Average American Purchases - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Shopping

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Average American Purchases

Anonymous

I read an article yesterday that said the average American purchased on average 64 new clothing items per year. This number shocked me. The article did not cite their references so their number could very well be fluff. It also did not explain what made up their 64 clothing items. It also did not specify any age ranges.

I was certain I have never purchased 64 new clothing items in a single year, but I was curious as to how I compared for 2016.

Average American: 64
My 2016 purchases (minus hose, bras and underwear): 15
My 2016 purchases (including hose, bras and underwear): 22

Am I weird or is 64 an unbelievable number? When I look at it as adding 5 new clothing items per month, the 64 does not seem that outrageous. I DO have months where I add 5 or more items at a time (July, September, and December). So maybe I am looking at it wrong?

What do you think?

Shopping

29 replies

Latest reply was from Laura (rhubarbgirl)

Meredith

Veteran

64 doesn't seem crazy to me. I imagine the average American is buying clothes that don't hold up over time (not saying people are intentionally buying cheap clothes, but it's what's readily available). When you consider life changes (more or less casual job, shift from working to home with kids, move to different climate) and body changes (gain/lose weight), it's easier to see how someone might need to buy many clothes. However, I expect there are people who buy significantly less: those whose life situation is relatively stable, intentionally seek out quality, or don't particularly enjoy shopping as a hobby.

gradfashionista

(website)

Veteran

Did the statistic exclude undies and socks? Those smaller items can inflate the total quite easily, eapecially when people are buying multi-packs. The 65 number also makes sense for those shopping at fast fashion places, where items are super cheap and often get worn out easily.

kkards

Veteran

the number is from an organization that lobbies congress on behalf on the apparel and footwear industry
https://www.wewear.org/apparel.....4-reports/

So, feel free to take it with a grain of salt ....

1st its average ....not median
2nd. It would include all clothing....socks, underwear, soccer uniforms etc
3rd...if you look at the numbers the average spend per item is $17.55.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

It doesn't seem outrageous to me. That's about 5 per month. If you count underwear, socks, outerwear, gear, and regular clothes, that's not so hard. Add footwear and it's even more feasible.

Anonymous

Thanks for finding a link KKards.

I did understand that the people that bought an average of 64 clothing items did buy fast fashion. The point of the article I read was that fast fashion items didn't hold up, necessitating a higher buying rate.

Still these numbers fascinate me. I feel I can easily rationalize a shopping spree or two.

Isabel

Veteran

LOL, Sterling ! Yes, you can rationalize shopping sprees. I didn't find the number too surprising. When one takes into consideration the sheer number of clothes that we donate as a society, it makes sense. They have to be coming from somewhere. Though I also read recently that this is peaking. Have fun with your stuff.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Well, in 2015, I purchased 47 not counting socks, undies, etc. (I did count footwear). And this year, I have purchased 40 (so far), not counting undies, socks and gear.

I think I probably purchase more than average because fashion is a hobby, I like to be current (so I retire/ donate certain items at a faster rate), and I have a four season climate and spend time outdoors in all seasons.

I think you definitely deserve a shopping spree!

Lyn D.

Veteran

What Suz said.
I average around 50 items per year, so these numbers don't surprise me at all!

Anonymous

I have re-evaluated my thinking. Obviously I am on the low side of things. I am going to recount at the end of the year and see where I stand. I do buy a lot at the Holiday time.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Sterling, for years I bought (literally!) almost nothing. I really had no budget for clothing so I probably got 10 to 12 items per year if that.

One reason I buy so much now is to make up for it! I had a few years where I bought a whole lot more than this to create a working closet. Now I'm more in a maintenance stage, but I think I replace/ upgrade about a third of my closet per year. That makes sense. I get 5 - 10 years from coats and 5 or more from blazers and jackets and often up to 5 with jeans and certain tops, but knits (which I wear a lot in my climate) pretty much need replacing by their third year (sometimes I can take them longer but only ones I haven't worn a ton) and summer tops are equally ready to retire by year 3 due to perspiration etc. So quite apart from fashion switchups and boredom, my clothes do wear out at that rate and need replacement.

Anonymous

As always, Suz, you school me!!

BTW. I have been following your advice and trying to shop the sales for my dominant season. Your advice makes such great sense, but I am not finding all that much that interests me in the sales section. My loss, but a great strategy I am going to employ from this year forward.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I wonder if the summer sales are less interesting that the fall ones...I sort of have that impression, but then much of late summer stock is so very casual. I'll bet Angie would have some insights about that. I do think the designer wear put on sale in July or so would be a good bet -- you could build up a core of really fabulous quality summer weight suiting, for example, or beautiful silk blouses for work, or maybe outfits that you wouldn't normally splurge on for parties, etc. But it could be that your size is cleaned out before this happens. Or it might just be that this year was a poor year and next year will be a bounty year. You never know.

And I guess if the sales don't work then stocking up at the start of spring is your best bet!

Anonymous

Yup!!!

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

That also may include what parents buy for their kids, clothing bought as gifts, etc. I'm taking a statistics class right now, and have worked doing market research and both have led me to the notion that most surveys should not be given much credence LOL

DonnaF

Veteran

If 64 items includes footwear, undies and gear, it seems reasonable. Wonder if it includes scarves? I'm assuming it doesn't include bags and totes.

