everywhere, people are going to step on your feet, and you never know what you may accidentally step in (eek!).  I really can’t justify spending hundreds of dollars on shoes that are just going to be worn to death.  Also, because of the commuting, my bags get a lot of wear.  I have to carry so much every day (water bottle, book, iPod, sometimes other shoes) that bags get stretched out and put on the floor fairly often.

But that’s my life.  Knowing your daily habits and what’s most important to you should be the determining factor in what you decide to spend your money on.  When I lived in the Midwest and South and drove everywhere, I was much more willing to spend money on shoes (mostly heels, which I wear much less frequently now).  I’m all for keeping up with the basics of the current trends, just make sure it always translates to your life.  Nothing’s worse than tearing up your feet to wear those great six inch wedges and not being able to walk for two days afterwards…trust me.