15 Semi-Expensive Pieces We Think Are Actually Worth The Money Because There’s Nothing Else Like Them
Every single one has made getting dressed easier.
Image from Anthropologie
by The Candidly Team
When it comes to how we spend our money on clothes, we much prefer buying one standout piece over 6 cheap things we have to replace yearly.
But just because something is “standout” doesn’t mean it shouldn’t also be practical. In fact, we strongly believe in investing in clothes that fill a genuine hole in our closet. Things we’ll wear a lot. Things that defy trendiness and that quickly become our favorite things to wear … period.
Every single thing we’ve written about today not only checks these boxes, but also fits, flatters, and elevates our overall look in ways that make them worth just a biiiiiiiit more than what we’d typically spend.
Curious to see if you agree? Ok, let’s get to the good stuff.
1. This Uniquely Flattering Shirt If You’re An Apple Shape
Frank & Eileen Patrick Popover Henley
If you know us at all, you probably knew we weren’t going to kick this off with some trendy $2k bag that will go out of style before we’ve had the chance to stuff it with 17 loose lip balms. Instead, we start with something classic and timeless and yes, a literal t-shirt. And the reason is we are all about investing in the clothes we’re actually going to wear more than anything else. Clothes that solve little problems like the fact that we kind of hate going sleeveless. Or that we want belly coverage without looking like we’re in a tent. Or that we’d like to look put together but also only have the energy most days to muster jeans and a tee. But with this shirt, jeans and a tee becomes something more.
We actually got so excited about this shirt when we tried it, we wrote a whole thing about it, which you can read HERE. But the key point is that it’s cut to perfection with a tailored way of being spacious (please see sideview HERE), which is excellent for covering a belly pooch. The neckline has it reading very summer in the Hamptons (especially in the stripe print), but it really is a shirt you’ll reach for year-round, because it’s makes all our clothes into an instant outfit … and a chic one at that.
Price: $168
2. This Dress That Isn’t Really A Splurge But The Fit Is SO Incredible We Had To Include It
By Anthropologie The Soleil Slim Strapless Ruched Dress
If you’re curvy, this dress will smooth you into your finest shape. If you’re straight as an arrow, this dress will give you an hourglass. It’s just plain sorcery that way. It’s made from Anthro’s “magic” material which has loads of stretch but also holds you in like nothing else. Then there’s the ruching, which is maybe the biggest hack for looking nipped and narrowed. We say all of this, not because we think there’s anything wrong with our natural shape, but because realistically, for any of us to enjoy wearing a fitted, strapless dress, we have to feel nice and supported and 100% comfortable in it. And we’ve never felt so good in a dress. Never.
Price: $170
3. These Wide-Leg Ankle Jeans That Fit The Way We Only Ever Dream Jeans Might Fit Us
Paige Anessa Crop Wide-Leg Jeans
Trying on jeans has an air of mystery about it in that we never fully understand why one pair works and not another. Something can check all the boxes on the hanger then be filled with disappointments once it’s on our body. But we have yet to find a body that doesn’t look its best in these jeans. And if we had to guess why, it’s the unique combination of stretch and the ability to keep its perfect shape. It glides over a rounder bottom and buttons smoothly on the waist - no gaps, no constriction. We’d almost never spent this kind of money on jeans, but after owning these for a year, we’ve never regretted anything less. Bottom line is if you’re going to take a chance on $200 jeans, we HIGHLY recommend doing it with this pair. It will replace 4 pairs you have in your closet right now.
Price: $229
4. This Minimalist Sandal That’s Equally Comfy But A Million Times Chicer Than Your Flip Flops
We’ve written pages, we mean it - paaaages, about these sandals. They’re a dream for people who love clean, minimalist, slightly sexy things. But rather than describe them in boring detail, we’ll just tell you two things. Like flip flops, they match every outfit. Unlike flip flops they make those outfits look 5x better instead of 5x worse. It’s the shoe you slip on with a billowy maxi dress for a cobblestoned dinner on vacation. It’s the shoe you wear with ankle jeans and a cute sweater to meet a friend for coffee. And the best part is they’re designed for comfort. The sole is cushioned. The straps are soft. You forget blisters exist. In fact, you forget you’re wearing shoes at all.
Price: $205
5. This Winner Of The Crisp, White Button-Down Contest We’ve Been Secretly Conducting For 15 Years
Sold Out NYC The Everything Shirt
Crisp, white button-downs are so classic (and so common), we forget that they hold some magic powers. Put one on with any jeans, pants, maybe a slip skirt, and whoosh, you’re chic! Carolyn Bessette Kennedy chic. Sharon Stone at the ’98 Oscars chic (go HERE for reference). That’s all it really takes. But as with so many simple, elegant things, the details need to be just so for it to work its magic. So if you want to invest in one perfect, tailored button-down, this is the one. And the thing is, you really only need one.
Price: $195
6. This Viral Nap Dress That’s Admittedly Amazing On Curves
We find about 87% of trends utterly useless. Once we hit 35, most trends just started to seem like they were meant for the person behind us. Like they missed some basic mark of what will actually look and feel good on our non-21, non-model bodies. But this dress deserves all the fame. It’s smocked on top, which is genius for both comfort and flatteringness (new word). And the floaty skirt and pretty sleeve makes us feel simultaneously at ease and like we actually put in a bit of effort in. Honestly, we need more of these lazy, one-and-done pieces that feel like house clothes but look like fashion. The print selection is divine, but it comes in lots of solids. And it sizes up to XXXXL.
