How to Stop Buying Clothes You Never Wear
Published on - October 6th, 2009 (Modified on - November 16th, 2009) (by April Dykman) This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman.
A couple of years ago, I had a Great Closet Clean-Out. My clothing racks and drawers were overflowing at the time, and some of it still had price tags. Hoping to accomplish that European knack for owning less and looking better, I donated, consigned, and gave away about 75 percent of my wardrobe. Today it’s 100 times more functional.
These are the best tips I picked up while going through the process, gleaned from fashion gurus, designers, and style bloggers. These tips are applicable to women and men, whether you’re a high-power attorney or a stay-at-home parent.
1. Make four piles.
The Great Closet Clean-Out is your first step. Tim “Make It Work” Gunn, fashion guru and author of A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style, advises you to divide your clothes into four piles: throw out, give away, repair, and soul-stirring. Get rid of clothes in the first two piles and take the clothing in the repair pile to a tailor.
It would be great if you could do it all at once, but letting go of the goofy tie you wore to graduation or the bubble-gum pink prom dress that you’ll never wear again takes time. Try to let go of personal attachments.
2. Think “meat and potatoes.”
Take a look at what you have left after purging. Make a list of any gaps in your wardrobe to keep you on track when you’re shopping. Jessica Schroeder, the fashion blogger behind What I Wore, says:
I like to take stock of what I have in my closet and think of pieces that can extend the lives of those clothes already hanging out in my wardrobe. Maybe its a new belt or scarf or tie — think of small ways to get maximum use out of what you already have.
If you don’t know how to identify gaps, look to wardrobe essential lists and see what you might be missing. I’m not usually impressed with most “must-have” lists, but Allie at Wardrobe Oxygen has great advice for both women and men.
3. Identify your dominant season.
You Look Fab gets the credit for this tip, which has helped this Texan curb her winter coat habit. Blog author and style consultant Angie writes, “It’s important for the largest part of your wardrobe and seasonal fashion budget to reflect the dominant seasons where you live.”
In other words, if you live in Iowa, you won’t get much wear from a collection of flip-flops. Some people live in places with four seasons, and in that case, it’s best to buy equally for the seasons.
Angie notes one exception. If you routinely travel to a climate different from your hometown, you’ll need to consider that when allocating your clothing budget.
4. Consider your lifestyle.
Your lifestyle dictates your clothing needs. Maybe you are a busy mom, are pregnant, or work from home. Age makes a difference, too. Someone in their 30s has different needs than someone in their 50s. If you buy the majority of your clothes for a fantasy version of your life, instead of the reality, you’ll end up with a lot of clothes to store and nothing to wear.
Jessica says, “When shopping, I’m always thinking, ‘Would I wear this today? Does it work with the pieces already in my closet?’ If I can immediately scream ’yes!’ to both questions, it’s a go.”
Also, reconsider items that only work for very specific occasions. The more pieces you own that can be dressed up and down, the more wear they’ll get.
5. Identify your personal style.
If you like soft fabrics and loose cuts, don’t get suckered by a shiny J. Crew display of wool turtleneck sweaters that would itch and bind. Instead, ask yourself if it fits your personality. Know what styles make you feel good. Look to your soul-stirring pile from tip #1 to identify the shapes and colors you gravitate to the most.
6. Repeat after me: Fit and fabric.
Before my Great Closet Clean-Out, I owned 15 pairs of jeans. I wore three pairs. Those three were high-quality denim and fit fantastically. The others were made of stiff fabric and didn’t do my figure any favors. Avoid buying 12 pairs of blah jeans by keeping in mind fit and fabric:
- Only buy clothes that fit well. No gaping, no pulling, and no sucking in your stomach. No buying clothes that will fit you once you lose 10 pounds. If you lose the weight, have them altered. If the size on the tag bothers you, cut it off. Do not make excuses for a bad fit. Be brutal.
