Stretching Your Clothing Budget

Jaime

Oh what a great idea. I do not have enough knowledge to say much, but the first thing that comes to mind is to focus on wear and washability. And to tell them about charities like Dress for Success if you have that in your area.

3 years ago

Sal

Veteran

I think the best thing is to look for second hand

- garage sale/yard sale (schools etc have large ones often)
- charity shops
- Dress for Success sales

If you have time and the ability to get to these places I think you can make your money go the furtherest.

The other time (here in NZ) are some of the larger department stores have really good clearance racks. I suspect this is similar to Norstrom Rack.

3 years ago

cjh

(website)

Veteran

Strategies that have worked for me over many years: never pay “full” price. Shop at sale days, clearance racks, at thrift or discount stores. Trade with friends, use your gift cards. BUT

Shop for sturdy items that are not super trendy because they will last time wise and style wise (you can always splurge on a trend or two, or accessories if you do have the budget.)
Do NOT buy something that doesn’t fit quite right, isn’t your color, is too off-season, or doesn’t match anything else you own, just because it’s on sale.
Choose solids or subtle patterns that mix and match for the foundation of your closet.
Count your clothes - do you need a fresh, dressy top five days a week? Jeans or slacks to coordinate? Stop buying when you have enough to get you through your laundry situation.
Take care of your clothes. If possible, avoid the dryer, fold or hang items right away, keep shoes dry and polished.
Choose a fun piece or a new trend IF you have extra budget once in awhile. Clothes should be fun, after all.

ETA: Don’t worry if your navy tunic or teeshirt is from Kohl’s or Old Navy, and not the ritzy neighborhood boutique- most people don’t notice, or shouldn’t! When my girls were little, I spent a lot of time sewing and encouraging them to dress up in their cutest outfits for church. After a few years of teaching Sunday school, I realized I never noticed or remembered what the children in my classes were wearing to church! And I can say the same about my friends and acquaintances, also.

3 years ago

slim cat

Veteran

Macy's Final offers - still 30 days to return ( I've got a striped jacket for $29.99 in 2019 ).
Separates, one jacket in classic style for sure, skirt, pants with slim fit. Tops from Ross or Marshall's or Target sale. Comfortable shoes, a few accessories to make re-mixed outfits look differently ( Rack, second hand stores ).

3 years ago

Anonymous

Buying simple pieces that easily go together, and can be dressed up or down. Mid level of refinement as opposed to very casual or very dressy. Don't buy things that require you to buy more to make them work.

Inventory what you have, try things on to assess fit, try to come up with new combos. If you find wardrobe holes, shop with a plan.

Buying things that are not as size dependent, if your body fluctuates. Stretch is your friend!

Really looking at the quality of the clothes, the seaming and details, and checking for holes/pulled seams/stains if thrift/consignment.

Thrift/consignment is Much better in wealthier areas, but pieces will cost more. Accessories like belts and scarves are good choices. Buy Nothing without trying it on first- no matter what the cost.

Buy for the life you have and think of PUPY (potential uses per year). If you wear a uniform, or work full time, you need very few off duty clothes. If you have extreme weather, invest in the pieces you need. If you walk a lot, prioritize good shoes.

Take care of your clothes. Take shoes to the cobbler once a year, don't put delicates in the dryer, use Dryel sheets for dry clean things, wear easily washable things when eating messier foods, learn to do simple repairs/clothes dyeing.

Last one- Never Under Any Circumstances put clothes (or other nonessentials) on credit! A lot of stores are more interested in signing you up for a card than selling good products. That "10% off" comes with 29% + interest.

3 years ago

Runcarla

Veteran

Set a budget. Homeless doesn’t mean without income if they are on disability insurance, or some other type of stipend. 4-6% is realistic. Then, shop thrift. Some thrift will actually reduce prices or provide clothing for free if the individual has a reference from a shelter or community service.

3 years ago

Irina

Veteran

Shop at thrift stores.

Have a budget.
Buy clothes made of natural fibers - lasts longer, wears better.

3 years ago

Echo

Veteran

Be careful of dry clean only items if a dry cleaning budget is too big a stretch. A capsule wardrobe: Making sure every piece matches or coordinates with every other piece creates an endlessly wearable wardrobe that is always appropriate. Don't indulge in items that you aren't sure of or that you doubt you can wear next season. Don't wear sale goggles: If you never would have considered it had it not been on sale (unless you wouldn't have considered it because it was too high priced), it isn't worth the sale price.

Thrift can be a good option, as are places like Dress for Success, but be careful of difficult to care for fabrics, questionable fits, odors in the clothing, etc. Thrift stores send my allergies into a frenzy, and I'd rather buy new polyester blend, inexpensive clothing from Penny's than thrift shop.

3 years ago

Joy

Veteran

There are many good ideas here, I found that the very cheapest is usually garage or yard sales. The problem is that they seldom can be tried on. You can look at jackets, coats and accessories. Are and offer rather than pay the asking price. The best prices are on the last day of the sale.

