Clothing spending

anne

Do you think of your clothing spending as a yearly, seasonal or weekly expense?
I was pondering this in thinking about the shopping bans some of you are undertaking.
I always think of clothing as an annual expense (with 2 sub categories of summer and winter). I have a rough idea of what I will need to buy for the year and also take into account shoe repairs and allow some for impulse buying.

I usually keep a list of clothes for the year. Actually I haven't done that this year yet - and I am buying more clothes since joining YLF - but I could probably easily list all the clothes I have bought this year.

I think this all stems from having a clothing allowance in high school and reading heaps of 1960's home ec/ teen advice books!

16 years ago

General

13 replies

Latest reply was from shiny

Rosie

Veteran

Anne, great topic. I know there might be some earlier threads of shopping and spending, too. As someone who has always just sort of bought randomly, I'm really interested in figuring out a more systematic way. A more thought-out approach that will not only help my closet but help the wallet with fewer impulse buys.

In terms of shopping seasonally, maybe it depends on where you live? I don't really have a strong winter here in CA, so fall clothes and a warm jacket are usually fine. I have enough layers/warm coats for when I go back east. For others, though, I think shopping for each season works.

I am way behind you - I am just starting to make a list of clothes that I need!

16 years ago

crwilson

Veteran

SInce I don't properly budget for anything, I don't for clothes either. I am trying to be more systematic, though, because I've been spending the past couple of years just buying random items, most of which don't fit properly or go together. Since joining YLF, I've been buying much more, but also much more consciously. Now when I shop, I shop with a clear list and specific characteristics for each garment in mind. I've been being a lot more picky, but very slowly, I feel like I'm starting to make some progress. I definitely shop seasonally because I like in the Midwest, and there are pretty drastic weather shifts.

16 years ago

merry77

Active Member

I budget money weekly for clothes, but I think of the amount more in a seasonal or annual way. Other than an occasional clearance or accessory item from Target when I'm there picking up other items, I shop seasonally. Or if I have an hour or two to spare in between appointments or something, then I might make a small impulse purchase if I have money left for clothing. But mostly I set aside weekly and shop seasonally.

16 years ago

Ele

(website)

Active Member

This is an interesting topic, Anne. I also had a clothing allowance in high school, but since then I haven't really "budgeted" much for clothing, per se. Not that I buy anything I like, quite the opposite. I'm quite stingy, actually, and I have to really love something (or really need something!) to make me part with my money.

Having said that, I suppose I do budget seasonally, if subconsciously. Things like shoes and layering items I address twice a year, in Fall and Spring. Also, I always make sure I have "extra" money for clothing when I go home to Canada (usually at Christmas) or to NYC (usually Spring/Summer), because things are generally cheaper there.

16 years ago

Anonymous

I am laughing at you going over 1960's Home Ec books. You're way too young for that. Where in the world did you come up with those books?
I know someone who will remain nameless who dresses exactly like what is represented in those books. All of her clothes, which are hand made by her, are in pods. She says of herself that she is not interested in fashion, she is interested in what is classic. (boring!)
Anyway back to your question, my clothing spending is willy nilly and I should get control over it, as in have a budget. I'm not saying that I am going crazy and over spending on clothing. I just do not have a budget or a list of what I need. If I go shopping I will most likely see something I have to have. I would like to be more organized.

16 years ago

shiny

Veteran

I have a monthly clothing budget, but I do tend to think of shopping by season too.

We have four distinct seasons here, but Fall and Spring are the two biggest clothes-shopping seasons in my mind. Fall because that's typically when the major new fashion trends come out, and when I'm in the malls anyway helping the girls shop for their back-to-school wardrobes. And Spring because by that time, after a long winter, I'm desperate for a change!!

Also those two seasons tend to be trickier to dress for, because the weather can be fickle, changing from warm to cold often during the same day.

Winter - it's important to add a warm coat and boots, hats, scarves, mittens... and possibly a new holiday dress.... but for the most part, the items bought in the Fall can be "winterized" ...