- Have clothing altered. Most alterations are fairly reasonable in price, or maybe you’re lucky enough to have a friend or family member who sews. (Hi, Mom!)
- Buy long-wearing fabrics. A nice merino wool sweater will last year after year with proper care, unlike an acrylic one which may not last the season.
Remember that price doesn’t dictate style. If the perfect pants in the perfect color are $30, they are a better buy than the trendy, designer pants that cost $200 and work with nothing else in your closet. The bracelet I get complimented on the most was a trinket my mom bought me from Target. Jessica mixes thrifted clothes with vintage with self-sewn with Payless — and it works.
On the other hand, don’t be swayed by low prices. A piece that sort of fits but is on the clearance rack is not a deal, no matter what the price tag says.
Finally, if you buy an item and decide you don’t like it once you’re home and standing in front of your own mirror, return it as soon as possible.
7. Don’t buy something only because it fits.
What the —? Didn’t I just say it’s all about fit? Well, yes. But just because something fits doesn’t mean you should buy it. Only buy items that make you feel like a million bucks. That’s the best way to ensure you’ll actually wear what is in your closet.
If it doesn’t make your heart sing, it’ll probably never see the light of day. Even a white t-shirt has the potential to make you feel good when you put it on. It’s much better to wear something more often and look and feel great than to own a ton of so-so clothes that you only sort of like.
What about you? Do you have clothes you never wear? Or, if your wardrobe is streamlined, are there other tips you’ve used? How do you pursue fashion on a budget?
J.D.’s note: I’m not exactly a fashion maven, but I’ve always had a terrible habit of buying clothes I never wear. When we moved from our old house in 2004, I had stacks of shirts I had purchased but never taken from the packaging. I thought they were Good Deals. My current year-long clothing purge is helping me to see that what I need is not new clothes, but far fewer clothes; I wear only a small fraction of my wardrobe…and keep more of my money in my high interest savings account. Photo by Jessica Schroeder of What I Wore.
GRS is committed to helping our readers save and achieve your financial goals.Savings interest rates may be low, but that’s all the more reason to shop for the best rate.Find the highest savings interest rate from Ally Bank, Capital One 360, Everbank, and more.
This article is about Clothing, Hints and Tips, Shopping
Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by American Express. Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of American Express, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express. This site may be compensated through American Express Affiliate Program.
Discover is a paid advertiser of this site. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the Discover online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards.
SEARCH FOR RECENT ARTICLES
I do agree that we women buy so many pieces of clothing that we will never wear.
I stopped buying clothes and shoes for a year while I was putting my finances in order, during that same period of time I purged my closet several times. I learned that I did not need to buy new clothes every season , and that I could mix and match much better having less than more.
Great post!
loading....
I really like the comment on quality clothing. I buy classic clothes and they last for years and are in style for years – although I’m never trendy, which is fine with me. But when I go buy clothes (and its rare) I head to some place like Talbots or Ann Taylor cause I know I can get the quality and style I like. I shop in department stores, but I’m careful of the quality and fit I buy. I spend a little more at these stores, but ultimately I buy less because these clothes last. I can honestly say I haven’t been shopping for clothes for myself in at least a year. That being said…I do need to go and get a few things for fall.
loading....
I would agree with you except Talbots has gone to hell in a hand basket. They went from having classic pieces that could be worn forever (my mom had a pair of Talbots jeans that were 20+ years old and bunch of shirts that are easily 5+) to stuff that doesn’t last the season. The cuts and colors are now awful and for some reason they decided to go super trendy. BRING BACK THE OLD TALBOTS!!!
loading....
When cleaning out your wardrobe, it’s very handy to have an honest friend on hand. I get strange emotional connections to items which somehow allow me to overlook very basic flaws in clothing – like it’s got armpit stains or there’s a hole or it just doesn’t fit well. Choose wisely though – somebody who will be honest but will be careful of your feelings.
loading....
About getting rid of the clothes you have an emotional attachment to… maybe I read it on this site, but I remember a suggestion to take a photo of it. It’s not the clothes you’re in love with, but the memory they invoke.
loading....
