Ask the Readers: How Much Do You Spend on Clothes?
Published on - September 16th, 2011 (by J.D. Roth) The “Ask the Readers” feature is well-loved here at Get Rich Slowly, but by far the most popular question I’ve ever asked came at the end of July. “How much do you spend on food?” I wondered, and GRS readers posted 367 comments sharing their buying habits and the costs in their cities (and countries).
Several readers sent me e-mail after this question asking for more. “You should do a whole series of questions like this,” one woman wrote. And she’s right. So, for a while at least, I’ll be posting one similar question every month — a survey of our spending habits as a whole. This is by no means scientific, I know, but it’s pretty darn interesting.
Today, let’s talk about the things we wear. I want to know how much do you spend on clothes?
Because I’ve lost fifty pounds over the past couple of years, I’ve had to buy a lot of new clothes. My method for re-building my wardrobe isn’t exactly what I’d imagined. First, I got rid of the things that didn’t fit. Also, using my one-year wardrobe project, I purged the things that I no longer wore. From the little that remained, I’ve been s-l-o-w-l-y adding new items.
I do this in two ways:
- About half of the time, I buy clothes from thrift stores. All of my pants, for instance, come from thrift stores. (Well, except for a couple of pairs of travel pants.) So do many of my shirts and sweaters. I’m much more selective about what I buy at thrift stores than I used to be, though. I only buy things that I really like. (In the past, I used the shotgun approach to thrift shopping, buying tons of things because they were “cheap”. But cheap clothes you never wear are no bargain!)
- The rest of the time, I buy from outdoor stores like REI. Over the past few years, I’ve become a fan of functional clothing. And wool. God, I love wool. In fact, I recently purged 90% of my cotton t-shirts in favor of a handful of wool t-shirts. I could write pages in praise of Icebreaker wool shirts, but that would be silly. These clothes are expensive when purchased new, so I try to buy as much as possible at sales (REI and Icebreaker both have awesome sales) or at outlet stores.
Last weekend, I bought a new sweater at the Icebreaker outlet near my home. As I paid, I chatted with the clerk. He, too, loves wool clothes, but he’s a student and can’t afford many. “I buy them on eBay,” he told me. “I set up alerts to track the stuff I want, and then buy it if I can get it cheap.” Brilliant!
So, how much do I actually spend on clothes? I don’t know. I’ve been tracking my spending since the beginning of the year, of course, but I haven’t analyzed the numbers yet. Besides, this year is a total anomaly. I’ve essentially re-created my entire wardrobe because I’m now a medium (with a 32-inch waist) instead of an extra-large (with a 40-inch waist). In a normal year, I don’t buy this many clothes!
But what about you? How much do you spend on clothes? How do you shop for them? Do you buy used? Only shop at Nordstrom? Do you have certain brands you’re loyal to? How do you weigh cost versus quality? What tips can you offer for building a wardrobe on a budget? And what role does gender play in the cost of fashion? Last but not least: How much of what you wear is wool?
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I don’t have a budget written down, but I shop between Goodwill, consignment shops, and mostly at one higher end clothing store that makes quality clothes. I also shop at Patagucci for athletic clothse when they have sales, as I’m outside a lot. I am guessing I spend around $1,000 to $1,500 on clothes and shoes. As I got older, I value quality of quantity.
I enjoy shopping – so I actually buy some stuff at Goodwill and consign it at the higher end shops. It feeds my shopping habits while earning a few bucks (usually around $200-300 bucks a year).
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I’m not a big shopper and have a decent wardrobe, so I only buy replacement items. Since I don’t really enjoy shopping when I must guy I buy several. For example, whenever I get down to 2 or 3 pairs of jeans, (I generally wear jeans and a polo or oxford to work) I’ll buy 3 or 4 pairs. Finding clothes that fit is always a challenge. (I’m 6’6″ 205 with big chest and small waist, so whenever the legs are long enough the waist is huge, or whenever the chest is big enough the waist of the shirt is about 12-20″ too big.) So jean shopping once a year, $200 or so. Same with shirts, I’ll buy a half dozen when I need them, then unfortunately I’ll usually get them tailored, so 20-30/shirt, plus $20 for tailoring so they fit.
I haven’t bought suits in about a decade but needed some new ones. That was $800 for two. And in retrospect, I probably will buy nicer ones next time. They don’t really hold their shape very well. (This is 2 $200 suits, and 2x$200 for tailoring.) Nothing off the rack fits me.
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I would say about $1200 per year for our family of four. We like Columbia, Patagonia, LLBean, J.Crew. I’m thrilled when I can find stuff I like at thrift stores. My kids wear uniforms so that is about $400 per year and I am a little freakish about good shoes for all of us. We don’t have a lot, but what we do have is good stuff.
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Oh, and my husband is in the military, which really helps with clothing costs. He has a couple of nice outfits, some casual clothes but it goes out of style before he wears it out. That wasn’t true before he wore uniforms.
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I looked at my record and currently this year I’m around $1000.
However, I’ve had a couple of anomaly’s this year:
1) Had to re-stock up on bras (expensive).
2) Went to a wedding and needed an appropriate outfit.
3) Needed new shorts as I had none left that fit.
