I bet many people would say that shoes and suits are the items which stay longest, while shirts and ties (let alone socks and underwear) are the ones which have the shortest life in a wardrobe.
In my case, suits are subjected to heavy abuse because of travel (especially air), shoes are looked after but develop cracks after 4-5 years which are difficult to repair. Ties stay the longest, unless some pasta sauce kills them prematurely. Shirts are somewhere in between, with white ones having to go once they become grey.
Because I'm on the larger end of things (Sz. 40 waist), I actually find that my trousers tend to go first, usually with an unceremonious rip at the seat or crotch. I have a better understanding of how they should be tailored, now, and this is becoming a less regular occurrence. My shirts are next in line, usually due to yellowing around the underarm, though I've reduced the probability of this by buying shirts with a bit more of a baggy fit (which I've grown to enjoy), and becoming a dab hand at washing the stains out with a bar of laundry soap. Honestly, my expanding and contracting torso are the primary reason I give many articles of clothing away though, long before they are worn out.
White shirts inevitably have the shortest lifespan, not because they wear out but just because they get to look a bit jaded and not white any more. If you are going to wear a suit to work regularly, like the enduring grey two piece, it's worth investing in a second pair of trousers when you buy it. The lifespan of any garment is dictated by it's quality, by how often it is worn versus how well you look after it. Ties; always untie the knot carefully rather than just pulling the tie off, steam them regularly so they keep their shape. Shoes; always kept in trees, rested between use and after a few wearing thoroughly cleaned and treated with a good quality shoe cream. Naturally I have a spreadsheet to keep on top on of these things. I would be disappointed to only get 4 or 5 years from a pair of leather shoes.
Cordings tweed jackets and covert coats seem to live forever.
Yeah but any makers tweed coat should go on forever. Its what tweed does isn't it?
As already mentioned - the item which stay longest are usually the one bought at full price.
White shirts have a short lifespan, I tend to get yellow staining around the collar. I still have the first pair of proper dress shoes I purchased over 20 years ago. My first major expenses on my wardrobe for my first job after finishing school were 2 pairs of dress shoes. I still love buying shoes.
Socks go for me which is why I switched to plain colored socks, it became too hard to find interesting patterns on a consistent basis.
Cufflinks for me last forever,