Summer - not so much, because our summers, while they can be quite hot, tend to be quite short (July, August). We spend our weekends lounging on the beach, lakefront, or out on the river in our boats, so having tons of fancy clothes for this season is just not a necessity. I also don't like to spend that much $ on summer clothes because I find that you sweat so much in them, they don't last as long.

I never kept a list until YLF. By that, I mean a wish-list of items I wanted to add. I would just add willy-nilly without too much of a plan. I have long kept lists of clothes in my closet. I started that in high school. I was not very fashionable - more of a wannabe - but I did use to make lists of outfit combinations back then. I have always been a list-maker.

I'll add to this that I also use any vacation trips as an occasion for major wardrobe purchases. I guess, without realizing it, I have been practicing "capsule" wardrobing for awhile. I love the challenge of a trip because it forces me to buy items that all coordinate together and fit in one suitcase!!!

I am hoping this summer to not buy too much more. I got my silver flats and second pair of clam diggers which were my most important items to add. Not as important - refresh my black and white cardigans (I could probably get by without this), and find a perfect pair of white denim clams (not holding my breathe - but if I find them, I will snap them up). Otherwise, I expect I will focus my July/August wardrobe on the pieces I packed in my suitcase and wore in Paris last summer.

If I can minimize spending for the summer, then I will have more to spend in the Fall.

16 years ago

JewelryGirl

Active Member

I always find these threads so interesting! I was pondering the same thing myself a few months ago. We're doing the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class right now through our church - I can't say enough about this program! Anyway, it states the recommended % is 2-7% I believe that was of take-home pay (I'll have to check in my book to confirm). Anyway, they aslo state that these are recommendations and that it you have unusually high or low incomes, these numbers could change dramatically. It also depends on the remainder of your financial state I believe. If I had a ton of debt I would not be able to fathom a higher end budget for clothing. This is the first month my family is on a true clothing budget. We will have some adjustments I'm sure, it takes a bit of tracking of actuals to get it right on. We've always budgeted but never paid a lot of attention to actuals as silly as it sounds. I always just bought whatever caught my eye or I thought I needed. I work some into each vacation for clothing/accessory purchases also.

16 years ago

taylor

Veteran

I am like San ,in that if I am shopping ,I am going to find something that must be mine. I don't have a clothing budget. I keep a figure in my head most of the time. Sometimes it is gone in one fab purchase such as designer sun glasses, or a beautiful trench and boots. Other times I can shop all month and get great bargins .

There is no actual number I stick to. I allow room for a splurge here and there, and have never had an isssue overspending. I just could never stick to a buget because my personality is one of an impulse shopper....plus I often shop with other women friends and daughter...well you know how that goes, no one leaves empty handed

16 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Nice topic and I enjoyed reading the comments. In some instances we are all the same, and in other instances so different. I don’t have a clothing budget, but I do work on the “one in one out” policy. I loathe having a huge wardrobe.

As far as seasons go – Autumn and Winter are my big budget seasons because of where I live (Western European climate here in Seattle). Spring is important because I need to feel refreshed at that time of year so I like to spend a little in Spring. (But Spring is actually Winter clothing in lighter colours because it’s still freezing). Summer clothes, on the other hand are virtually non-existent, so no budget at all. Very short and not very hot. I can still wear jeans and ballet flats most Summer days because I feel cold fast.

Shoes have a limitless budget in my life. They are SO HARD to find, that I am ecstatic when I actually bring home a pair that I keep. I still don’t have a lot of shoes though – probably fewer than most of you.

16 years ago

Kathleen

Active Member

I am horrible at this! Sticking to a budget is easy for me to do, but when it comes to clothes, lately, this has not been working out. Although, I do most of my shopping at consignment shops, and off the clearance rack.

But, I have been working on it, promise!

16 years ago

medusa

Veteran

I give myself a certain amount of money each month to spend on whatever I want. Clothing comes out of that pool of money...as long as I haven't spent more than the monthly amount, I don't worry about it.

It's interesting to hear different people's approaches to this.

