Everything You Need To Know Before Buying An Investment Piece

You've finally beefed up your savings account, paid off a healthy amount of your college loans, and made the decision that it's time for your first real, major fashion investment. Hell yes. But, wait — this isn't a choice that can be made on the fly. Even if you've been eyeing that Gucci bag in the window for what feels like forever, they call it an investment for a reason: Serious thought need to be put into what brands, trends, and styles are actually worth your hard-earned money — and will provide somewhat of a financial return should you choose to sell it down the line.

With designer resale sites having a bigger moment than ever before, we tapped the pros at The RealReal for the latest intel on what's actually got the most promising return-on-investment. We know, "ROI" sounds like a term that should only be brought up in a boardroom, but it actually applies to your closet, too. To really make a big-spender purchase you won't regret, it's worth doing a little research to see what types of pieces will actually going to keep their value — or, better yet, appreciate over time. Because, honestly, there's nothing worse than finding out the item you spent your rent on a few years ago isn't even worth a few-hundred bucks today.

With the tips ahead, though, you'll learn how to invest like a true adult (only, in shoes and bags instead of stocks and real estate). Click on for The Real Real's chief merchant Rati Sahi Levesque's must-know tricks (along with our corresponding picks) for finally treating yo'-self to that special wishlist item.