Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Best value per wear items in my closet

 (Note, no referral links - these are just my own recommendations)

When I think of what I wear the most, and what I get the most value per wear out of in my closet, the hands down winner to those questions are easily...workout wear! Not only are those items designed to last, I work out A LOT. 

It's always interesting to see what holds up, and for me, it's across a variety of price points. Every one of these items has a ridiculously low per wear cost at this point, which is interesting to see, despite the semi-varied initial cost. 

Workout clothes:

  • Swiftwick workout socks. I ordered a second round recently, but my first batch lasted close to 10 years, and that's wearing multiple times/week. 
  • Amazon workout tanks. I own six of these, so three packs. They fit well, aren't too big, too roomy, too tight, too drapey. They are there for hard work! I'd say mine are 6+ years old & are still going strong. I wash them, & then line dry them, although in a pinch (traveling, etc), I put them in the dryer. 
  • Zella workout capri length pants. I purchased the first couple of pair at a Nordstrom anniversary sale pre moving to the bay area, so definitely pre-2013. I have bought up all the remaining pair on my size on eBay, and they are no longer available. I wear these pants multiple times a week for 13+ years, definitely gotten my money's worth. They are all going to fail at the same time, and the struggle to find a replacement is going to be difficult. I've tried a lot, and finding a pair of workout pants that stays put while running & fits comfortably is a struggle! I ripped the bottom of one pair hiking & I was incredibly sad. RIP, fair pants. 
  • Champion sports bras. These are the older school kind, purchased from Amazon a million years ago. They don't make them in the way I like anymore, and I've attempted & failed to find replacements. The search continues. Similar to the rest of the above, these get worn multiple times a week.
  • Brooks running shoes. I prefer the Ghost. I try to look for sales, and I order multiple pair at the same time, and rotate them. They are not cheap, so look for an offer, if you need running shoes. When the support goes, I keep them for "errand" shoes, and get another 6 months or so out of them.
  • Uniqlo full zip workout jacket - I bought this at the Haneda airport Uniqlo, and as far as I can tell, it's only available in Japan. It has UV protection & is very thin. I wear it several times/week. 
  • Athleta In Motion Seamless tank - I have this in three colors. I like the higher neckline over the Amazon tanks, so typically wear this for hiking, walks, etc. I also wear them almost every day around the house in the spring or summer. They don't look like workout tanks when paired with a sweater/cardigan, for work calls. They fit well & have been washed 50+ times. 
  • Lululemon Align Leggings - all Lulu is basically overpriced, but M bought me a pair five or so years ago, or whenever they first came out. they are the most comfortable leggings I've ever worn, and are more go to, around the house pants. I will also wear them on walks or hiking, but not for a run, as the band slips. I also don't prefer them for a workout class. These are what I wear every day for remote work. As with all of my workout gear, I wash on delicate & line dry. 
Regular clothes:
  • Banana Republic Outlet dress pants - worn on maybe 15 work trips. Can be dressed up or down, packs well.
  • Tahari cropped jeans - I bought these at Ross for maybe $10 when I was in Spokane for a wedding 4 years ago. The have the frayed edges. I've worn them 100+ times, I'd say. A search turned up nothing similar, so no link.
  • Reef flip flops - I wear these a lot out of the house, around the pool, etc.
  • Sam Edelman natural leather slide sandals - bought these for Dubai spring break with my in laws, so it's been awhile. I wear them maybe 20 times/year. 
  • Gap tshirts - I like the basic kind
  • Loft Harbor tank tops - I own these in at least 4 colors. I like that I can pair them with a cardigan, or on their own. They cover bra straps, are a thick enough fabric that you can't see through them, and they are not tight. 
  • Rothy's slip on sneaker - I love that you can throw the entire shoe (or just the insole) in the wash. Have worn 100s of times, all over. 
  • A black semi sheer cardigan from Banana Republic that is at least 10 years old, I bought on clearance and I'm hoping to be buried in. ;) It's the perfect weight, goes with dresses, tank tops, and keeps you warm but can also be worn in hotter temps. 
Okay, that was a fun little stroll through my closet. Tell us about the lowest cost per wear items in your closet!