I went through a clothing purge a few weeks ago and I can’t tell you how freeing it is. For years I was digging through a huge pile of clothes to find the few items that I end up wearing over and over again.
For me, it was just another attachment to stuff that prevented me from taking back my closet long ago. I was sure that if I kept all those things I never wore I would eventually find a use for them. Nope!
They’ll be a lot more useful to someone else at Goodwill.
loading....
One thing I watch out for is stuff that requires dry cleaning or has washing instructions that will prevent you from tossing it in with a load of the stuff you already own (my late batchelor friend Mark had the simple rule of never buying anything red). Especially in summer garments (linen dresses, I’m talking about you). You can get away with having a wool blazer dry-cleaned once a year, if you take it off before you eat, but where I live, you can’t wear stuff more than once in the summer without cleaning it, and that gets really expensive.
Also, how well cat hair sticks to things plays a big role for me personally. Things like black corduroy pants don’t even merit consideration.
loading....
Goodwill is a great place to get clothes if you know what you are doing (thank you Auntie Betty). My local store is supplied by the very rich ladies in town and I affectionately call it Talbot’s Too.
Buy classic designs in natural fibers. And when you buy button up anything from anywhere take a minute to drop some clear nail polish on the button threads and those buttons will stay on forever.
loading....
Good idea about how to keep the buttons on with the nail polish. Thanks for the tip!:-)
loading....
I’m working on this… Starting to try and build a professional wardrobe before I need it. I have pretty much nothing, so I’m starting from college clothes’ scratch. I’m working on good fit, quality and classic cuts/fabrics. Hopefully, by starting before I need it, I can build a good closet for not a ton of money.
loading....
Great advice on fit and only buying things that make you feel like a million bucks! I have to remind myself of that fact when I find something that’s ho-hum but really affordable.
My girlfriends and I host Clothing Swaps twice a year (Spring and Fall) where we band together to trade clothing mistakes or items that no longer fit. All the leftovers are donated to the hostess’s charity of choice.
loading....
I use thrift stores a lot(because you can buy Nordstrom, Talbots, Dana Buchman at my thrift stores-like Rox above- the rich ladies don’t wear their stuff very long),I buy mostly washable clothing(and I handwash some things), and I recycle. I give away my clothing or some things become cleaning cloths. You can even turn old fabric into rugs if you knit or crochet or into other pieces of clothing(I used to re-fashion but not anymore)
I just read a short fashion piece in the Sunday NY Times- there is a guy who makes new jeans look old by tearing, fading and patching them. They sell for over $500!!!
loading....
Tim Gunn’s 10 Essential Items Every Woman Needs (these should be in neutral colors)
• Basic black dress (I choose blue)
• Trench coat
• Classic dress pants
• Classic white shirt
• Skirt
• Blazer
• Day dress
• Cashmere sweater
• Jeans
• A comfortable alternative to a sweatsuit
It really works well to have these items as the basis (they are classics that can be purchased anywhere). Once you have one of each of these, you’d be surprised how little else you need to complete your everyday look.
I am trying to go through my wardrobe twice a year, get rid of items that are damaged, or that I haven’t worn in at least two seasons and then fill in the holes. I purchase far fewer items every year now that I do this, and nothing is wasted. Everything goes with some outfit.
I work in a formal setting and have also found that if I purchase one new suit in the winter and one in the summer, my wardrobe stays well enough refreshed that I don’t need anymore than that.
loading....
Clothes are my weakness, insofar as, I have no sense of style, so I just don’t buy anything. Almost everything I own is stained, torn, or generally shouldn’t be seen by the general public. Happily, I work in a lab, so everyone else wears stained and torn clothes.
When I do buy clothes, it is generally because my sisters dragged me out shopping and dictated what to buy.
loading....
Good post. Now I’d like to see a follow-up post on how to deal with a MOUNTAIN of baby clothes.
loading....
