What is the cost per wear formula?

Cost Per Wear = Purchase Price ÷ Number of Wears. A $300 jacket worn 60 times has a cost per wear of $5.

What is the 30 wears rule?

Before buying a piece of clothing, ask yourself if you can realistically wear it at least 30 times. If yes, divide the price by 30 to estimate cost per wear. If the answer feels reasonable, buy it.

Pillar guide

What is cost per wear?

Q: What is a good cost per wear?

There is no universal number, but a useful heuristic is to compare against the daily cost of a coffee. Under $5 per wear is excellent. Under $1 per wear is exceptional. Anything still above 20% of the original price means you have not used it enough yet.

Cost per wear is the price of a clothing item divided by the number of times you wear it. That is the entire idea. It turns the lump-sum sting of a $300 coat into a small, honest number that gets smaller every time you wear it.

The formula

Cost Per Wear = Price ÷ Number of Wears

That's it. A $300 jacket worn 60 times has a cost per wear of $5. A $50 shirt worn 5 times has a cost per wear of $10 — twice as expensive as the jacket per use.

Why most people get this wrong

We anchor on the sticker price. We remember the moment of paying. We forget the 60 days of wearing it. Cost per wear flips the frame: the price is a starting line, not a verdict. The verdict is written one wear at a time.

Three real examples

$1,800 wool coat

$20

worn 90 times in 3 winters

$80 trendy sweater

$26

worn 3 times

$220 designer t-shirt

$220

worn 1 time

The wool coat is cheaper than both. Cost per wear is the only number that shows you why.

The 30 wears rule

Popularised by sustainable fashion activist Livia Firth, the rule asks one question before you swipe your card:

Will I wear this at least 30 times?

If yes, divide the price by 30 — that's your estimated cost per wear. If that number feels fair for the joy or utility it brings you, buy it. If not, walk away.

What is a "good" cost per wear?

Under $5 — excellent. The item is paying for itself.
$5–$20 — fine for occasion wear or premium pieces.
Above 20% of the original price — you haven't used it enough yet. Wear it more before you decide.

How to track cost per wear without losing your mind

Open the app each morning you get dressed.
Tap +1 on what you're wearing.
Close the app. The math updates by itself.

Worth It is built around this single interaction. No streak that punishes you. No spreadsheet to maintain. Try the calculator first to see the math, then download the app when you want to track real items over time.

FAQ

What is the difference between cost per wear and cost per use?

None — they are the same formula. "Cost per wear" is the term used in fashion. "Cost per use" generalizes it to anything: gadgets, gym memberships, kitchen tools.

Should I count gifts at $0?

You can, but gifts have a hidden cost: the closet space they take up. We recommend entering a small symbolic price (or skipping them entirely) and focusing the tracker on things you paid real money for.

What about clothes I bought before I started tracking?

Estimate the wear count to your best honest guess and start tapping from today. The number will be more or less correct within a few weeks of real logging.