Stick to a strict color scheme. Once male kitchen remodelers told me their wives looked for their work clothes at thrift shops. That seemed smart as the garments did not have to be perfect as they did dry walling and painting.

Black items look more expensive and they are usually abundant at resale shops. You should be able to find office appropriate items.
Find out what days are discount days snd shop then or take a senior citizen to do the buying on a senior discount..
Some school PTAs have a clothes closet were outfits can be picked out for the whole family and are free. Some give new underwear..
Buy offf season if you can.. there are usually great sales.

3 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

I would say first, consider the job you are going after. I am, for example, a baker. I would not spend my limited dollars on a suit of any kind, no pumps, no blouses. If I were going to be a waitress, I’d get black bottoms and a white shirt for the interview and then see what the uniform calls for before spending any more… I had a neighbor who got a job at Walgreens and it required her to wear I think it was khakis and a blue top. She’d already spent all this money on work clothes - office-y type clothes - and it was a real stretch to spend more before her first paycheck, you know?

3 years ago

cat2

Veteran

I have contrarian advice if you are in a business attire or business casual environment that expects suiting or professional separates. Buy new pieces at Macy’s or Dress Barn. It’s too hard to find suiting that has not been altered, and everyone wears out things like basic white shirts. Pick a single base color to start with so everything goes together and you can wear the same two pairs of shoes in rotation.

3 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Also: wash on cold and hang dry. You’ll save quarters and your clothing…

3 years ago

nuancedream

Veteran

Have a budget and stick to it.
Buy out of season, clearance racks (but don't buy just because it's on sale)
Buy inexpensive basics like t-shirts from discount stores.
If you have sewing skills, mend your clothes to extend the wear.
Swap with friends.

3 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

Everything Rachylou said.

Plus follow Angie’s advice: Get a good haircut, buy well-fitting undergarments and decent shoes, and polish your grooming. And always shop with a plan and your budget in mind. A few well-chosen and well-fitting outfits will take you further than an armload of random pieces.

3 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I never tried period panties, but given the portion of income some people spend on tampons, etc, I think a handful of those would save money in the long run. Maybe start with one a month until you have enough to get through your entire period. From what I’ve seen, these are not bulky and can be worn as regular underpants the rest of the month.

If it makes you smile and is appropriate for your needs (& is wash n wear), it is much more practical than something that makes you feel “ugh” when you put it on. Being poor doesn’t have to mean khaki chinos and a boxy neutral T-shirt (unless you like those).

Get things you won’t need to accessorize, whether that means they are patterned, have trim or interesting necklines, or whatever. A scarf or necklace easily costs as much as a shirt, and just one of those accessories doesn’t add variety to your outfits. Several shirts or one topper makes a lot more sense than several scarves/necklaces.

Buy to hold—emphasize quality and get the gentler version of any trends (ie baby boot cuts rather than flares, slim fit rather than skinnies).

I agree with Cat2 & Nuancedream that new things are available affordably, especially during sales. Get to know your local Kohls, Rack, Saks off Fifth or whatever, or order online if the shelter offers a computer time and a mailing address. In my experience, these were much better stocked than TJMax and Marshall’s, where inventory was so scattershot it was hard to put anything together, because the next size up/down probably wasn’t there. Also, know what’s a bargain & what isn’t. “My” Rack store in Tampa had a lot of stuff up front that was not low-priced for what it was.

3 years ago

Bijou

Veteran

Plan your wardrobe so that the items that you have mix and match, with a focus on getting the basics right. Sticking to a cohesive colour palette really helps. Never buy clothes on credit.

3 years ago

kkards

Veteran

Hmmmm…as I’ve never been homeless and never faced many of the issues that your clients have, I’m not sure that my advice is helpful, but, this is what worked for me, especially at the start of my career when money was tight.
~work clothes are work clothes…change when you get home and don’t be tempted to wear work clothes for play. This kept my work clothes in nicer condition longer. On the flip side this did mean that my “play” clothes were fewer and more limited, but i was putting my money into making money, if that makes sense
~buy the best shoes you can afford, but have a couple of pairs. Your feet support the rest of you, keep them happy.
~looking like you made an effort and putting thought into being well groomed and pulled together is more impactful than spending a lot on clothing. As Gaylene mentioned, good undergarment and good grooming go a long way, and be sure to budget for them.
~thrifting takes time, and time is a luxury not all of us have. Even shopping in stores like Marshall’s/TJmax takes time, don’t feel guilty for not doing it. Know what you need and how much you can spend, and stick to that budget.

3 years ago

Ginger

Veteran

I like kkards' words. Keep the work clothes set aside, grooming and shoes are very important, and thrifting is absolutely time-consuming. And frustrating, especially if one is a harder shape to fit or rarer to find at thrift stores. (The odds of me finding pants at a thrift store are laughable.) Lower-end department stores seem easier to find the right basics (choose a sale weekend), especially when building a wardrobe. One exception, if they exist for other stores, are department store clearance centers; there's a Dillards' clearance close to me and I've found some extremely high-quality clothing and shoes for a fraction of their original prices (they have extra sales on holiday weekends). The selection is extensive and the clothing is still new.

