Rebecca's Style: Time-Tested Investment Pieces

Today I'm so excited to present a new contributor to the blog, miss Rebecca. I'll let her introduce herself now.

I run a vintage clothing and estate jewelry shop, Artifact Vintage. Like most people with unconventional jobs, my path was a little roundabout. When I decided to get a degree in art history, I was intending to wind up a curator—until I realized that involved a lot more paperwork and potshards than I’d bargained on. I redirected my interest in pretty things to the apparel world, working as a fashion editor, blogger, and periodic model and photographer. Last year I hit upon the perfect union of my great loves (collecting and couture), and decided to open Artifact Vintage, which I now do full time. Hurray!”

TIME-TESTED INVESTMENT PIECES
In popular fashion parlance, “investment piece” is secret guilt-reducing code for “splurge purchase.” As a girl with both a decent wardrobe and a decent head on her shoulders, I object to this. A good investment, to merit the term, should be something that increases in value over time. This rules out the trendy, the sensational, and the overly fragile. What’s left behind? The kinds of things so beautifully and solidly made that time and careful use will only make them more precious.

These iconic picks have been fashionable forever, and will never go out style. They’ll carry you through years of use, and if you take care of them with the love they deserve, they’ll become tomorrow’s most-desired vintage heirlooms.

1) The Burberry Trench
The coat to end all coats. If you had a Burberry in your closet, would you ever reach for anything else? I thought not. Buy one now and save yourself the money and concern of thinking about spring/fall outerwear ever again. A classic for a reason.

2) Iconic Designer Bag

My top pick is the Céline box bag, but the Gucci bit bag, Vuitton speedy, Fendi doctor’s bags, and Hermes Birkin all make tried-and-true sense. When spending this much money on an accessory, it should be a timeless one, not a style that can be dated to any particular season. Pick a classic and never look back. (image via Wendy's Lookbook)  

3) Cartier or Rolex Watch

The Cartier Santos and Rolex President watches are the royalty of the watch world. They’re also nerve-wrackingly expensive, even if you’re the kind of person who sinks yachts for sport. While these instantly recognizable icons are gorgeous and sound investments if budget is no issue, I think there’s a certain self-possessed charm to a more unexpected vintage Cartier or Rolex—the kind of thing where someone only notices the brand after having leaned in for a closer look. Plus, they can be had for a fraction of the cost, and will appreciate over time.  

4) Louboutin, Ferragamo, or Gucci Heels
While there are plenty of classy kicks to be had out there, these beauties have true style: simple, recognizable, and fairly stable over time. So long as you avoid the flashiest heel in the pack, you’ll wind up with a timeless shoe you’ll reach for again and again, whatever the season or year.

5) Fine Jewelry
I firmly believe that all grown women should wear fine jewelry. Better to have one 18-karat ring than twenty costume rings. A beautiful fine piece will always have inherent material value, and time will only add rarity and sentimental charm. I chose a metal (gold, baby!) and favorite stones (Victorian Persian turquoise—I bet you didn’t see that one coming), and have been slowly building the kind of jewelry collection I want to leave to my granddaughters. Lucky girls.