Price: $150
7. This Perfect, Everyday Handbag
Just for the sake of sheer use and abuse, our bag is something we’re more willing to splurge on. And this bag from Clare V. is, in our opinion, the most splurge-worthy of them all. We wrote an entire article attesting to our love of this bag, absolutely unsponsored and unprompted. And it’s because every detail is exactly what we look for in an everyday bag. It’s the ideal size, a crossbody so we aren’t adjusting every 18 seconds, and even though it’s classic and neutral and will never not be in style, it still feels like a little expression of ourselves. Maybe it’s because there are a sea of gorgeous patterns and textures, woven or smooth, buttery leather. To be perfectly honest, more than one of us owns it in both black and tan, so we can change them out daily, and we pretty much never switch to another bag.
Price: $435 - $485
8. The Luxe Pajama Set We Want To Live In
Negative Supreme Track Pant, Supreme Short Sleeve Shirt, and Supreme Tank
Once we passed 35, we started caring a lot more about how things feel on our skin, especially when we’re doing something that’s supposed to be divinely cozy like literally going to bed. These pajamas are quite simply the gold standard for comfort. However, the pants are also so insanely gorgeous, we wear them out. They’re silky without having any static cling. And they’re a totally washable alternative to silk that’s actually more comfortable.
We wear the matching button-up when we want to feel especially cute, serving breakfast or curling up with a cup of tea, but for warm nights (and days to be truly honest), we wear the matching tank. The pale pink color is perfection and gives us a little hit of joy every time we pass a mirror.
Price: $140 for the pants, $135 for the button-up, $110 for the tank
8. These Most Comfortable Joggers In Existence
Oprah wrote about these joggers before we did. And since we figured Oprah has access to the finest things in life, she’s probably also wearing the softest joggers. Our suspicions were correct. We now live in these joggers because they are the most heavenly thing to ever touch our skin. We wear them at home and to the store, and almost (we said almost) to work, because while we don’t exactly wear buttery soft joggers to look good, a fun little bonus is that they’re extremely flattering.
Size up to XXXL and come in a handful of great colors.
And Cozy Earth was kind enough to give us a code for 30% off. Use CANDIDLY.
Price: $160
9. This Maxi Skirt For When We Want To Look Effortlessly Chic
So many people sleep on maxi skirts. But they’re a foolproof (and pretty lazy) way to look put together and a little romantic. Plus, we don’t have to think about our bellies sticking out or our underwear lines showing. This skirt is a prototype for a proper maxi. Wear it with a fitted top or tank and the above sandals, and you’ll feel like you can conquer the world. It also sizes up to XXXL and comes in black.
Price: $110
10. This Cropped Shirt That Will Scare You But Then It Will Change Your Life
Favorite Daughter The Crop Ex-Boyfriend Shirt
Please don’t lose faith in us because we’re showing you something cropped. We’re here to tell you that some (not all) cropped styles are incredibly flattering and useful for women who are 22 years older than 22 years old. Take this cropped button-down for example. It has space around the waist, but its straight shape makes your midsection look smaller. You can wear it with a high-waist pant and your legs will look inches longer. Or you can wear it over a fitted midi dress and not feel like you’re on full display. It comes in many colors and prints (stripe is also amazing), but the denim does have a bit of a cool/ classic factor.
Price: $178
11. This Wedding/ Occasion/ Going-Out-To-Dinner Dress That’s Worthy Of Its Fame
Pop quiz: Which fashion icon wore this dress on TV and practically popped through our screen as we realized that’s THE dress we need to wear to that thing we have coming up? Hint: She was in Manhattan and her shoes cost $87,000. We kid. But not about the dress. We tried the famous Carrie dress, which is actually called the Diana dress and to our delight, unlike her shoes, doesn’t cost an insane sum of money. Especially for how incredibly well it fits. The ruching melts over every bump we have, so we feel very long and smooth and gazelle-like in it. We wear it with #7 on THIS list for extra height without foot pain. While it comes in so many stunning colors that it’s hard to choose, it also makes for the best little black dress.
Price: $215
12. The Only Pants We Want To Reach For On Hot, Summer Days
Banana Republic Lina Linen Wide-Leg Pant
Having tried on hundreds of pairs of wide-leg pants, our Editor-in-Chief recently called out these as her favorite, perhaps of all time, for sure in the spring/summer. They’re classic. They drape to perfection, and they’re supremely flattering. So the fact that they’re linen, and we can wear them in even the hottest of months is a pretty significant cherry on top.
Price: $150
13. This Tank That’s So Smoothing We Don’t Need A Bra
We are tank people. Tanks, when done right, look very good on arms and chests. And they balance out all the looser bottoms we like to wear. But 3 things make all the difference: A skinny strap. A scooped neckline. And stretchy, smoothing ribbing. Across the board, this tank might be the best we’ve ever found. The material is sort of heavier so it holds you in, and we’re not joking about not needing a bra.
Sadly, others have discovered its powers, so it sells out of sizes ALL the time. If you, too, are a tank person, and they have your size, this is the time you’ll want to spend a little more for a tank, because it’s the one you’re gonna be reaching for until the cost is like .007 cents per wear.
Price: $78
14. These Leggings That Will Slowly Replace Every Other Pair In Your Closet
Beyond Yoga Spacedye Out Of Pocket High Waisted Midi Legging
There are a million leggings out there. Most of them end up pilled and scratchy and just sort of losing their luster after a handful of wears/ washes. This pair stays velvety and smooth and breathable. They also happen to make our hips, bum, and belly look their best. No constant adjusting. No camel toe.
Price: $99
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
We have to eat.