I do think your budget will be highly influenced by where you live. I live in Canada, and in a place that definitely experiences all four season. Over a year our temperature varies by more than 60C. That means I need clothes for different season. A winter jacket is usually well over $100 for a decent one that will last a few years. Add in boots, mitts, hats, long underwear, and (possibly) snow pants for the winter. Most of these don’t have to be replaced every year. But it does add up.
I read somewhere once that Canadians spend the most on clothes. But it came back to the fact that pretty much all of Canada experiences 4 seasons and needs a wide wardrobe to cover this. (Also, it’s just much more expensive to buy clothes in Canada then the US).
My approach to clothes shopping is to only do so when something needs to be replaced, and then hope for a sale. Generally, I buy 90% of my clothes at either Roots or The Gap, and thankfully they have outlets where I live.
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Looking farther back into my budget history, realizing that this year is a huge anomaly. In 2009 $430 and 2010 $640.
And I’m going shopping for clothes tomorrow! But, my goal is to run outside this winter (I’m in a running clinic to keep me motivated to do so) which means I need warm workout wear. So off to buy a few pieces using a coupon.
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My wife and I have a personal allowance every month of $50, to use however we like. Our clothing purchases come out of that allowance, unless it is a big ticket item that is meant to last a few years like winter coats and boots, then it is budgeted for seperately.
We also have 2 kids, a 10yr old girl and a 3yr old boy, which we buy for as they need items. Plus the kids get lots of giftcards from family for bdays, report cards, xmas, etc. So we use some of that money towards clothes, but we do allow them to splurge items they choose on their own (toys, kid stuff and the like).
We love the usual Kohls, JCP, Target, Old Navy, Aeropostale. But we are always pre-shopping online to determine the best buys/values for the items we are looking for.
We only buy on clearance and end of season sales, or if we have some really good coupons.
Ebay is great, but you have to set a strict max bid for an item, and if it goes past then you have to let it go.
We all like new clothes once in a while, and thy money we are spending is budgeted for.
Over a year, we spend around $1000 give or take a hundred bucks.
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Wow, I guess I spend a lot more on clothes than most of you, and I don’t even dress up for work.
I’ve spent an average of $240 a month for the last 7 months on clothes and shoes combined (my budget tracker isn’t set up to separate them). This comes out to about $3000 a year.
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I think I spend around $1,200-$1,500 per year on clothes and shoes. I typically pay around $50 for a pair of shoes, $50+ for a dress or jacket, and $40-$60 for pants. I also spend maybe $200-$300 a year on alterations and dry-cleaning. I don’t feel that I am spending unreasonably, but now that I’m reading these comments… I feel like a spendthrift.
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I’d say we’re around $1400 this year. The hubby just had to buy a suit this month for an interview (~$400) and we’ll be getting at least one more soon, so I’m sure we’ll top $2,000 this year. Last year we only spent around $600 and the year before that I think it was only around $150 or so for jogging shoes for the two of us.
I’ve been playing around with our budget recently, and I think that $300 a month for the rest of the year is reasonable right now. (Yikes!) This includes shoes and purses, too. We’re 25 & 26 and transitioning to a “real job” for me and out of the military for him, so we’re having to spend a bit to start a professional wardrobe. Luckily, my mom made sure I had some nice quality, classically styled dress pants and sweaters in high school and they still fit and look nice on me. DH is almost having to start from scratch!
Also, we currently live in Europe, and although I love it here, I’m looking forward to being able to find more thrift stores and pay in dollars again once we move back to the States. We’re aiming for Portland, so maybe we’ll see you around, J.D.!
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Hm. I thought we’d be on the low scale, since my husband and I don’t regularly go shopping for clothes, but it seems that his business wear requirements skew us to the higher side.
Looking at mint, we’ve spent $933.86 YTD for the two of us (professional office workers).
This year was a little anomalous for us, so I’ll break it down:
$507-Two new suits. Husband wears suits and ties 4 days a week (friday is khaki day), and a suit can last 4-5 years. We bought these on sale, but the tailoring fees still add up. (Jos A Banks)
$203 Brooks Brothers outlet for husband’s shirts and ties- probably our biggest clothing splurge, as the shirts always look great and I never have to iron them. Unfortunately, since he wears so many of them, the frequently used shirts may last a year at best.
$99 Allen Edmunds dress shoe resoling. Husband is very particular about his shoes and is very hard on them. By buying shoes that can be resoled, he gets a consistent fit at about the same price he’d get for purchasing crappy dress shoes every 6 months. The tops of these shoes have lasted for over 4 years, and will likely last for several more years. We also purchase them as factory seconds, so these are not the same price as the shoes you can get in downtown DC.
$56 were for two “dress up” dresses- one was purchased at a second hand store, the other was fabric that I sewed for a dress to attend a wedding. Since I couldn’t find what I wanted at second hand stores, I decided to make my own dress, but dressy fabric isn’t cheap, even with coupons!
The rest ($68) was casual staples purchased at LL Bean. This includes three shoe purchases, another dress shirt, leather belt and a pair of shorts, etc. We have a Bean’s card, and have $60 coupons still to use. Full disclosure, I have a family attachment to Beans, so it is our default store for clothes. Last year I completed my entire work outfits with clothes purchased there on sale, and have only had to replace worn out shoes since then.
Luckily, we are creatures of habit, so our biggest saving tip is not spending time shopping. We know the sizes that fit, can order online if need be, and just get the replacement model for the item one of us wore out. Twice a year we stop by the local outlet to get his work shirts, and get any casual items at Beans. Admittedly, we also get a bit of clothing as gifts, which is how variety creeps into our closets.