My personal fashion style is Maui Casual.
Work provides me with my uniform, I own two suits (wedding and funeral) and four dress shirts. Beyond that it’s shorts, blue jeans and a Hawaii shirt.
loading....
So when someone says “buy quality clothing” how long do you expect that to last? I usually buy shirts & khakis for work at places like Gap, Banana Republic, Eddie Bauer, etc and get a good 5-7 years out of them. At $20-30 a pop, I think that’s good value. Does going up to a price point of $50-75 really get me that much more life?
loading....
I have a huge problem with this myself. I buy things that either don’t fit or don’t look great after a month or so, then I’m stuck with it. I usually donate it to a thrift store, but it’s still a huge drain on my bank account!
loading....
@Kate–Great tip!
@Kevin–It’s sort of up to the individual to decide what’s worth it. I think paying $20-$30 for an item that you wear for seven years is a pretty good buy. I doubt that going to $50-$75 khakis will get you that much more life out of your clothes.
However, buying a cheaply-made sweater for $15 that loses its shape and pills up after one wearing is $15 down the drain, in my opinion. If you paid a little more, maybe found something on sale, you could find a garmet that will last much longer.
loading....
I typically don’t buy high quality dress shirts or suits. I’m an attorney, and it matters how I look coming into the office b/c you sometimes have to deal with clients. With that being said, I buy my suits at Men’s Wearhouse, ties at Marshall’s and dress shirts at Kohl’s. The shirts (wrinkle free) run a little over $20 apiece and last about 10 drycleanings (before the collar begins to fray with color). The suits are in the $250-$400 range (usually wait and try to hit the sales). The ties are usually $10 or less if I’m buying them. My wife helps, and I still feel like I come out looking okay.
I always think it’s a tremendous waste of money, though – and that’s with me going cheaper than most of the other people I work with. Some of them buy Brooks Brothers or have tailors make their suits from scratch. Some of them buy $100 dress shirts (hard for me to believe). I can tell a difference, but those clothes just aren’t where my values lie. Why stretch for those.
I think if you want to look better – a good pair of running shoes is probably a better investment than a $100 shirt…but that’s just my take.
loading....
Good advice – I’m trying to upgrade from a Kaitlyn (#12) style to something more presentable. My sister has promised to drag me to the thrift stores in her metropolitan area to help out.
As for baby clothes, the same sister is part of a group that just passes the kids’ clothes from one to another. When they were babies, she always knew someone who knew someone who had kids in the size available. Between grandparents, doting aunts, and the pass-around clothes I don’t think she spent anything on baby clothes and neither did many of her friends.
loading....
@Kevin, the problem I have with those places is that it seems to be hit or miss on quality. Sometimes the clothes, like you say, lasts forever. Sometimes it doesn’t make it a year. And I haven’t figured out the trick if there is one. (Also, at least two, if not all three, are owned by the same parent company. So you aren’t buying anything different at one store or the other you’re just paying for a different brand name on the label. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with that. I just though you should know that the khakis at both places are the same thing even if the price is different.)
All that aside, I’ve been debating whether to pay more for some of the basics just to get more consistancy out of the pieces I buy. I’d really like some good casual clothes that last like those old t-shirts that shouldn’t be worn unless I’m deep in the woods camping with a couple of friends.
loading....
I like to identify fundamentals in my wardrobe and basic quantities, and fill in the gaps as I can. This helps me to shop in a focused way, not just looking around for “something nice”. For example, this fall’s target was a matching gray pencil skirt and jacket. I set myself a budget of $300 and went to every store that carries that type of clothing at that price point, and after a day’s shopping, came out with exactly what I wanted and no more.
loading....
#18 – Todd @ Personal Finance Playbook – I would consider paying more for dress shirts that don’t fall apart after only ten wears. My husband only buys his when they go on sale, but they have never frayed, so the money goes a lot further. He still has some good quality shirts he bought about seven years ago.
loading....
