I love clothes. I’m not a fashionista-I don’t read Vogue, I don’t keep up with the latest fashion trends, and I probably wouldn’t pass a “What Not To Wear” wardrobe inspection, but I know what clothes I like. I have a fashion style that is my own, and when I’m wearing clothes that I feel good in, it can make a huge difference to my mood.
For people who are trying to save money on clothes, there are different schools of thought about saving money on clothes-buying. There are those who say that it’s better to buy inexpensive items and change them frequently, because you’ll most likely get tired of wearing the same thing all the time anyway. Then there are those who say it’s better to buy a few good, quality wardrobe basics that you’ll wear for years, and mix and match with less expensive accessories. Ultimately, you’re getting a better value for your money.
I would say I belong more to the first group, in that I can’t bring myself to spend too much on any one clothing item, even if I’ll wear it forever. One of my biggest financial weaknesses is that I’m likely to make a lot of little purchases and avoid big-ticket items–the price tags scare me off. But at the same time, I can’t stand the feel of low-quality clothes, especially shoes, and so I won’t just buy from any clothing store, just because they have a low price tag and I supposedly save money. It has to be well-made and a good value.
I have my go-to stores-H&M is my favorite-and will (frugally!) buy a few new pieces every season. After that, I tend to avoid clothing stores, so that I won’t be tempted to buy more. I also do a big closet overhaul when I change over seasonal clothing, and I’m pretty ruthless about donating things that I don’t wear regularly. Because we live in a tiny apartment, I already feel like clothes are overtaking our home, so the more I can get rid of, the better.
What about you? How does clothing fit into your budget? Do you keep things for the long-term, or do you clean out your closet on a regular basis?
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{ 11 comments }
Well, I have very few expensive good quality items. I finf myself unable to buy those fancy tee-shirts or jewels that would enlighten my wardrobe. I REALLY NEED to learn to become less dull and more casual. It is a big leap. I wear items for at least five years on. I could be “clothing anorexic”.
I am pretty bad about buying clothing. I have to actually make myself go shopping as although I love clothing, I am not a shopper. I get very tired and irrirated extremely quickly when I am surrounded by much too much.
I don’t have a budget for clothing as when I do feel like shopping, I can never make up my mind and just leave the store. I would say on average, I spend about $50 on clothing every 6-7 months. I was just thinking to myself this week that I must save up some cash (abt $400) for a good wardrobe rehaul.
As for purging, I purge my closet every season. Right now I am transitioning to spring/summer and I realize I have nothing to wear so I am up the creek. Most times though, I just end up wearing the same clothing all year. When I do purge, it is pretty drastic and ruthless…then I am left with a few pieces I have to rotate weekly.
what a GREAT topic–i think so mostly because it has been an "issue" i've been dealing with lately. i've taken it upon myself to try to avoid clothes-shopping–my closet is busting at the seams & i realized (after packing to move recently) that there just isn't enough time to wear all the clothes i already own. my trouble, however, is seeing something NOW that is a great deal (e.g., a plain-white-tee on clearance for $3.00), knowing full-well that i'll use it later… & purposely passing it up because i "don't need it". thrifting presents the same difficulty–don't necessarily 'need' the items i find, but they are SUCH good deals it makes them hard to pass up.
.-= jlyn´s last blog ..home. =-.
I do clean out my closets on a regular basis, but I've noticed that as I've gotten older I tend to hang on to things longer–probably because I have trouble finding clothes that I like in the stores these days. As a rule I tend to only keep those things that I really love–the things that I wear often and feel good in–and, like you, I know what I like–I have my own style! Some of those items were "pricier" than others–so what it cost initially doesn't seem to affect how much I Iike it!
My New Year's resolution this year was to not buy anything that wasn't edible or depletable, so I haven't spent anything on clothes. It hasn't been all that hard to keep my resolution, but I am very reluctant to "clean out", knowing that I can't replace anything until next year.
I would rather have a few quality items and supplement with less quality. But for me quality means Gap and Lands End, not Brooks Brothers.
And less quality means Target, Forever21 and Mandee for little bits and pieces.
I think the number of times you wear some thing ends up speaking to the value you get. Some cheap things I've loved. Some more pricey things I ended up giving away. So it can be hit or miss. I'm still working to find the balance.
I've loved the 365 dress projects I've seen in various articles/blog posts. I hope to do that one year with my church outfits. It'll be more like a 52 suit project. I think in my area church folk are too preoccupied with how they look on the outside rather than the inside!
.-= GC´s last blog ..thoughts from a wedding and a funeral =-.
Great thoughts! I quit buying clothes last May. I'll still get socks or winter gloves or something if they're needed. But I'm learning that "need" and "want" are not at all the same. I actually couldn't be happier with the decision!
Katie
.-= Katie @ Making This Home´s last blog ..The Decluttering Project : In the Kitchen =-.
I'm working on updating my wardrobe right now, from college kid to young professional and still get freaked out by price tags. Been watching a lot of What Not to Wear just to make sure I'm buying good quality pieces as well as getting inspiration for mixing and matching. I tend to wear things out to a point of no return. Or give them away as I see fit.
I think that thrift stores are an excellent place to get good quality merchandise at low prices. If something made it through a lot of wearing and washing and ended up at the thrift store, it's probably got a lot of life left in it.
.-= veganprimate´s last blog ..Employment saga update =-.
I've definitely settled into the basics / solid colors for attire, and dressing up with accessories.
.-= Monroe on a Budget´s last blog ..Michigan is a top state for hosting foreign exchange students =-.
Lv clothes & as an actress who actually lives in Hollywood, I am called upon for quick changes of all sorts frequently. So, I hv a large wardrobe – I shop almost exclusively at thrift stores recently – because the deals there are so GOOD on brands that I couldn't afford otherwise, that my closet(s) are full of those items! And cheaper than the GAP or a similar store. Otherwise only buy things deeply discounted or on sale….And I have even gotten undies at the 99Cent Store! (plus socks & pantyhose, too)…It's also good to have some basic sewing skills in your background so you can make the minor repairs sometimes necessary in really good deals – like replacing lost buttons, etc….
I love your intro. Like you, I avoid trends. I go for classic styles that never look dated. I avoid overspending on clothes by avoiding the stores, but more importantly, avoiding their Web sites. It's all too easy to click, ship and over buy. I recently did a major, and I mean MAJOR, household purge. I donated more than 1,000 items! Part of that was my wardrobe, which I reduced by more than half. I now only own and wear what makes me feel amazing, which means I feel at the top of my game every single day. If I wear the same shirt two weeks in a row, I couldn't care less, because I feel (and what the heck! look…) like a million bucks). When I shop, if an item makes me feel amazing and fits incredibly, I buy it, whether it's on sale for $12.99 or $89. I don't fluctuate in weight, so I keep my clothes for years, and there's nothing quite like good quality clothing. Air drying also adds years to the life of clothes – I highly recommend it. A "tighter" wardrobe feels more sophisticated to me, because I know there's no crap lurking in the corners!
.-= SimplyMe´s last blog ..The Early Bird Gets Way More Than The Worm =-.