Oh, and now that my grandmother is downsizing, I’m getting a lot of her high-quality hand me downs. Sadly, she’s mostly too stylish for my regular clothes, but I’ve never had to purchase a purse for fancy occasions.
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I spend less than $100 every 3 months or so on clothes, and probably $100 every 9 months on shoes on average. As a graduate student (and newlywed and new homeowner) I did my best to shop as cheaply as possible. I went to Kohls and used all sorts of coupons, in-store incentives, and my charge card (which applied discounts for using it) and gleefully skipped away with lots of cheap, cheaply made clothes. I thought by spending little money I was being frugal. However, after only a couple months of wear, the clothes begin to shrink, discolor, fall apart, and otherwise be lousy. Then true to form I go back and replenish the supply of shirts and dresses with more cheaply made stuff and the cycle continues. Now I am focusing on buying higher-quality, key staples for my wardrobe that will last me and that I feel great in, instead of trying to meet some artifical savings quota on junk. So far so good!
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My son graduated this year and his work wardrobe was purchased from JC Pennys and a department store going out of business. The total was under 50 dollars. The interview investment was more, about 300 dollars, most of it for the blazer. So this year for him, it’s about 350 dollars.
For me, retired, it is Goodwill and thrift stores. As I tell my daughter, there are some crazy rich people in this town. I purchase Ralph Lauren, Chico, J Jill, LL Bean, Liz Claiborne and spend about 20 dollars a month. Often, the tags are still on the clothing. When I bring something in, something has to go out. Because I live where it is warm 9 months out of the year, I shop Labor day sales for fresh summer clothes because that’s what we wear most of the time.
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i absolutely agree that it also matters what % of your income you are spending, not just $$ amt. I spend probably somewhere in the $2000 range on clothes/shoes/accessories. I shop sales and occassionally discounters like tjmaxx, but i live in a metropolitan area and work in a corporate job wearing suits every day so i would never expect to be getting by with walmart jeans and a few t shirts. part of me feels really guilty that i splurged on a pair of designer shoes that cost more than some ppls annual clothes budget, but its not getting in the way of my goals of maxing out my retirement accounts, and i honestly feel like a million bucks when i wear them. now that i have built a good base wardrobe, i tend to spend more money buying high quality pieces that will last for years when i need something new.
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It’s good to accesorize to change an outfit once you’ve got your staples too!
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We are a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 young kids) and I would say we maybe spend $500/yr on clothes. I buy most of my kid’s clothes at garage sales in the summer (I always buy up in size/season and wash and put them in plastic tubs at home to save until they fit). This includes snow pants and winter coats too. There is also a nice kid’s resale clothing place near my house where I also shop for items for them. The only new things I buy for them (besides underwear and socks) are shoes (at the nearby Stride Rite outlet) where I wait for the buy one get one 50% off sale.
As for the adults, I tend to shop sales only at places like TJ Max and Target and Gap. Recently I bought myself 6 very nice dressy shirts for work for an average of $7/piece.
We have worn the same winter coats for years and boots too.
Our biggest clothing expense is running sneakers for my husband – every 6 months he gets a special brand of Brooks running shoes for $130 but he runs half marathons and is training for a marathon so he needs good shoes.
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I hate clothes shopping so I never go to thrift stores. Way too much work.
Last year I went Babauta on my closet and pared down the wardrobe to its very basics–winter is organized around black (avoids the whole brown shoe/belt thing), summer is organized around white linen shirts–they let the sweat evaporate nicely.
I also get enough free t-shirts at film festivals that I no longer need to buy any.
I rarely see people wear ties in Albuquerque, but I stil keep 1 summer suit and 1 three-season suit, because you never know when you might have to appear in court.
My wife shops at mystery sources beyond my comprehension, spends very little, and always looks great. I don’t ask where or how, just that she sticks to the budget. She did simplify at the same time I did though– trying to focus what she actually wears instead of keeping a pile of forgotten things stuffed in the closet.
Life is good.
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I just graduated from college a year ago, so I have a few tricks to keep trendy as far as my clothes go.
I don’t make enough to have an extra $200 a month of just cash-flow so I sparingly buy clothes. When I do, I go to Ross or TJ Maxx. They’re both cheap and you can find very stylish items.
There are also loads of YouTube videos that show you how to stylize your clothes. Like cutting your t-shirts, etc.
I buy my jeans at Old Navy because they tend to be cheaper and are generally better quality (stitching and material) than other places.
For night life, I cute heels at Charlotte Russe because that’s the cheapest heels will get. They don’t have good support so with a variety, you can switch up your style each weekend.
Being a commercial model, I’ve found I have to look the part all the time…you never know who you’ll meet so I’ve learned a lot of nifty tricks from college to keep my wardrobe relevant.
Smart buys for clothing and accessories that can go trendy or classic and that are versatile and can be wore in many different ways are the best bangs for your buck.
I get my jeans at Old Navy because they’re cheaper and last a bit l
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Excellant post! More like this please!
…about $800 per year including my business-casual office atire. The single most expensive article I own are a pair of real deal Cowboy boots ($600!) I got as a Graduation presrent. I’ve had them for 7 years now and plan on at least 7 more.
