My Dad Asked Me to Max Out My 401(K), But I Bought These COS, H&M, and Mango Items Instead (Sorry)

A Mango model wearing a gray funnel-neck jacket with silver buttons and large aviator sunglasses on the street in New York City.

(Image credit: Mango)

I can't be the only person whose father insists they max out their 401(k) every single time you speak with them. I swear it's the first thing he brings up during our weekly catch-ups. Usually, I'm happy to oblige, but after my morning new-arrivals scroll, I'm not convinced it's the best use of my finances—at least, not this month. Instead, I'd rather invest in my wardrobe, specifically with the 30 finds I just discovered at COS, Mango, and H&M. Sure, I might be a little bit less prepared for retirement in a decade, but I'll have a rich-looking wardrobe, and right now, that's priority number one.

Ahead, discover the 10 pieces from each of the aforementioned retailers that look far more expensive than they are. None cost more than $250, and the only ones that reach that limit are cashmere aka the material most worth splurging on. Before they dare to sell out, scroll down to start picking out your favorites. Trust me. They'll be worth giving up this month's 401(k) allocation for, even if it means getting that disappointed dad look over FaceTime.

H&M

Mango

COS

Senior Fashion Editor

Eliza Huber is a New York-based senior fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and the intersection of sports and fashion. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 after almost four years on the fashion team at Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a marketing degree from the University of Iowa. She has since launched two monthly columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled the likes of Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, Gracie Abrams, and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top trends from fashion month, season after season. Eliza lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, running in Central Park, and scouring The RealReal for discounted Prada.