The Winter Buys That Are Actually Worth the Money (and the Ones That Aren't)

You'll wear it every day for five months, for years. That's hundreds of wears. Go for camel, navy, black or chocolate, and check the label: aim for 70% wool or more. ME+EM, Reiss and Jigsaw are the first places to look.

Cheap boots look cheap fast. Scuffs, peeling soles, that plasticky crease across the toe. Good leather ankle boots from Russell & Bromley will do several winters with a bit of polish and the odd trip to the cobbler.

Not five cheap ones that bobble after one wash. One good one. A navy or oatmeal crew from N.Peal will last a decade if you handwash it. Not in the budget right now? UNIQLO's cashmere is unbeatable for the price.

Structured, black or brown, no giant logos. Strathberry and DeMellier are both British and both make bags that look far pricier than they are.

Trend pieces. This season's leopard, the fluffy bag, the colour you're not sure about. Zara and Mango do these brilliantly.

Basic tees and long-sleeves. M&S and ARKET, honestly.

Tights. They're going to ladder anyway.

Party tops. You'll wear them twice. Be realistic.

Anything 100% acrylic: sweaty, bobbly and sad by Christmas. A super-trendy coat in a colour you've never worn in your life. And anything in your basket just because it's on sale. If you wouldn't buy it at full price, you don't really want it.

It's the one sum that makes spending more feel sensible. Take the price of something and divide it by how many times you'll wear it. A £400 coat worn 100 days a year for five years works out at 80p a wear. A £60 coat that looks tired by February and gets replaced every year costs you more in the long run, and you don't even like it.

The catch is that you actually have to wear it. Cost per wear only works for the boring, brilliant pieces you reach for every day. It does not justify the sequin jacket. Sorry.

Investment doesn't have to mean full price. The Outnet is the designer outlet from the Net-a-Porter group, full of last season's coats and knits at serious discounts. Vestiaire Collective is the place for pre-loved designer bags, with authentication on the pricier pieces. And John Lewis has one of the best returns policies around, and its own-brand cashmere is very good for the money.

Timing helps too. Buy coats in October before the best sizes go, or hold out for the January sales if you're happy to gamble.

Not everything is designer or fast fashion. COS, ARKET, Jigsaw and Whistles all sit in between, with better fabrics than the cheaper high street and prices that don't make you wince. M&S Autograph and Hobbs are worth a look too. For most people, that's the sweet spot for knits, trousers and tailoring.

Hang coats on wide wooden hangers, not wire ones. Wash cashmere by hand in cool water with a wool wash, dry it flat and fold it, never hang it. De-bobble with a cashmere comb. Take boots to the cobbler for new soles before they wear through, and polish them every few weeks. Condition leather bags twice a year. Ten minutes here and there is the difference between something lasting three years and lasting fifteen.

Have a proper look before buying anything. Lay it all out. The perfect coat might be the one at the back you forgot about, and it just needs new buttons and a dry clean. Or you'll realise you own four grey jumpers and no decent boots, which tells you exactly where to spend. The best investment is often the one you don't make.

Does it go with three things you already own?

Will you still want it next winter?

Do you have the shoes, bag or coat it needs? If not, it'll just sit there.