I. Love. Clothes. I buy expensive pants (and slacks for work) that I take real careful care of so they last. Then I have fun with $10-$30 fashionable tops. They are not the highest quality, so you do have to put in the effort to keep them looking good (like using a fuzz buster on piling sweaters) but they arn’t ‘investment’ pieces so I don’t feel guilty when I dontae them at the end of the season.
I dislike the idea of ‘investment pieces’- why would you want to have the same sweater or blazer for 5 years?!! Styles change-acid washed pleated high waisted jeans from the 80′s are NOT OK to wear now. I don’t care HOW comfortable/functional they are. N_O_T O_K @ ALL
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I just wanted to chime in on the idea of ‘investment pieces.’ While I understand (and agree with!) your point about 80′s jeans, those would not be considered investment items. An investment piece is something like a really nice suit, made of high-quality fabrics, tailored to fit you perfectly, and in a style that is unlikely to look gauche for many years. Investment pieces are NOT “trendy,” they are classics. They fit well, the color and style will not look dated next year, and with appropriate care, they last a long time. You can always dress a great pair of black pants up or down with a cheap trendy top. Classic cut dress in a color that looks great and be given a more currently trendy look with different shoes, a belt, a scarf, jewelry, a shawl, etc.
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Lately, I have spent very little on clothes. I don’t even know if I’ve bought any in the past year. Before that, maybe on average of $100-$200/year including shoes or special events.
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I’ve been splurging a lot on clothes this summer (to the tune of $200 a month). I view it as a hobby; not a necessity but something I want and can afford. I am frugal in other ways but this is not one of them.
I’m trying to dress more stylishly, and buy more quality clothing, as I’ve dressed really badly in the past. Back then, I bought a lot of random items on sale that didn’t match or fit badly or weren’t things I’d actually wear. I shop online, from the sale sections at Nordstrom and Anthropologie. I return items to the store if they don’t fit or I decide against them.
There is a certain aspect of retail therapy in my shopping. I’m aware of it, and know I need to find other things to do instead.
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I don’t budget an exact number. Rather I have a set price point I will or will not pay for an item. When I realize that something is needed I keep an eye out for the item. I love taking advantage of final sales at the Gap, Banana Republic and other brand stores. I was able to get a pair of ballet flats from Gap for less than $10 dollars. Otherwise I love second hand stores that are more like consignment than thrift. You can get great deals on name brand and I find its more reliable.
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This amuses me, as I had decided, as I was lying in bed this morning, that I had to go clothes shopping this weekend (it’s about 25 degrees colder today than yesterday)
Unfortunately, I’ve gained weight so nothing fits, so I’m off to the super-expensive big and tall store (why, oh why do they all have names that evoke Henry VIII?). If you’re a size 3x and even basic t-shirts are $25 it can get discouraging–and yes, I know I should lose weight but I have to wear something until I do.
I will probably spend over $1000 this year–I envy those of you who can get away with less.
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Way too much is my answer. The time I gave up shopping for Lent was beautiful for my wallet. On average I probably spend $200/month on clothes/shoes/accessories. Some months are bad, others are good. I’ve made progress with being more selective about what I buy, making sure the quality is good and I can wear it several ways. I’m a huge sales shopper, but I also don’t mind spending $80 on a really nice dress that I love and will wear often. It’s quite an internal struggle between loving shopping and clothes and wanting to lead a simpler life. :-\
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And since I can’t edit my post for some reason, just for stats purposes, I’m a 25-year-old female who lives in a variable climate.
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Where I shop is variable, too. I love Kohl’s (yay coupons), Marshall’s, and Ross. I’ve found great things at Goodwill (after I’ve donated stuff, oops), and I love this boutique near my work that is expensive but has great sales for nice clothes. I’ve also sold stuff back to Buffalo Exchange and Plato’s Closet.
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I just checked my Quicken and I spend an average of $104 per month on clothes. I tend to buy from the mall, but I try never to buy something full price. For my 2 year old, I spent an average of $18 per month.
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We budget $100 a month for myself, my husband and our growing 3 year old. We probably use the entire budget, every three months or so. Annually…probably 800? I only buy clearance or resale for the growing one, and clearance for me. Husband is the only one who buys full price, and that is usually at Kohls, and once or twice a year.
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Like you I’ve been going through a bit of weight loss lately. I’ve lost about 30 lbs so far, and even with that amount none of my pants really fit me anymore, and a lot of my shirts are a bit too baggy now.
I’ll be going through the purge soon, and will be buying a somewhat new wardrobe over the coming months.
I like to buy my clothes at discount stores, or on clearance. I never pay more than $15 for a pair of jeans, and most of my shirts and sweaters/etc are never more than $5-10. In a normal year I probably would only spend $100-200 on clothes. My wife on the other hand would spend $5-600.
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In 2010 we spent $1,428 on clothes.
That’s for a family of 4. My husband has a blue-collar job with shirts provided. I’m a homemaker. Our clothing needs/wants are few. My children are both college students who care more about how they look.
We purchase our clothes from a wide variety of sources, including some thrift stores, and I do some sewing. I am not store loyal. I’m picky about wearing Reebok athletic shoes, and my husband is picky about good quality work boots. I also take VERY good care of our clothes so that they last a long, long time. It also helps that we tend to wear classic-style clothing that doesn’t look dated after a year.