13 comments:

  1. My girls think I over were all my clothes! But, I have an Express ( do these stores exist anymore)mock turtleneck sweatshirt that was a gift, Christmas 1995, that's still going strong. I'd also say Sketcher slip on walking shoes. I need to replace, am over due on current pair, but since I wear literally every day, buying a pair every 7-9 months brings these to about 30 cents a wear or less.

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    1. I love that you & Anne both have incredibly long standing items. Those clothing items are doing some heroic work of lasting! I have heard good things about the Sketcher slip on shoes. For long travel days, I tend to wear a pair of New Balance shoes in white that can double as a workout shoe, and can be washed when I get home, because...airplane bathrooms. - HP

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  2. I have one pullover sweater that I wore when my youngest son had his first tubes put in his ears. He was 6 months old at the time. He is now grown, out of college for many years and married. And I still wear that sweater.

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    1. I love this! Do you know the brand? Sounds like amazing quality. - HP

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    2. I have no idea what the brand was. The tag came undone years ago, but the sweater is still going strong. And because it is navy, it is pretty much timeless.

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  3. Popping in to say that I love my zella leggings that I paid full price for 5 years ago and would do so again - I wear them for all my remote days, but can no longer feel good about wearing them out of the house. I have looked all over and cannot find the same pair. I also love my Athleta Breezy tank - have three different colors and live in them during the summer. I am tall and I need the Tall size. Additionally, I am really happy with my On Cloud shoes - I have two pairs that slip on and off for dog walks, grocery store, etc - no typing necessary. So happy I bought them and will get another summer color soon.

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    1. We have similar taste, Kathi! I have the Athleta Breezy, but prefer the In Motion, as they are shorter & don't need to be tucked in when I'm wearing proper pants. In fact, I just listed my Breezy tanks on eBay, because I'm not wearing them. I haven't tried the On Cloud shoes - do you wear them for working out, or more as a lifestyle shoe? - HP

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    2. HP - my On Clouds are just my everyday shoe. I do not use them for running (yet!). I'll have to try the In Motion tanks

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  4. Hmmm, I have a couple of pairs of pants that I have owned for probably 15 or more years. I also have a couple of tops of about the same age. They are of classic design and I wear all of them often.

    God bless.

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  5. I love the Brooks Ghost, too. And after I wear them almost out, they are my yard shoes. (:

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  6. I definitely wear my exercise clothes more then any other clothes I have because I exercise a lot. I don't wear them during the rest of the day though. I love Kiava 10 " black compression shorts. They have good side pockets. I'm 5'11" so I love the length. I wear Brooks Glycerin shoes and buy the last year's model and stock up like you do. I have several Athleta tall full length leggings with pockets that I wear outside and in the winter. They are the best for me and while expensive they last! I've only had to throw away one pair that got holes in the knee when I fell running and severely broke my wrist. I was so sad to have to throw those away! I have a Athleta running jacket that I've had for probably 20 years and it still going strong. The zipper pull broke off, but I can still zip it. It's a tall and has a really good hood on it. My exercise bras are from Victoria Secret. Sadly, they stopped making them, but mine are easily 10 years old and still very supportive. About a year ago they started making them again and I bought 3 more, but they stopped making them again! They are the only ones I've found that are long enough for my tall torso, and work well for a small size. Exercise shirts are mostly from Amazon. Short sleeve style form fitting. My exercise clothes are very important to me because I've very active and tall (and 64 years old 😉).

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  7. Brooks Ghost for the win. I buy multiple pairs when I travel to Melbourne from the outlet store.

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  8. Oh HP, you are so me! I love my clothes and wear them for years and when no longer available, I mourn, truly! I used to love Lulu Lemon but have found that the quality has gone straight downhill. Sissy would say the same. I have found that when I find something I really like, I go back or make a phone call and order at least three of each! Not Bossy!

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