16 years ago

anne

Veteran

It has been interesting reading your responses!

San - the sort of books I was referring to were around in school libraries during the eighties. I also have a collection of them bought second hand and even did my Honours thesis on them!
But just to give an example, one called "Fashion and Fabrics" dating from the early 60's has a long worked through fictional example of how a teenage girl might work out her clothing spending for the year - doing an inventory of what she has got, working out what she wants, what she will need, seeing if the money she has will stretch to everything and what she might have to jettison or modify. It seems really sensible approach to follow and doesn't mean we have to actually spend our money on a fancy stiff petticoat (or whatever)

I think most people have either a disposition to be a spender or a saver and I am one of the latter. Having a record of how I spent my clothing allowance, as a teenager was my mental way of allowing myself to spend that money (I used to use it on bus fares to the city to go shopping as well). My sister just used to put the money in with her general spending money.

When I put aside money for clothes in a budget, I guess it is me telling myself that it was OK to spend that money.

While I do usually think of clothes spending in an annual way, there have been two exceptions to that. One was when I started work. I had saved during my last year of study and in addition to that I remember allocating what seemed like a very extravagant $50 a week (out of a take home pay of $320) for the first month or so so buy a work wardrobe.
The other exception was a few years later when I re-entered the australian workforce after a couple of years overseas, where I had bought few clothes, but saved quite a bit. I had another spending spree then! However that pretty much set me up for the next five years, so I was able to allocate pretty small amounts each year.

As I said I don't actually budget now, but I suppose these habits are fairly ingrained.
I think what makes it easier for me to not overspend is that I have very little time to shop - it is not a recreational pasttime for me! Australian shops are not open most evenings, and my husband is working the one night they are (and one time I did get out on a thurs night only 3 shops in time were open anyway!)
Shopping, as we have discussed elsewhere, is not easy to do with 3 children.

I think that looking at shopping annually, particularly if you have a bit of a buffer of savings, means that you can spend more at say, the beginning of winter on boots and coats, because you know you will make it up by not spending much at other times in the calender

Seeing clothing as a weekly, or even to some extent, monthly expense, seems to me to be seeing shopping as more like an entertainment or recreational expense. Do you agree?

16 years ago

shiny

Veteran

Anne, I do agree that a weekly or monthly budget is akin to an entertainment or recreational expense - or, as I like to think of it, as a "hobby." The reality is I don't *need* anymore clothes - I just want them. All my shopping at this point is not necessity - it's hobby. A hobby that does give me joy. But my clothing expense has always been under the "hobby" line item in our budget (my kids' clothes - that's under necessity).

Since I work from home, the reality is I could wear the same outfit every day or have a very small wardrobe, and few people would know it! And yet, there's also the reality that if I didn't make the effort to get dressed nicely most days of the week, I would quickly get dejected and depressed.

Also, being a big extrovert who's stuck at home day after day, those mall trips are an essential part of my mental health. I need contact with real people, and hitting the mall for an hour over lunch break frequently fulfills that need for me. This is one of the reasons why my DH and I go out and about all the time too. I need to get out of the house to be around people, or I'll go batty! Thank goodness my DH is an even bigger extrovert than I am. He spends all day at work around people, to de-stress you'd think he'd want to just come home and relax in front of the t.v. Instead, he wants to go out and spend time around DIFFERENT people.

As for saver vs spender, my dad was the spender and my mom the saver. I grew up having a little bit of both in me. I can definitely be stingy about anything that is just not important to me, like the car I drive or having a fancy stereo system or a large house or kitchen gadgets or cable subscriptions and cell phones or crafting hobbies or magazines... and lots of other things. But when it comes to things that give me joy - like clothes shopping, great food, and travel - I am more of a spender.

It is definitely difficult to go shopping with three young children in tow. I remember those days well. It does get better - I forget if you have boys or girls? My girls are now of an age that they WANT to go clothes shopping. With me. Or at least, with their friends if I'm driving and we'll split up and hook up later ...

16 years ago

Category