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I have spent the past 3-4 years purging my closets of clothes, all mismatched, different sized, different colored impulse buys. All part of the hoarding mentality. I haven’t spent anything on clothing at all for the past couple of years. Bit by bit, I’m losing weight so I want to get down to my goal weight before starting over with a new wardrobe in which all the pieces compliment each other in some way. I probably won’t buy anything until next year at the earliest.
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Most of my clothing budget goes to my kids’ shoes.
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Just about nothing. All my outer clothes come from either garage sales or thrift stores. Underwear is from Wal-Mart (and bought only every couple of years). Sox from eBay. (I wear only wool ones, which are hard to find and/or very expensive anywhere else.)
Buying clothes from garage sales and thrift stores isn’t merely cheap. It’s fun. I can get great clothes — often designer duds that I would never even think about buying otherwise — for a dollar or two.
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I generally spend about $200 a year, broken up into a winter and summer trip. Throughout the year I supplement my wardrobe with cheap thrift store finds. I’ve had some really good luck, this last trip I got 6 new solid t-shirts in good brands (like Coldwater Creek) for $0.50 each that I was easily able resize and then improve with some fabric paint and freezer paper. (Here’s a tutorial: http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/how-to-make-a-stencil.html)
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For myself (30 yr old male, business casual dress code at work, programmer) I have spent about $600/year, $50/month average on clothes/shoes over the last 5 years according to my Quicken records
I typically shop at Kohl’s and utilize their frequent 15% – 30% off coupons for their credit card customers (which I pay in full every time there’s a balance) on already reasonably priced merchandise.
Occasionally when Kohl’s doesn’t satisfy my wants/needs I will shop at JCPenny who also has reasonably priced options as well.
My spending tends to be cyclical, shopping more for clothes around the major season changes in the northern states (spring and fall) when the climate deems a change in clothing. Usually each year I deprecate a few shirts that are old/worn and pick up a couple new ones at this time for the new season.
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First and foremost, I shop at thrift and consignment stores. Then I move up to discount retailers such as Nordstorm Rack, TJ Maxx, Ross, etc. When all else fails, I go to department stores and independent shop and never buy anything that’s not on a sale or clearance rack.
Because I don’t have a lot of clothes, I go though what I have pretty quickly which is not always a good thing.
Several years ago I lost 50 lbs and had to replace just about everything I had including a few pairs of shoes (feet went down 1/2 a shoe size) and while that was exciting, it was a lot of pressure.
Now that I do weight training, I have grew out of a few jackets (they don’t fit around the back, arms and shoulders) so that’s a real bummer.
In a year, I spend about $200-300 including shoes, socks, underwear, work out clothes and accessories.
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Looking over my Mint.com account, its more like $40-50/month, so closer to $600/year – but that still includes everything.
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I’m in the same boat with a number of you, it looks like, in not really tracking how much I spend on clothes. It’s hard to say, because this year I started my first professional office job, so I have spent more on clothes in the past six months than I had in the past three years. That said, I’m like most people here and either wait for a sale or peruse the local thrift and consignment shops. I will occasionally go into the mall because there are a handful of stores there whose clothing hit the sweet spot of prof but not ridiculous, but even then I will head straight towards the sale rack in the back and keep my singular purchases under $20.
But I love love love consignment and thrift shops. My last job was retail and the dress code dictated certain colors, so I went to Goodwill and bought everything I needed for under $20. Then when I moved on from that job, I donated all those clothes (that were still in decent condition – some didn’t survive) back.
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I typically only buy new clothes as necessary. I rarely pay full price for clothes. I love to shop at Ross and TJ Maxx. I’ve also recently found the Sears outlet by our house. It has lots of very cheap clothes. Many of which are Lands End.
I do have a limit on how much I’ll spend. For shirts I generally spend no more than $10 at a discount store. If I am buying from a regular store I’ll go up to $20 if I really love it. For pants I’ll spend up to $20 at a discount store and up to $50 at a regular store. I wear pants out at work so it matters to me that they last.
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I’m ambarrassed. Wife and I are both early in our professional careers and trying to build compelte wardrobes. We try to shop as thrifty as possible with online deals and Ross but budget $100/month! I thought that was on par with our needs but we are going to have to re-address.
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I have a Gap Visa card that my husband and I charge everything on each month and of course pay off each month. We accumulate “money” back that can only be used at Gap, Old Navy and a few other of “their” stores. It adds up quickly for us and we typically shop at Old Navy. When they have sales/clearances and we use our Gap “money” we typically get several complete outfits for just a few dollars total out of pocket. One year, I used my card for all company related reimbursable expenses and was able to buy all 6 grandkids Christmas from Old Navy for around $20 out of my pocket!
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i’m on a clothes-buying diet. no more new clothes until i throw out most of what i have! clothes overload!!
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My clothes spending go like this:
1. I have a uniform for work. I have about five or six work shirts/sweaters. I have two or three work pants (black or grey in the winter, capri pants in the summer). This makes it a lot easier to buy clothes and figure out what to wear. I don’t deviate from this. I wear leggings and cotton t-shirts on the weekends unless I’m going out, then I just wear work clothes.
2. I stain my shirts a LOT. It is irritating and congenital. When I get down to three usable shirts, I go shopping. I am plus size, so my options are a little limited, but I buy Lane Bryant clothes on eBay or shop the clearance rack in the stores.