@CB – actually, the fit of khakis at Gap and BR (the 2 owned by the same parent) are completely different – I’ve started cycling out my Gap khakis (fraying at the leg cuff anyway) and going to BR more often. The cost is a tad higher, but worth it for me considering the lifespan.
I usually shop at their outlet stores, but I’ve always had good luck with both Gap & BR. Now, Old Navy (also under the Gap/BR umbrella) is definitely lesser quality and I rarely shop there.
loading....
I can go weeks spill-free, but when I’m eating something that will stain, sure enough it ends up on my shirt. So in the fall I stock up on end of summer sale knit tops and tank tops (which I use as camis) that I wear year round paired with cardigans, blazers, etc for work. They cost a max of $5 each, and I get a great pop of color in my wardrobe. Nice button down shirts I only get in dark colors, and I’ll often use those in the summer and fall with a tank or tee instead of a heavier blazer.
loading....
@FourPillars either hand down the baby clothes to friends with little ones, save them if you are planning one an additional little one, or donate them to the charity of your choice.
I used alot of these ideas myself this weekend as I did my twice annual closet cleanout. I think an additional rule needs to be added though if you are losing weight, toss out the clothes that you have shrunk out of. I realized I was holding on to lots of clothes that were too big and I dont want to give myself the option of gaining the weight back so out it went.
loading....
Fantastic tips. I try to purge every season. If I haven’t worn something in a year, away it goes. Great write up!
loading....
I am not much of a shopper so when I do shop, I tend to always wear those clothes.
loading....
Great post, April! I’ll add to the discussion on cheap vs. quality that you can often extend the life of a cheap garment by handwashing it and either drying flat or hanging up. My sister does this all the time with those flimsy Forever 21 tops (I’m much lazier and tend to buy sweet, washable t-shirts), though I’m not sure there’s an equivalent for guys. But I think with any piece it’s important to treat it with care so it will last longer.
I will say the clothes I get the most mileage out of are the ones that I personally identify with. I see them and think, “that’s so me.” Right now it’s Old Navy jeans and anything purple. Most of these pieces were inexpensive, and they do wear out eventually, but if I get a good run out of them that’s worth it to me. I always say that my purchases fall into two categories: practical and aspirational. There are the clothes I know I will wear, the jeans and t-shirts, but that aren’t terribly exciting. Then there’s the “nice clothes,” the things I think I should wear in order to be a more mature, stylish person. Sometimes they get used, sometimes they don’t. I’m still figuring out how to find a middle ground, clothes that I can wear often that don’t look like the same wardrobe I had in high school.
loading....
In addition to considering your “dominant season” geographically, you might also have to think about the dominant seasons in your profession. I’m in education, so the schedule of the academic year dictates that I need more dressy winter clothes than summer clothes.
loading....
The first time I really thought about cleaning out my wardrobe was right after a trip to Guatemala. I met many incredible Mayan women there, and I soon found out that most of them only owned two outfits. They would wear one and wash the other when it was dirty. That experience made me so aware of the excess sitting in my closet at home.
Now, I am lucky enough to have only two main modes of dressing: casual (I have a casual workplace, too!) and for dancing (I dance Argentine Tango several times a week). At one point, I began stocking up on quality basics: t-shirts, tank tops, good-fitting jeans, skirts, etc. I have a lot of solid color basics now, and I have found that a nice pair of earring or a necklace can go a long way in making those basics pop.
I have added some spice to my wardrobe with some patterned dresses and tops, but I always try to choose pieces that I would wear for a long time. I also love finding tops that work in all settings: everyday wear, at work, and for dancing. It doesn’t always happen (a good tango dress isn’t always work-appropriate!), but taking a moment to really consider my clothing before I buy it has helped me build a wardrobe that I actually wear regularly.
loading....
April, this was a terrific post! Thank you so much. I’m really happy to have been introduced to Wardrobe Oxygen (and her companion blog) as well.
loading....