3 years ago

Minaminu

Veteran

Lots of useful suggestions! In addition to having a budget, I'd suggest to learn to calculate the cost per wear of each item, this is helpful when looking for key pieces like a good coat or an interview outfit.

3 years ago

LaPed

Veteran

The only thing I’d add is to emphasize simple mending and laundering skills: how to remove common stains, sew a button back on, repair a seam, etc.

Maybe compile a list of local resources for free/affordable clothing — thrift stores, Freecycle and Buy Nothing groups, Dress for Success or similar, churches, annual town rummage sales or swap meets, etc.

3 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

I feel compelled to tell you about baking school. My class was a motley crew - ex-cons, fledglings just out of high school, SAHMs going back to work. We had a few life skills lectures and most of them were entirely misplaced. There was opening a bank account and no mention of minimum deposits. And the interview dressing was a fashion show of how to tie a tie and silk dresses, when the job we were training for - well, BANS ties. And the thing about the high school students and ex-cons, they were particularly susceptible to this disinformation. I got a little job with one of the high school classmates at the same grocery and ok, she tried to operate the cash register with just her thumbs - because you know, cell phone. So I guess what I’m saying is a) people don’t know what they don’t know and b) the strangest details trip you up. I always think about that.

3 years ago

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

rachylou- it's so true! Ihave learned not to make assumptions with my clients, and to start at the most basic steps of things and let them tell me if we need to skip forward. This morning, ac oworker and I were discussing one of the new clients and she said something about how the client is always in her pajamas around the house...and I had to ask- are you sure she has real clothes?
You never know!
Most of my clients don't have bank accounts, and it makes some things really difficult!

3 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Those online debit card accounts were probably the best invention - altho I know people still go to check cashing places because you need at least a smart phone and be able to navigate it. As a baker I work with a lot of people who can’t work a mouse and can only sign their name - no reading, no writing.

3 years ago

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Yes- literacy and basic computer skills are a big issue for my clients too!

3 years ago

bj1111

Veteran

Lost long post

TLDR—it costs money /time to go thrift store (or any shopping)

Consider solutions like organizing a shopping trip to provide rides to a Ross for less or modstrom rack. Or see if some of these places would donate a shopping experience in exchange for publiacity.

multi level solution shouldn’t add burden to an already under resourced group.

3 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I see RL’s point about people not knowing what they need/don’t know, but still wonder if you’ve asked them for more ideas about what they’re looking for here— and what they don’t need.

Also, I assume you’re tying the classes together somewhat? A friend who volunteers at a library in Denver says she spends a lot of time helping homeless people navigate the web. I saw the same in Tampa. Maybe get them all set up with library IDs so they can have a “homework” assignment on the library’s computer each week, building on each other. Something like Log into library ID, Get email address, Set up job search site acct (enter resume one week, set up job search next), open digital bank account, buy an item of clothing online. But all that assumes basic literacy.

3 years ago

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

My clients are lucky that they end up in our program versus elsewhere- we are a tiny program where we are, but have tons of resources available to them.
There is a second hand clothing shop on campus- they get a voucher for free items when they enter the program, and can buy more at a nominal fee. We have a Workforce Development Center where they can use computers for free- and there is a super kind, very patient attendant who is willing to help with locked accounts, internet searches, and basic instructions, etc. There are also daoly virtual meetings with recruiters and industry professionals, and a job readyness training course that will match them up with on-the-job training that pays with a stipend so it doesn't affect any benefits they may have. We also have meetings/groups/classes on campus every day- everything from AA to Yoga. Many are geared toward supporting the substance use and mental health issues prevalent in this population, and we have a whole series just for women (including my Life Skills group). The banking issue I haven't quite figured out- part general paranoia, part fear of technology I guess. Most of our clients are older, so didn't grow up with computers, and may have had problems in the past with banks and fees and don't understand how those work and what to look for in an account.

3 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

That is pretty darn thorough. Scattered resources are a bear. Go here for this, go across town for that, then ‘why didn’t you show up for the appointment?!’ It can be very rude, if you know what I mean.

(I used to live near the bakery and there are a lot of homeless around the bakery. It’s a neighbourhood being gentrified in the name of creating affordable housing. And the situation is extremely rude, extremely rude! I confess to fleeing the gentrification.)

3 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Knowing that, and still trying to guess at what they meant, I’m going to suggest talking about dress codes—what do “formal”, “biz attire” “biz casual” “smart cas” and “casual” mean? When are open toes ok? Sandals? How high can heels be? What shape heels? What color shoes (assuming mortals who don’t have Bijou’s flair)? Same for patterns, sleeve length, necklines, how tight/slouchy, skirts, slits, pant length, what kind of jeans, etc. Also advice on figuring out if you can wear x when others at work are wearing a-g.

3 years ago

Category