3. I am losing weight, so I am buying a bit more clothes than I would otherwise.
4. At some point, I just trained myself to not care that much about my clothes. Yes, I want to look neat and presentable. Yes, I want to dress in clothes that fit and are flattering. But thinking about, looking at, shopping for clothes used to occupy a large part of my time and it does not anymore. I’d happily wear the same clothes forever, if they didn’t wear out or get stained. It took me most of my 20s, but I have trained myself to steer clear of the trendy, aside from the occasional accessory. Maybe it’s boring, but I’m okay with it.
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I’m noticing a trend in these comments – it seems like the people who actually track their clothing spending (through Mint, budgeting, or whatever) tend to have higher amounts than those who are estimating. I expect it is really easy to underestimate how much you really spend on clothes, since most people shop for clothing in infrequent bursts.
I know that was true for me. When we added Clothing as a line item in our budget, I estimated $25 a month would be fine. Obviously, it wasn’t. I was surprised at how much we spent when I actually had to track it. I think other folks might be surprised as well.
For the record, we now budget $480 a year for a family of 4. The kids clothes come from goodwill, and our work clothes come from nicer outlet stores (our jobs require professional attire). I keep a very minimalistic wardrobe, and try to get DH to do the same. I would love to budget more (for a few nicer pieces a year), and I will when we are closer to FI.
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I pay for clothing for my husband & son as well as for me. From January-August 2011, I spent $362.92 on clothes for me and a total of $448.71 for DH & DS, plus another $512.75 to replace DS’s outgrown school uniform. “Clothes” means everything needed to survive in Boston: coats, boots, shoes, jackets, sweaters, t-shirts, pants, undies, socks, etc.; “uniform” includes long & short sleeved shirts, slacks, gym clothes, and school sweaters/jackets for several outfit changes since laundry sometimes piles up and DS sometimes leaves cast-off layers at school. Shoes & boots are probably the biggest expense; DS is 14 years old and currently in a size 12 men’s shoe, and both DH & I have extra-wide feet so must special-order.
We buy only on an as-needed basis, usually from Target/Walmart/K-Mart/fat people type places; otherwise I avoid clothing stores, regardless of sales. “As-needed” means old clothes ripped, worn, or stained, or grew too fat to wear anymore.
Fortunately both DH & I work jobs where casual is mostly o.k. if neat – jeans & cotton shirts. I avoid “dry-clean only” and “hand-wash only” whenever possible and that cuts down on cleaning bills.
No wool. Both sister in birth family and DH in created family are very allergic & will break out in hives (e.g., if clothes they wear come in contact with wool); I’ve never worn it and likely never will.
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I hate going to stores to buy clothes. I shop online almost exclusively. Land’s End and J.Jill are my favorites; their sizes are consistant and their quality is good. My wardrobe is simple–I tend to wear some sort of knit top (sweater, nice tee) with a long skirt.
Of course, I use a combination of sales, discount codes, and free shipping offers, plus I use a rewards credit card and shop through a rewards site like Mypoints or Ebates. I spend about $300 a year on clothing.
I buy my shoes online too. My favorite current brand is Hotter. The shoes are high-quality–made in England instead of China, and fit and feel the way Clarks did years ago. THESE I don’t skimp on–I’ll use a discount code if one is available, but I’m willing to pay the $115+ that a pair of Hotters cost. They’re that good. But I buy only a couple of pairs a year at most.
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Is someone going to collate all this info into a graph? Would clothing expenditure as a percentage of total income be a more useful thing to measure? Honestly I’m not sure what use any of us will get out of this collection of anecdotes.
I have no idea how much I spend. I don’t buy very many clothes, but when I do, they’re usually “nice” brands like Patagonia, American Apparel, or Levi’s. That said, I have pretty much the tiniest wardrobe of anyone you know.
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“So, for a while at least, I’ll be posting one similar question every month — a survey of our spending habits as a whole. This is by no means scientific, I know, but it’s pretty darn interesting”
It is interesting to see how different things can be from one person to another. No, no graphics are needed. It is just an exchange of info, just for the fun of it!
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2002 – $750 (in Uni)
2003 – $700
2004 – $1200 (started office job)
2005 – $1100
2006 – $1100
2007 – $2500 (lost weight)
2008 – $1200
2009 – $3700 (started site job – needed non-melting and very warm clothing, oh praise wool!)
2010 – $3200 (started office job, needed suits for the first time)
2011 – $850 – so far (will probably be back at 1100-1200 this year)
I budget 150$/month and when the pot reaches 300, I redirect that money elsewhere. I do have a lot of sporting hobbies that account for most of what I spend on clothes.
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I couldn’t tell you for sure how much I spend on clothes in a year without going back and tracking the amounts from previous years.
I love clothes (and shoes), but I have a frugal streak a mile wide (which I inherited from my mom) and much of the time can’t justify spending money on myself. I probably go clothes browsing (without buying anything) more often than I actually go clothes shopping.
However, I do relish the few occasions when I have to shop for clothes: the onset of a new job, a promotion, a special occasion.
At those times, I go to stores in the following order:
Kohl’s (for the sales)
1) The thrift stores near my house
2) Consignment shops
3) TJ Maxx
4) Burlington Coat Factory
5) Old Navy
6) Target
7) Nordstrom’s Rack (just discovered this one when we moved to Denver)
Usually by the time I’ve made it to Target, if I get that far, I’m only looking for a few items that I just can’t find anywhere else, like white, fitted, button-down blouses. For such a business wardrobe staple they have been nearly impossible to find!
