At least people consciously buy clothes. I also see plenty of people who are auto-billed for months or years without realizing it, because its a small amount like $5 or $10. That’s a problem, as well. But if people can curb both their conscious AND hidden spending, they can save hundreds or possibly thousands each year. That can compound to real wealth over time.

In September or October, when I start digging out my fall/winter wardrobe, I’m usually size 8-10. By Christmas, I’m typically a size 14. From January through May, I can gain or lose up to 30 pounds, depending on how motivated I am or how stressed out at work I am that year. (To lose any weight, I restrict calories to under 1000 per day, work out 4-6 hours, and generally have no life and feel miserable…. but it’s the only thing that works for me.) I’m a teacher, so once school ends in June, I can finally unwind and focus more on eating healthy and being active while still enjoying my life, and I generally will shrink down to an 8 or 10 again, regardless of whether I started the summer at a size 12 or a size 18!

Essentially, this means that some years I need four full sets of summer clothes to wear in the span of about four months, and I never have any idea what size to buy in pants, jeans, or sweaters. When I find something I like, I usually buy it in several sizes. I look for stores with unlimited return policies, because sometimes I gain or lose weight so fast that I skip some sizes completely!

The biggest problem is that I have a really hard time getting rid of clothes that don’t fit because I think I will need them again in the future…. and I do, in fact, dig out and wear many of those old clothes when the new ones I’ve bought get too tight or loose. Each time this happens, I get rid of some clothes that are in bad shape or out of style and replace them with new ones, but I still have a hard time finding room for so many “sets” of clothes. Not surprisingly, I find I have a lot more clothes in “too small” sizes than in “too big” sizes just because it’s so much more exciting to be able to buy clothes when you’re a smaller size. I get caught in the “buying it because it fits” trap when I’m bigger, though, and then, a few months later, I have a ton of clothes that are too big that I don’t like enough to have taken in. However, I don’t want to get rid of them because I know how incredibly difficult it is for me to find ANYTHING that fits me when I’m bigger. Stores sell a lot fewer 18s than 10s.

Plus sizes don’t fit either when I’m bigger. The tops are always too big or long, no matter how big I get. Bottoms tend to get really big in the front and waist, which doesn’t help me since I never put a proportionate amount of weight on in the belly region. When I find pants that fit my hips, thighs, and derriere, they usually have a ton of extra fabric in the front forming a very unattractive “belly pouch”.

I can wear my shirts a little longer than pants usually, but shirts tend to get shorter and tight across the chest and hips as I gain weight. Big shirts don’t even hang right on me as I lose weight. If they’re even slightly lower cut, the neckline falls off my shoulders, and the bottoms of the shirts are stretched out beyond repair, even when the length is still okay for me.

Where can I find quality clothes in bigger sizes (but not necessarily plus size), and how do I know which clothes I should hold onto until they do (inevitably) fit again? I try to stick with classic styles in solid colors, but even with a wardrobe of mostly good basics in each size, that’s a lot of clothes! My closets just can’t take this anymore!!!

Not only are temps extreme from one season to another, they can be pretty extreme from one day to the next! In February or March, it is entirely possible for the high to be 15 degrees one day and 65 degrees one week later, and back to below freezing a few days after that. I was born in the middle of a very early blizzard at the end of October. On my 9th birthday, temps hit 91 degrees!

When I was in Iowa, I frequently wore sandals or flip-flops in the summer.

But, I do understand what you’re saying. Since moving to Atlanta, I have to remind my mother not to buy me any very heavy sweaters for Christmas. I almost never wear them (except for when I am visiting back home!).

I had no idea even how to get started on purging all my clothes. I ended up taking clothes out I had not worn in years because of whatever reason and I put them on bins. I just need to go get rid of them now.

I ended up dividing my clothes in four categories: Work (business casual), home (jeans and tee’s), lounging and gym clothes. This got rid of 90% of my clothes. I found that I bought things because they fit or because they were at good price, not because I liked them or did both fit and price.

I gained some weight and was living in the illusion that I would be able to fit after my baby. Now I look good in bigger clothes and I feel better about myself when I change into something that fits instead of feeling sorry for not fitting in my old clothes.

As someone mentioned above, I don’t buy fashion magazines anymore as they just encourage you to buy, buy, buy. Where on earth do people get the money to buy like that, anyways? Skipping the cost of the magazines alone has saved me over a thousand dollars over the past ten years.

I love cashmere sweaters and find the good ones to be worth their $250 cost as they look and feel luxurious and can last five or six years with heavy use. Lately I’m buying new ones for a fraction of that cost on eBay–Lord and Taylor, Saks, Neiman Marcus and Charter Club all make good quality cashmere sweaters. They go with jeans or dressier clothes, and as they get older I wear them with yoga pants and over nightgowns around the house. Agitate cashmere in the washing machine for one minute, then air dry–no need to dry clean.

Further complicating things, I am an accomplished seamstress. I can alter anything, including wedding dresses. My rule for myself is to look at it and think: “will I alter this?” because some things it’s just not worth it to take it apart to the extent that I might need to in order to make it fit right. I also tend to buy things I cannot make, or things in a nice fabric I don’t have access to without undo spending.

As a seamstress, I have affection for my clothing. I have things that were my deceased grandmothers. Nevertheless, there is still a lot of clothing that I can and will get rid of. I mostly wear skirts, so I have stopped buying pants. I’m not going to wear it, so why buy it? Maybe you too have a category of clothing you buy because you think you’re supposed to, but you never really wear.

I think I’ll ask one of my friends to come over and help make sure I get this done and make sure I get rid of the things that are old. I’ll purge in time for Thanksgiving sales regardless of how hard it’s going to be.

Also, Gwen (#9), that is a great idea!

An editing item: Having grown up in SE Iowa, I feel it is important to note that Iowa does indeed have four distinct seasons, one of them being a long summer of BRUTAL heat and humidity. If you are to survive a summer in Iowa, save one pair of flip-flops.

Buy two.

In my experience it’s often jeans for women and dress shoes for men.

Another tip: shoes last longer if you don’t wear them every day. At least alternate days. This lets the moisture evaporate and preserves the shoes. Cedar shoe trees help the process along and keep your shoes well shaped. If you buy fancy dress shoes, the trees are a good investment.

I can’t do thrift stores, either. I’m short and slim, but with curves. I’ve tried and tried, and even if I find something I like, it never, ever fits. :/

For me, I really think cheap junky clothing is the way to go.

One, my mom is a seamstress. Even when I can’t or don’t wear something anymore, it’s hard to chuck something your mom made for you from scratch.

Two, my husband and I have been together since high school. It’s a lot easier to chuck the prom dress and the high school “memories” clothing when you are no longer with that guy.