This is an inspiring post — I do hope to be adding some stuff to my goodwill bag this afternoon!
I wonder how many people find it as hard as I do to recognize when sunk costs are sunk — I know I sometimes keep a mistake for years on the idea that I’ll find a way to wear it.
Then then there are some things that I love so much that I don’t really notice they are wearing out — I’m still thinking of something as “new and nice” when it’s on its really on its last legs.
And, I’ve recently lost just enough weight that some of my favorite things are a little large — and it’s not always easy to get good tailoring done for women’s clothes, at least not without spending almost as much as getting something new on sale…
loading....
The best investment I ever made in my wardrobe was a year’s subscription to MissusSmartyPants (plug the name into Google to find her web site). Her Personal Profile newsletters gave me a solid understanding of what works well not just for my coloring, but for my combination of petite height, pear shape, and short-waisted proportions. Now when I shop, I can disregard about 95% of the options available to me (tunic tops? nope. skinny jeans? bad. prints anywhere on my bottom half? don’t bother). The result is that I buy far fewer clothes, but look anywhere from pretty good to fabulous in everything that I do buy.
Also, I no longer hesitate to pay full retail for some items if they’re basics that work well for me. Last year I went shopping at Coldwater Creek for a pair of black dress pants, and found some at full price that made me look like I’d lost 10 pounds the minute I tried them on. Sold!
Being petite makes most thrift stores a needle-in-a-haystack venture for me, so I focus my thrifting at places where the potential for reward is higher. This means regular stops at the one Goodwill store in our area that actually separates the petite clothes onto a separate rack. At other thrift stores, I disregard pants altogether and focus on knit shirts in my best colors, ignoring the sizes on the labels. Sometimes a “regular medium” shirt shrinks down to a “petite small” size, which is often the reason why it gets donated to a thrift store.
loading....
I saw a guest on Oprah a couple of years ago say that most people wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time and a lightbulb just went off in my head. I surveyed my closet and found that to be completely true for me. I have since stopped buying clothes I won’t wear lots. I have a couple of outfits for church/dressier occasions but the rest are mainly jeans and pullovers in the winter and capris and T’s for summer… all this stay-at-home mom needs right now.
Thanks for your articles. I’m loving a woman’s perspective on this blog. It was a great blog before but even better now!
loading....
I have wasted far too much money on low quality clothes that ended up in the “household clothing” drawer or dismantled to make rags in a matter of months. Once I started in being thoughtful of my purchases, then I realized that clothes can last for years. There was one item of clothing I “invested” in when I was 18. It was a $400 coat and though it was a lot of money, I loved the fit and quality. When I gave it away last year (it was several sizes too large), it didn’t look that much different than the day I brought it, though I wore it probably 180 days out of the year for eleven years. I have had cheaper coats during that same time that didn’t last more than one to two years tops.
I purged my closet several times over the past few years due to weight loss. If I cant have an item altered (there is a limit to how small a garment can go) I either sold them or gave them away. My closets tend to be small so there is a limit to what I can have anyway.
loading....
I agree..I am one of that persons whose closet has more clothes than it can hold:-( But, I always buy on sale..so I dont feel guilty:)) Once in a while, I bring in huge trash bags and fill up with ill fitting clotehs and dispatch it to Goodwill
Every Thanksgiving I get a pair of Jeans from Gap–9$
I got one Ralph Lauren skirt for 5$–Have been wearing it for 4 years now.
The best way to save money is to learn to accessorize well. I usually, team up my tops with accent scarves (again puchased during sale) so it looks trendy and not boring.
loading....
One of the best tricks I’ve found for reducing closet crap is this: at the start of a new clothing season, rather than move everything into the convenient closet, put everything you think you might wear into another bedroom or hall closet. As you wear it, hang it back up in your main closet. At the end of the season, you’ll likely have lots of stuff still sitting that you never touched – excellent candidates to pass on!
loading....
