Recently I realised that I had been writing down what clothing I had bought for 10 years. Originally I started doing this a year or two before that when I was worried I had a clothing “addiction”. But I didn’t keep the lists from the first couple of years. In 2010 I had changed business bank accounts and was able therefore to use the old account number just for my clothing. Dad died that year and left a small legacy, I decided to keep $8K of it for that account as a nice way of feeling Dad was looking after me still in helping me to look good. I think that money lasted almost 4 years. Since then I have topped up the account obviously.
I thought some numbers nerds may be interested? So in 10 years, 264 items of clothing which includes shoes, bags, outerwear and swimwear but not underwear or sleepwear. The most items per year was 40 in 2013 and the least was 12 last year 2020. 4 of the 10 years have been post-YLF and overall those years have been more successful.
I still have 138 of the 264 items. So slightly over half. I also still have 20 items from pre-2011, so all over 10 years. (This year I have bought 6 items so far). Current wardrobe total 164.
I don’t have a clothing budget. I don’t need to have one, but think it would be well within commonly mentioned parameters for percentage of net income. Some weird need to not “waste” money on clothes. I don’t mind spending on some other things like eating out? Upbringing and Protestant guilt somehow.
It still sounds quite a lot of money added up, just under $2k a year. I guess it helped people have jobs. The first 5 years were more than the second 5 years, partly I think thanks to learning my style better and trying really hard to wear my stuff plenty, in other words not buying if it was for a fantasy lifestyle eg too many pretty dresses or “going out tops”, both of which I have really slowed down on. I have plenty of them that I am not bored with because I don’t have that many occasions to wear them to get bored! I admit though that sometimes I do get a bit bored with seeing them there in the wardrobe. But I am trying to be as sustainable as possible, which I think is mainly for me wearing the clothes rather than donating them. I do donate those that are not fully worn out and rag recycle others. I can’t know how much ends up in landfill though. It is an issue here in NZ although we also send some castoffs to Papua New Guinea I understand. In the past 2 years more items have been “worn out” eg rips, fading, etc and so I am pleased about that!
I don’t expect anyone else to share their budget or costs of course but wondered if anyone else has numbers over years? And do you feel YLF has made you become more sustainable?
Below is my little bag of 10 years of clothing lists! I would keep the receipts in there too, in case there was an issue with anything.
All thoughts welcome, cheers.