Designer Items Actually Worth Investing In

EYEWEAR

If you wear glasses, you know the importance of finding a pair that you love, because you wear them all the time. If you are also a fan of designer labels, spectacles are a good category to shop from because they tend to be on the cheaper side than other accessories from the same brands.

I broke (sat on) my Rayban glasses during the first UK lockdown, when I wasn't able to go out to the optician's. Luckily I had originally bought them on glassesdirect.com, so I went back to the website and repurchased the exact same pair. Glasses Direct have a service where you can try a few pairs before you buy, so I could have gotten some cheaper ones, but I knew I loved how the Rayban glasses looked and that they were good quality (though good quality is no match for a big bottom sitting on them...)

BELTS

I would love the Hermes Kelly belt, but unfortunately I don't have nearly £1000 spare for a dinky little accessory. Luckily there are many beautiful designer belts out there at a much more reasonable price, like the Loewe leather waist belt in tan. At £275 it's still a lot to pay for a belt, but it's just so easy to tell how high the quality it is. It's a beautiful belt that elevates every outfit, and it's nice to have a designer accessory that's really functional too!

If you are investing in a designer belt, I think this is a better option than a trending piece such as the Gucci belt. It is less likely to a) go out of style and b) be copied as much by cheaper or counterfeit brands.

I would also recommend a skinny belt over a wide belt, as it is more discreet and is less likely to look dated in the future. Of course there is always a time and place for a statement belt but I would recommend picking those up from more affordable retailers.

SCARVES

One thing all of the accessories I've mentioned so far have in common is that you don't need to worry about them fitting you if you put on or lose weight! (With belts, buy oversized, then it will still fit you if you put weight on and if your waist gets smaller, you can just add more holes - another reason to avoid the Hermes Kelly belt, no matter how pretty it is.)

By far the most worn designer item in my personal wardrobe is the Burberry cashmere scarf in the classic camel check. There's no denying it's a lot of money for a scarf, but I've worn it so many times the price per wear is pretty low. Because it's cashmere, it keeps you warm without adding a lot of bulk to your outfit, and like the Loewe belt it just elevates any other items of clothing you wear with it.

One downside is that this is a very iconic piece so it is copied a lot by cheap brands, but that doesn't bother me too much - I know mine's real and I don't have a problem with other people wearing the fake version, as I know I'm quite silly to spend hundreds of pounds on clothes!

HANDBAGS

This is where you really need to do your research before taking the plunge, because designer handbags can be a LOT of money. Hermes bags are as much as a deposit on a house.

I bought my Burberry Banner tote bag from Bicester Village and it's served me really well as hand luggage on planes, and on day trips to London - it fits everything in that I need plus a couple of extras. I originally bought it as a work handbag, but unfortunately I had to change work laptops and the one I have now doesn't fit! This doesn't bother me though, as the bag works well for the other occasions I mentioned, and it gives me an excuse to buy a different designer bag for the office...

The right designer handbag is obviously going to be very personal to you, your taste and your lifestyle, so I won't suggest specific bags that I think are worth it. I will however tell you what's worth avoiding:

• Bags that don't have a proper closure. I recently sold my Burberry two-tone pocket bag because I just didn't feel safe carrying it around.
• Bags that are very small or fiddly to fit things into. I'm currently selling my Aspinal of London bag on Vestiare because, even though it fits everything I need in it, I got sick of having to take everything out to get the one item I needed.
• Bags that cost as much as a deposit on a house. It's your money so of course you can spend it on what you want, but I just don't think it would ever be worth it - unless maybe the whole thing was made of solid gold!