A couple HUGE tips:
1) It’s all about the color. Figure out what colors look good on you and never buy anything in those other colors no matter how trendy they are this season. For example, I look terrible in off-white—only pure white blouses/sweaters/tops look good on me because of my coloring.
2) To liven up a classic wardrobe, try buying trendy stuff at Target–just to see if you like it. Yes, a $9 shirt won’t last long, but after you try it you may only want to wear it for one season. If you do end up liking the style, then you can go out and spend a lot on a high quality version. Goes for jewelry too—if huge clunky necklaces are in style, try some plastic ones from Target and only buy the quality dept store version if you end up liking it (or just keep on wearing the Target version).
loading....
Hubby and I are at a definite advantage being self-employed. I own four outfits: three for wearing around the house, one for church and social functions. Yes, I really do wear the same outfit every single week to church and not one person has commented about it. When I go out, I put on my “outside” dress and hang my home dress back up to wear again. I don’t wash them until they are truly dirty, which makes them last longer.
Hubby’s clothes, on the other hand, take up 4/5 of our available closet space, has five dresser drawers (I have none) and 6 pair of shoes to my 2. He washes his clothes even if they are only on his body for one hour and works very hard to never wear the same thing to the same place more than once a month.
I don’t think it’s a “girl” thing, I think it’s a mindset.
And I agree about quality. With 6 kids, hand-me-downs are a major money saver for us. We could spend $200 at Sears for clothes that will last one child one season or $400 at Hanna Anderssen for clothes that will last through six kids’ wearing and then donate in excellent used condition. Yeah, it’s hard to fork over twice as much at the outset, but we get it back in the long run.
loading....
I find it much easier to stick with two-four brands or stores for professional clothes, I know the clothes from these stores will fit me well, wear well, etc. I’d rather pay more for a good pair of work pants that I know I’ll wear once every two weeks than get a super bargain for pants I might wear once or twice. When I buy clothes, I calculate the price per wear before making the purchase.
loading....
I like the “where will I wear this?” advice?
For me, I only have 3 main categories:
1) work (business formal for me. Classics, deliberately kind of boring.)
2) casual wear for at-home, grocery shopping, and hanging with my kids (casual/shredded jeans, funky t-shirts, fleece, yay I get to express my personality!)
3) date night (includes sexy jeans, short skirts, and tops that are a little too attractive for work–another side of my personality!)
For very fancy occasions (my Dad’s wedding, etc)– I will usually go shopping for something to wear to these rare specific events anyway. So I resist buying anything in this category “just in case”.
I also broke down & purchased several warm & stylish coats–one for each category. Since I live in a place where it is winter 9 months of the year, I decided to give up on the idea of just having 1 parka that I wore with everything–it didn’t really work well and I got sooo sick of that one coat I was ready to burn it after one winter anyway.
loading....
Gee – I do have trouble with this – my life is too checkerboard! I wear LOTS of jeans and t-shirts (and sweatshirts) at home & at the boat – but I ALSO have call for both formal, dressy, business wear & clothes that function more or less like COSTUMES, as I am an actress…Living in L.A. one HAS to have fairly chic clothes to keep up with the styles. And one can’t seem to have too many t-shirts. The truth of the matter, I think, is – as I read once – to be really well dressed, you HAVE to have a LOT of CLOTHES. But not clothes you never wear. That is, alas, NOT my problem….I also find that I never know which items will become staples – So often it’s an off-the-wall choice that just seems to GO with everything. I do, however, stick to the principle that anything I get has to make me feel GREAT (& the hell with the SIZE, as long as it fits.)That said, I shop the thrift shops here & in the So. Cal area for great DEALS on nice stuff – but it sometimes turns out that it will take me a year to wear that particular pair of fabulous shoes ($200+ for $7??) with just the right outfit – but in L.A. sometimes that is just the ticket. And you know – eventually I seem to wear EVERYTHING.
loading....
That sounds interesting, although I have to admit the clothes problem has never been mine.