If I have a lot of time before I need the clothes, I will also hit up Overstock.com, Amazon.com, and Zappos.com in that order.
I also love to trade clothes and will often swap with my sister and my mom (the same height as me: tall) whenever possible.
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The last time I bought clothes was last October. Luckily, my office attire is casual, so I didn’t need to buy a new wardrobe (graduated in 2009, started working 2010). My newest pair of shoes are two years old.
I rarely go shopping. I just don’t see the need for new clothes. My lifestyle and job don’t require nice clothes. My clothes don’t have holes in them, they still fit. When I do go shopping, it’s most often at JCPenney with my family… Clothes are expensive! And
I DO hope to upgrade my wardrobe at some point because I actually hate my clothes. Even though my office is casual attire, I still feel like I’m the only one dressing like a teenager. But I’m saving up money for a house, and new clothes just aren’t a high priority.
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My husband & I buy moderately expensive clothing and shoes – but I try to time it for sales. I spend a good chunk at the Nordstrom annual sale each year where I can get my favorite jeans for < $40 a pair and I am very brand loyal to these! I buy one pair each year and rotate a worn out pair. I typically spend $200-300 at the sale each year, which generally includes a pair of shoes, a pair jeans, slacks, a sweater and some t-shirts and tops.
We also usually buy clothes & outwear at Patagonia's online sales. A few weeks ago we picked up several pieces of outwear we'd been waiting to buy for 50% off. We bought some long undewear, tops & a jacket for $250.
My husband is quite thin and works construction – at least once of year he'll find a good sale on Carharts and order several pairs spending $100-200. His t-shirts are provided by the company he works for.
Other than that we don't seem to buy much for ourselves.
For my 2-year-old daughter on the other hand I'll buy 1-2 outfits I love from an expensive store and just about everything else is Target or consignment shops except jeans – no one makes toddler jeans for a skinny kid like GAP. I can usually find one pair at a consignment shop in each size…the rest I buy on sale at GAP.
We all wear almost exclusively Smartwool or other merino wool socks – my daughter has only 6 pairs and we get by!
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Thanks for the skinny kid jean tips. My daughter doesn’t own any jeans because they keep falling off. I’ll check Gap
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Congratulation on going from 40in to 32! That’s a great accomplishment!!!
I hate wool, it so itchy. I don’t think I purchased any clothes this year. I’m holding off until next year to refresh my wardrobe. I might have a job change and don’t want to buy any work related clothes until then.
Usually I got to Banana Republic and Calvin Klein outlet store and see if they have any good sales there. I can’t find anything good at Good Will. I used to buy clothes from REI outlet store, but not lately.
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You can find wonderfully soft wool garments now. Since you seem sensitive to it, you may want to touch first but you’d be amazed at some of the stuff that’s out there. I love wool clothes and sweaters and didn’t know there were wool t shirts! If you live in a cold climate, you really should have a look!
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Forgot to mention this- I hate wool too. I don’t care how soft it is supposed to be, it itches. I don’t even like to touch it let alone wear it. Fortunately I live in Phoenix and it doesn’t get cold so I rarely wear long sleeves.
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Have you tried merino sweaters/cardis? And cashmere? These are the only kinds of wool which feel nice on my skin. I buy many on eBay, where I find really good prices (Banana Republic is one brand).
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My personal experience is that your state in life has a big affect. I currently have three teenagers but two of them (girls) work enough to pay for their own clothes. My third is the youngest and a boy so I spend about $200 a year on him in day clothes on him. Sports is another budget item so I am not including all the clothing that goes with that. He has mostly stopped growing so purchases have slowed. I am a professional at a business-casual office and spend about $300 a year on my own clothes which is a small part of my income. I don’t have time in my life now to shop around a lot so I mainly purchase my clothes at JCPenney during sales since I like their clothes. I have shopped thrift stores and discount stores in the past. I stay away from dry-clean-only. Spent some of this on work-out clothes this year to reward myself for keeping to a schedule on that. My husband can wear just about anything to work and he spends about $300 a year on his stuff.
On the wool question, I am unfortunately allergic to wool so I have to avoid it.
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I like to change out my look a lot. I buy clothes at thrift stores (great grants like Liz Claiborne and Coldwater Creek) and when I get tired of them, I load them up and take them back to the thrift store and get a new batch. I enjoy it, probably don’t spend $50 a month total.
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I have a $100 in my budget for clothes each month, as I decided that 2011 was my build-a-quality wardrobe year. This includes everything for my business, life, social and running needs. So, $1,200 a year. I like to buy things that will last. I walk everywhere and take public transit, so I usually buy Clarks or other comfy shoe. Footwear would be the only branding I care about.
The only tips about building a wardrobe I have are that I buy things that I really love and that go with everything else in the closet (tend to lean towards white, black, reds, and blues for this). I also don’t buy trendy clothes, or anything that I’ll only wear once. So, I’m more presentable than fashionable.
I don’t buy wool because it’s itchy.
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I normally spend ~$500 on clothes per year, in 2-3 shopping trips to Kohl’s. This past year, due to changes in medication, I have gained ~40 lbs. and most of my wardrobe doesn’t fit me.
I haven’t checked how much I’ve spent this year, but it’s more than usual. I did luck into my pants, though… my sister kept all of her size 14 in case she lost weight (we all know what happens to those plans), so she gave me 8 pairs as I have gone from an 8 to a 14 in less than a year.
