How do you track wear on basics/underpinnings? - YouLookFab Forum

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How do you track wear on basics/underpinnings?

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I can't get the YLF bookmarklet to work right now, so no Finds, but all I bought from NAS was bras and refills of skincare: riveting, I know. But the bra purchases and some other recent incidents with compression socks got me thinking: do you write down or otherwise track when you buy basics like bras, socks, etc.? With tops, for example, the wear is visible and you know when it's time to retire something by looking at it. But with undergarments, something may still fit and look OK but not be as supportive as you might want.

I'm pondering some sort of calendar and 'retirement schedule' but I'm not sure how I'd tell apart my otherwise identical white bras, for example. Anyone have a method?

Shopping

21 replies

Latest reply was from DonnaF

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I don't track wears on undergarments.

What I do instead is write "buy underwear" in my datebook 4x a year. That reminds me, once a season, to check for wear and replace as necessary. I try to update something each time the note comes up, whether that means purchasing some new underwear, adding hosiery, or retiring/replacing my oldest bra.

anchie

Veteran

It is tricky, I am just going by the look and feel. Sometimes oldest doesn’t necessarily mean most worn.

kkards

Veteran

I tend to wake up one morning and just realize that my bra’s don’t seem to be fitting the same way as they used to. Then I’ll procrastinate until it becomes a most, and I’ll buy new...as for socks, for some reason i never end sock season with as many pairs as i started with (where do they go). I usually check the sock situation in mid October and buy a few new pairs then...after that, and maybe a refresh if needed around Christmas (again, how come i end up with so many single socks). The rest i have even less of a plan. I replace when i feel like its time, sometimes it because what was comfortable is no longer comfortable, sometimes it because things just look tired.

nuancedream

Veteran

Tracking actual numbers of wear on undergarments is pretty tedious. I check the undergarment drawer for items that are at the end of their lifespan and replace them, usually twice per year.

Barbara Diane

Veteran

I just keep an eye on them.

Carla

Veteran

I do what kkards does - including taking inventory during the big October closet review, and Christmas sock presents. (I like spendy wool socks and get them as gifts from those who know! )

Style Fan

Veteran

I buy bras and undies as I need them. My socks are spendy (maybe Carla and I like the same brand ) and I buy them as needed as well.
I use my clothing budget for these purchases and I keep track of them in my clothing journal.

Pat_P

Carla, what brand of socks do you like? I had several pairs of very lightweight wool knee socks that were wonderful for New England winters. They were a gift from a friend and I never knew the brand, though I know they were expensive. I’ve been searching for something similar.

Anonymous

What a great question!!!! I admit that when I first developed my spreadsheets, I included bras and lounging socks. I did not include underpants or work/casual socks.

I track for two primary reasons: one, to have an idea of when I am overbuying in a category; and two, to understand how I am using my wardrobe in terms of cost per wear.

I quickly discovered that tracking bras and lounging socks was not necessary (and proved to be tedious). It was clear that I was not overbuying in those two categories and that the cost per wear was ridiculously low. Because my collection in those two categories is relatively small, it is easy to keep track of when I need to replenish. I eventually stopped tracking.

I once saw a post in which bras were replaced semi-annually. If semi-annual makes sense to you, you can mark you calendar. Can you mark the label in the bras to tell them apart?

Carla

Veteran

@Pat_P - Smartwool

Anonymous

I just go by look and feel too, or when things fit differently. They say with bras you start on the last hook, and then keep tightening as they stretch.. Angie also reminds us occasionally
But- when I see anything nude to me, I'll snap it up!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I don't track but I do update my underwear capsule annually at NAS. Typically I get one bra or two (and retire the most worn 1 or 2 in the drawer) and as many underpants as I need (but this year they didn't have any in the Canadian sale so I forewent the purchase; fortunately I have enough for another year still in good shape.)

I tend to cycle between 4 bras or thereabouts per season. A couple of my bras are really "summer" bras and don't get use in winter, and a couple are essentially "winter" bras because they tend to be visible through lighter tops so I wear them under heavier knits.

Pat_P

Carla - thank you!

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Hmm, I think y’all are right that actual tracking of each wear may be unnecessary and certainly tedious. But I’d still like to have a better sense of how long things last for me.i seem to either overbuy when things are on sale, or not buy and then suddenly everything wears out at once and I can’t afford to replace it all right away.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Double post.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I was writing on the list where I keep a record of each year’s purchases when I bought bras, and keeping the receipts. I don’t write down when I buy socks. Undies I only keep the receipt if I bought clothing in the same online order. Undies have become one of the few things I buy online because I found a brand of high-waisted undies that were closest to my discontinued favourites which were a supermarket brand. My new faves are an Australian brand “Sloggi” by Triumph and I get them from Ezibuy which is both online, Click and Collect or delivery, or retail. Ezibuy has good sales so if stocks are low in my drawer or they bring out new colours I can buy some as I know exactly the shape and size.
With bras, they seem to last for years? I couldn’t tell you when I last bought one. My current favourite is many years old, could be over 10. I had gained some weight over a few years and in the past 18 months have lost about 5 kg, so it seems to fit the best now and I wear it almost all the time except when in the wash when I wear another that is now slightly too big in the cup. But it’s winter here so the clothes hide that. Come warmer weather I might have to venture to a bra fitting. I get rid of bras if they get too stretched out or the underwire pokes through which hurts under the arm. This is usually after years of wear. No way would I need to replace after 6 months!

Liesbeth

Veteran

I replace bras when they become uncomfortable or looking worse for wear... and even then I postpone as bra shopping is a time-consuming chore to me. Socks & undies are replaced when too many are falling apart and I have leftover shopping budget. Yep, my priorities have been elsewhere until this year when comfortable underthings suddenly became much more aporeciated than trendy work or occasion wear :p.

nemosmom

Veteran

I don't track wears of basics, but I do have it on my calendar twice a year to take stock of the condition of my most-worn undies, socks, and cotton tees. Usually in late winter/early spring and again at the end of summer/beginning of fall when I swap out high season items and replace clothes my kids have outgrown.

Bras are another story. Ugh, I dread replacing them! I usually wait until I can't stand wearing them, or they fall apart.

cindysmith

Veteran

My lifestyle is hard on clothes, so it's generally easy to see what needs to go. Underwires come out of bras and rub open sores under my armpit, panties start feeling loose, socks get dirty or saggy or even holes. I just trash things as they wear out and then go buy new things when I run low on something.

Jane

Veteran

I keep a very small collection fo undies - I think it is 10 knickers at the moment and 5 bras. 2 of the bras and knickers I will keep a long time as they were very special purchases from DH. The rest I may keep 6 - 9 months, and then just simply replace. I have shopped in the same shop the last 3 occasions. If I have too much in the draw I find it overwhelming!

On socks, somehow or other a company that makes Bamboo clothes always sends me a free pair of socks once a quarter. I have never bought anything from them, but I do love these socks they send. So I always have enough socks! I am very grateful!

DonnaF

Veteran

I generally casually assess each time I do laundry. I have a couple bras I rarely wear that don't hold in the temperature like my others but don't provide the amount of support I prefer. Glad I didn't get rid of them since they really came in handy last week during our heat wave when I didn't have any Zoom meetings or other semi-public events.

I've found that price doesn't necessarily correlate with longevity or how much I like something. I also almost always buy on sale so I am always on the lookout if I think I might need something within two years. At the moment, I am pretty well stocked up on everything including hosiery.