Since the survey mentions *new* items, I guess that it omits thrifted ones? Yesterday, I made a trip to Goodwill so I could try out raw and stepped hems on jeans. Bought a couple of pairs and then returned for a third once I saw that the M.i.h. Marrakesh jeans that I rejected as not a good candidate sell for $225 + tax at Nordstrom. $10 sales goggles; Nordies will him other stores' jeans.

I think I'm a little like Suz. I went for years and years without buying much of anything, and I seem to be making up for it now.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

If the number includes socks and underwear it is easier to imagine. But as mentioned there are a lot of ways to count things, so I take this with a grain of salt.

deb

Veteran

I went back to my spreadsheet and in 2015, I purchased 54 items including underwear. So far in 2016, I have purchased 80 items. I attribute the increase in spending to my weight loss. Most of my summer pieces from the past were too big. That is my story and I am sticking to it.

jenanded

Veteran

Suz, I like your evaluation/rationalisation of wardrobe turnover. Our dominant season is summer and 2 to 3 light weight fabric outfits a day are not unusual. This part of my wardrobe needs to be replaced annually or at a stretch biannually. Winter outfits last several years. Maybe that is why I feel like I am always buying... back to rationalisations perhaps.

Style Fan

Veteran

I bought 47 items for the year September 2015 to August 2016. That number includes footwear, undies, bags, jewellery, everything. I am probably buying much less than I did when I was working.

When I was working I would be buying blazers, pants, skirts, dresses, lots more than I am now. I would buy good quality items but I can see how it would add up. I wanted to look current because fashion was a hobby for me (still is) and I felt it was important to make a good impression when working with people.

Deborah

Veteran

I don't record my purchases but while it initially sounded like a lot, it may not be lol. I think I would average about 30 new items a year. And as Suz said, it's a hobby and a passion so it could be a bit more and it's not always based on need.

Anonymous

Like so many others, fashion is a passion for me as well. This thread was therapeutic for me because my BF seems to imply I shop 24 hours a day. Comments here helped me put things into prospective.

kkards

Veteran

i think we, as a fashion minded group are thinking about this incorrectly. the organization that reported these numbers is clearly including every piece of apparel and footwear bought in the US.....so if you have a baby and are buying 12 onesies that counts the same as buying a fashion sweater....as do soccer shorts & socks etc.....

shedev

Veteran

I've bought that much, and more plenty of years. I'm not counting socks and undies. I'm at 45 right now. I did find plenty of perfect for my style items that I should be able to wear for a few years.
For fall, I'm at 2 of my 5 piece, and 3 basics. I think I'm going to try to keep the basics to 5 for this season. that gives me 55 for the year. I'm not that far off their number.

Staysfit

Veteran

Like Suz, I'm making up for lost time! I spent years where I spent absolutely nothing. However, I have no clue how many items I purchase in a year. I am motivated to go count now. I am sure my number will be much higher than the average. Back in a few.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I just checked and I'm at 23 this year (counting shoes, but not underpinnings). Counting bras, underwear and socks, I think I'd be closer to 28 or 30. I actually thought it would be a lot more, but I'm also not done for the year.

Suzanne (ambergreen)

Veteran

I'll play...

This year I've added 46 clothing pieces, including outerwear, sorely needed foundation items, and a woven scarf (4 pieces were thrifted). Shoes: 3 or 4, depending on if I count the preorder I won't actually have until next year. Bags: 3 (well--one bag, one clutch, one coin purse); 8 pieces of jewelry. I'm a magpie but not much of a bag person. And I am a bargain shopper, with just about everything at a tasty discount.

It feels sort of like a lot, though I'm at 2/3 the level of last year. But like Suz, DonnaF, and staysfit, I too have been making up for quite a bit of lost time--bought almost nothing for years--and also a downshift in size.

I feel like I've probably peaked in my buying and can now mainly work out of a better-stocked closet. But my strategy is a little different from some--I *don't* purge items unless they turn out to be really unworkable, unappealingly dated, or worn out. I love being able to pull old pieces out of the closet to mix/match with newer things, like the embroidered Betsey Johnson cardi I wore yesterday that I got secondhand in 2003.

Sal

Veteran

I suspect this year by December 31 I will hav purchased about 30 new items of clothing including shoes. If I included lingerie socks etc I would easily get to 50 pieces. THe last two years would have been more like 35 in total but this year I have stocked up In a couple of areas.

I suspect we are quicker to pass items on now, and knit and thin fabrics wear out so quickly despite careful laundering. I am trying to consider this at purchase now but don't always get it right.

LaPed

Veteran

I'd have to include gear, socks/undies, and footwear to get anywhere close to that number. Most seasons, I add somewhere between 6 and 10 new items. I'm at 6 right now for F/W16, but it's all footwear, gear, or socks/undies! I'd love to be adding pants and tops and jackets, but I seem to be striking out on those.

When I was pregnant I think I bought about 24 maternity-ish items -- probably the biggest all-at-once "spree" I've ever been on. And a couple of those items are, remarkably, still in rotation.

Also, anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 of what I buy is thrifted (used to be more, when I had more free time to browse), so I fly completely under these statisticians' radar.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I'll confess that I easily go over 64 items per year, especially if you include undergarments, socks, PJs, and workout wear. That does include thrifted and secondhand items, not always new, and shoes and bags, which aren't really clothing per se.

Before joining YLF I probably bought way more than that, actually 100-150 items per year easily. I've reduced my numbers slowly but surely each year, because I want to choose wisely and get decent quality, but I think I've reached the price range I'm comfortable with, and I plan to keep buying 50-100 items per year. I like a bit of variety and a minimal unchanging wardrobe bores me to death.