Also, every 2-3 years, I spend a few hundred updating my “unmentionables”
that don’t fit or are worn out.
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I forgot to mention… I don’t buy any clothes from thrift stores, though I love thrifting for books and other stuff. I grew up in a large family without a lot of money, and I was the 4th girl, with a dozen or more older girl cousins, so my wardrobe each consisted of the following: one or two outfits that were gifts from grandparents, hand-me downs from sisters/cousins, and thrift store clothes. As I mentioned, my older sister still gave me “hand-me downs” that I was very grateful for, but as a general rule, I buy all my own clothes brand new.
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I buy almost all my clothes at resale shops. There is NO REASON to buy new clothes beyond underwear and socks. Most resale shops have stuff that’s practically brand new and sometimes with the labels still attached. Even if you buy new clothes probably 10 people have already slipped into that pair of pants already rubbing their crouches snugly into them and left them on the floor of the changing room. I recently posted on FACEBOOK this fact: Let’s say you buy 2 cups of $4 coffee everyday at Starbucks. That’s $20 a week,$1040 a year, and $10,400 in 10 years on coffee! We are nuts and deserve this recession for the most part as unfortunate as that is.
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I totally agree with you until you went on this rant: “Let’s say you buy 2 cups of $4 coffee everyday at Starbucks. That’s $20 a week,$1040 a year, and $10,400 in 10 years on coffee! We are nuts and deserve this recession for the most part as unfortunate as that is.”
Do you personally know anyone who spend $4 on coffee a day? I mean, really? Maybe in the rolling ’90s when prosperity was at its highest in this generation, but now? Are you kidding? And to blame the recession *solely* on the people who are suffering the most – pathetic.
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Cat – You’re right it is pathetic. I didn’t mean to blame or not care for others suffering. But I do have 2 neighbors who do buy 2 coffees a day. And I have said to them why don’t you just make it at home? I do give 20% of my income to charity also. I support KIVA.org that loans to small bussinesses with no interest to me. I just hate to see waste and feel that we have been wasting for years. We have become a don’t eat leftovers society. Our parents bought houses to live in as homes. Many of us bought our houses to flipped them in a few years. Nobody ever mentions Thorstein Veblen’s CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION anyone. Life is Bread and roses but we’ve all been carried awayby the roses partand (most but not all) by the pursuit of happiness. Why do you think TARGET’s website crashed the other day when they put their new MISSONI product line up for sale?
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I actually do know some (quite a few actually) people who buy $4 coffee every.single.day. And $10 salads for lunch as well. Every.sngle.day.
I work in midtown NYC, so that might help explain, but never the less, there is people out there spending like there is not tomorrow Even on this economy some people just don’t get it.
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Jo- thanks for the affirmation. I’m sure it exists outside NYC also. We spend as a nation half our food budgets eating out. And CAT- I did not say or blame the economy ‘solely’on those who are suffering the most.I actually do help people a lot but if you cannot see how this nation wastes not only money but energy and almost anything you can name for years now we’ve left all the lights on without paying the bills and now the bills are coming due. In Europe in many hotels there are signs that say “Please don’t take an American Shower” meaning a 30 minute one.
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You really shouldn’t make sweeping generalizations and pass judgments on people based on a single slice of their budget. Especially when you know absolutely nothing concrete (only perceptions) about the totality of their budget. It is possible that $4 per day coffee habit is important and, as such, they’ve budgeted dollars away from somewhere else to afford it. Consider that perhaps that ‘something else’ on which you prefer to spend the equivalent of $4 per day is something THEY would find ridiculous and obnoxious. Less judging, please.
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Really. People (especially on PF blogs/forums) LOVE to judge others without knowing a single thing about them.
I used to work for a (wealthy) woman and she had a $4/day Starbucks habit. I was the paid employee who used her card every morning to buy her a low-fat, decaf, grande, cappuccino (no joke!). I would get that and she insisted I get something for myself. Someone could have looked at me and assumed I was “one of those”. (Sigh)
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I apologize to you all. You’re right I am judging but I do feel still that many (not all or we)waste too much. And I guess that is a generalization and I’ll try not to do that in the future. Everyone have a good weekend.
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You’re right about that @Brent… Probably many of us have a little waste somewhere in our budgets or areas where we could improve and I love sites like this (and the variety of comments therein) for helping me think differently and identify and translate fresh ideas into positive changes to my own financial strategy. I’ve certainly been guilty of judging the spending habits of others, but I try hard to steer clear of that mindset.
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That’s why I think the “How Much do you Spend on…” posts here are very interesting. No matter how hard we try to work on our spending and PF, most of have have SOMETHING that we may spend more than the average person on be it food, clothing, makeup, books, fitness, travel etc.
Something that could be frivolous to one person, but valuable to another.
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I rarely buy clothing used. It’s not for a lack of trying — things just don’t fit me. It’s great that some people can take advantage of thrift shops, but it’s not a solution for everyone.
Besides, some people have to buy new clothes in order for there to be good used clothes, right?
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Oddly enough, here in Morgantown, WV, they take the “good” stuff at the thrift shops and ship it elsewhere. Our thrift shops have almost nothing in them, and what they do have is Not Good.
So I don’t shop there either. I miss good thrift shops!
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