I only own two pants, and true, I now own 3 pairs of shoes rather than he usual 3 (regular shoes, summer shoes and now winter boots due to moving to Canada).
All the clothes I own, apart from the boots, are several years old (well, my wedding clothes are just over a year old, but they’ll last a lot more).
I guess I’m lucky I don’t have the problem so many people have. I almost ever spend my money on clothes, it seems a waste of money when I already have some that still “work”. I do buy cool T-shirts on occasion, but still I have maybe 5, at most 10 of them, so I don’t think that’s too much.
I think it’s great that you’re giving advice for the (apparently many) people who need them. Some of my friends sometimes ask me, but I have no clue how to help them. It would be like asking an asexual person “how do you stop yourself from having one-night stands?”
At least now I can direct them to this article.
loading....
J.D. and April,
J.D. I think you did a great job picking April as a staff writer. This topic keeps you relevent in blogging about life and personal finance. So many people want to discuss just the principles of money, economics, and finance stuff on their blogs. This gets old after awhile and there is only so much you can write about how a mutual fund works.
What is more important is how our financial decisions intersect with everyday life.
In teaching most of my students come to me knowing that 6×9=54, but many don’t know how to apply that knowledge to everyday life and how the concept of multiplication can be applied to so many other areas, making math easier for them. The knowledge is almost useless if you don’t know how to apply it. Keep the articles coming that teach your readers how to apply common sense personal finance principles to everyday life. To me this is a lot more practical than the scholarly aspects of personal finance.
loading....
Hey April,
An incredibly effective way of minimizing your wardrobe is to clothes maximization: maximum usefulness with minimum items.
The strategy is to have the least amount of stuff in your closet while still have complete functionality (without needing tons of layering or clothes-changing) and desired style.
Have each clothing item satisfy these two categories:
1) FUNCTIONALITY. Like you mentioned in buying for the season and lifestyle, analyze where you spend most of your time. Cities? Woods? Beach? Warm? Cold? Then get clothing with the necessary material (polyester, nylon, cotton, etc.) and the necessary features (warmth-preserving fleece, moisture wicking fabric, etc.).
2) STYLE. Does it look good and fit well? Like you said, does it make you feel like a million bucks?
If each clothing item gives you maximum necessary functionality depending on what you do, and you actually get excited wearing it (rather than for pure functionality), then you:
- Get dressed faster (the fewer choices, the easier to make a decision)
- Have less stuff (need less space, easier to travel, minimal lifestyle)
Keep on maximizing your wardrobe,
Oleg
loading....
Since I’m a size 00 petite (I really hate vanity sizing) my personal rule is to buy multiples when I find something I like. I have a tendency to wear the same items enough times that they wear out within two years.
loading....
I have the opposite problem. I still wear some clothes that I’ve had for 10 years. My wife complains that I’m out of style and need to buy some new clothes. I just set up a new ING savings account to put $40/month in for clothes purchases.
loading....
I definitely fall victim to “swaying to low prices” being the bargain lover that I am. I have accumulated way too many things that I never use or wear this way.
A friend recently taught me a little trick, which I took to heart. When something catches my eye at the clearance section, I ask myself “Am I more in love with the price or am I more in love with the item?” Nine out of ten times, it is usually the price I am more in love with, and not the item itself. And that shouldn’t be worth my money (and grief of adding to the clutter at home).
loading....
I have a simple tip. Move to New York and make sure everything in your closet is black or white and you will always be in style…or is that just my lazy way of doing things?
loading....
@Jessica, LOL re not leaving yourself the option of going up a size again – good for you! I work from the opposite edge: if my size 8s start to get tight, I don’t go buy a 10: I stop eating so much!
@Rachel, I also have to plan for dancewear and in four different categories: teaching, shows, social dancing, and practice. Ugh.
This means my closet is pretty full. For my day job (business casual) I have a small selection of good slacks, skirts, and dresses, with inexpensive tops for variety over time. Keeps the cost pretty low.
Great article and fun discussion!
loading....