When you’re shopping, it’s easy to focus on the price tag.

A dress for $19 feels like a win in the moment — until you wear it twice, it doesn’t quite hold up, and it ends up pushed to the back of your closet.

That’s where cost per wear comes in.

Cost per wear is one of the simplest ways to think about what something actually costs over time — not just at checkout, but in real life.

Because the truth is: the cheapest item isn’t always the best value.

What Does “Cost Per Wear” Mean?

Cost per wear is exactly what it sounds like:

The total cost of an item divided by how many times you actually wear it.

A quick formula:

Price ÷ Number of Wears = Cost Per Wear

It’s a helpful way to step back and ask:

Is this something I’ll truly wear again and again?

Or is it something that only works once?

The Difference Between Cheap and Worth It

Fast fashion is designed to look appealing upfront — trendy, inexpensive, easy to add to cart.

But it often comes with trade-offs:

• Fit that feels inconsistent

• Fabric that isn’t comfortable

• Quality that doesn’t last

• Trends that fade quickly

It’s worn a few times, then replaced.

And that’s the hidden cost: buying something more than once because the first version didn’t really last.

On the other hand, a piece made with intention becomes something you return to again and again — not because you have to, but because you want to.

A Real Example: Two Red Dresses

Let’s compare two red dresses:

KINNAMON Red Dress

$189.95 worn 30 times = $6.33 per wear

A dress you love, wear often, and keep for years.

Fast Fashion Red Dress

$19.19 worn 3 times = $6.40 per wear

A lower price upfront, but it doesn’t hold up the same way.

Even though the fast fashion option looks cheaper, the cost per wear ends up being the same — or even higher — because it doesn’t stay in your life for long.

Why Cost Per Wear Matters More Than Ever

Cost per wear isn’t just about math.

It’s about how we build wardrobes — and how we want getting dressed to feel.

We’ve all experienced it: buying something because it’s inexpensive, wearing it once or twice, and realizing it doesn’t quite work.

The fit feels off. The fabric doesn’t feel great. It doesn’t hold up the way you hoped.

And suddenly, that “good deal” isn’t really a deal at all.

Cost per wear helps explain something simple:

The pieces that last — and the pieces you actually love wearing — almost always end up being the better value.

What Makes a Piece Worth Wearing Again and Again?

The best repeat-wear pieces usually have a few things in common:

• They fit beautifully

• They feel good on your body

• They hold up over time

• They work for more than one occasion

• They don’t rely on a micro-trend

These are the pieces that become favorites — not throwaways.

Our Approach at KINNAMON

At KINNAMON, cost per wear isn’t just a number — it’s a mindset shift.

We design clothing to be lived in, not tossed aside after a few outings.

Our pieces are made in small batches with intention, built around real life — the kind of dresses you reach for when you want to feel put together, confident, and supported in your day.

We believe getting dressed shouldn’t feel disposable.

It should feel personal.

When something fits beautifully, holds up over time, and stays in your rotation for years, it becomes more than an outfit — it becomes part of your everyday life.

And that’s what we mean by value.

Shop With Cost Per Wear in Mind

The next time you’re deciding between something cheap and something lasting, try asking a few questions beyond the price tag:

• Will I want to wear this again next month? Next year?

• Does it feel good on my body?

• Will it hold up after real wear, real washing, real life?

• Is this something I’ll keep reaching for?

Because the goal isn’t to buy more.

It’s to choose pieces that stay with you — pieces you’ll truly carry with you, again and again.

That’s the real investment.