I've known many a woman to wear a regular

Due to an unfortunate run-in with a kitchen knife and subsequent hand surgery, this week's column is brought to you exclusively by my right hand.

I make my living writing, so the first thing I thought when I opened my eyes and saw my fingers perpendicular to my hand, covered by a cast from fingertips to wrist, was. HOW WILL I FIX MY HAIR?!?! True, I would eventually panic about the whole one-handed typing issue, but I regret to say that my reactive concern was how this impairment would affect my ability to be my most fabulous self.

I promptly invested in a blowdryer with a round brush attachment, an expense I wouldn't normally decide on for just a small bit of added convenience, and it got me thinking about fashion and beauty splurges. Everyone has something they'll spend as much money on as necessary; for me, it's my hair. Not having been blessed with naturally luxurious locks, I need a good haircut, a highly effective volumizing product, some top-notch styling tools, and ideally both my hands to really get it looking nice.

But there are a few items that should always get shotgun when you're deciding how to distribute your funds. Though I'm always in favor of a great deal, not skimping on the following things will be better for you and your budget in the long run.

For most of us, this is not an enjoyable purchase, not to mention the aspect of spending money on something that goes underneath your outfit and will be seen by far fewer people comparatively. But lady parts are enough trouble as it is, so why not at least give them a comfortable place to sit? As with most clothes, the fact that a bra is your size doesn't necessarily mean it's right for your body. So when you find that perfect one, jump.

This also goes for sports bras, and in fact, they're even more important. I've known many a woman to wear a regular bra under her sports bra or forgo aerobic activity entirely because it hurts her chest. Well, don't sacrifice good health or athletic performance because that wimpy $10 sports bra isn't cutting it. Head over to a retailer like Lululemon, where they carry sports bra styles with varying levels of support in either numerical sizes or regular bra sizes instead of small, medium and large. The most supportive style, the Ta Ta Tamer. let's just say the company wasn't lying when they named it.


I find that many men are already good at buying quality clothing, or at least recognizing quality and admitting they don't spend enough on clothes. Tailoring is an added expense that many of you bypass, but when it can make a $12 suit from the Salvation Army look like it was custom made for you, that's an extra step that needs to happen. Look down at your feet. Is there currently a puddle of fabric around your ankles? Having your pants hemmed to the proper length will set you back maybe $20 at most - a small price to pay for pants that will now make you appear taller and leaner.

In addition, take the time to find a good tailor who listens to you and does the job well, and don't scoff if that guy costs $3 more than the mediocre guy.

Each of the splurges in this column are things that people typically skimp on, and I'll admit that I'm just as guilty of making this mistake. Right now I'm paying the price of running around in cheap sandals all summer, and it is not pretty. Five pedicures might fix it.

Your feet carry you around all day, so they need to be wearing shoes that can effectively support your entire body. Even if you're in heels, the slightly pricier brands take measures to make their everyday pumps more comfortable with features like cushier soles. On the flipside, everyone is tough on their shoes, so the ones built to last are a better investment.


I've bought the on-sale-for-$17 "winter" coat. I wear it when the temperature is precisely 49 degrees with minimal wind and no precipitation. It is otherwise useless.

Outerwear is not totally for decoration. It serves an important purpose, and there's no sense in a raincoat that doesn't keep you dry or a winter coat that doesn't keep you warm. You certainly don't need Burberry, but once you move up into the range of $150 or so for a coat, you'll get upgrades like 100 percent wool instead of a thinner wool blend or real down instead of imitation.