To spend £300 on only 11 items of clothes?

[Onelittlebugbear]

I had nearly £400 for christmas - everyone kindly gave me money. It was what I asked for as I badly need some new clothes. I'm trying to find work now ds is at school so need some smarter clothes too.

The trouble is because I've basically shopped at tesco for clothes since ds was born 4 years ago I am struggling with spending more than about £10 per item! I've been on asos and found some lovely stuff, it looks gorgeous. It may well look hideous on me as I am basing this opinion of the clothes being lovely on 18 year old size 8 women modelling them.
It comes to nearly £300 for 11 items. I also need some jeans because I now don't have any at all without massive holes in. But I would have some money left to go and try those on in a proper shop, I can't risk jeans online as I'm a funny shape!

Is £300 for 11 items unreasonable?! I guess it's less than 30 an item which doesn't sound so bad... It just feels a lot when I don't think I've paid more than about £15 for anything apart from shoes since having ds! I have also entirely lost any sense of style since having ds and now look horrific pretty much all of the time. He didn't sleep through until he was three and a half and those years nearly killed me and basically I stopped caring what I looked like. I was looking at some photos of me pre ds and although I was never pretty I looked a damn sight better than I do now, and also about 20 years younger!

[JaneFonda]

YANBU at all - you sound like you deserve to treat yourself, and using your Christmas money is perfect for it.

You'll feel great wearing clothes that you've picked because they're nice, rather than because they're cheap.

You can always send them back if you don't like them!

[Sleepyhead33]

YANBU -It sounds like good value. Also, it is so nice when you start to feel more like yourself again once you emerge from the very young years with children. Good for you. Enjoy.

[Juno77]

£300 for 11 items is AMAZING!!

I must check out their sale..

[Santabroughtmethis]

Why not make a day of it and go out to the shops, get some sale bargains and treat yourself?

I love primark skinny stretch jeans, I'm only 5ft and curvy size 8 and they fit me perfectly.

[FortyDoorsToNowhere]

You have done well.

Enjoy your new clothes

[superstarheartbreaker]

Yanbu...asos is lovely. 11 items is lots.

[Grumpasaurus]

Good lord no. I got some Christmas money too, about £300 in total. I bought a pair of boots and a cocktail ring. And I love them!!!!!

[Onelittlebugbear]

I feels it conspicuous in the shops.
I think that was part of why I've stuck with tesco or asda. Partly convenience because I could stick it in the trolley when food shopping and partly because I could just return it the following week rather than bother to try it on.

Pre ds I had a few asos things but I was thinner then so who knows? A couple of the things are actually river island and a couple new look and oasis so not all asos own make.

I've put them in my basket but can't bring myself to check out!

[Sleepyhead33]

go on...do it :)

[FortyDoorsToNowhere]

Do it.

[SophieLeGiraffe]

£300 for 11 is great. But if you have £400 and feel a bit stuck why don't you try personal shopping in House of Fraser. I have a friend did this post DC and she looks amazing in the things she bought.

Otherwise, Check out the Great Plains sale. I bought 7 items for £100 including a gorgeous dress and some beautiful tops which were down from £75 to £20 and they're all beautiful and great quality.

[Belize]

God no that isn't a lot for 11 items.

Quality not quantity.

I would prefer to buy a decent coat for £300 or a pair of boots and sweater say with no change from £300 than loads of tat that falls apart in a couple of months.

Do it, guilt free shopping is amazing!

[Uprising]

I think that's reasonable. Hope they all fit and make you feel good .

I was in similar position to you, but plucked up the courage to book an appointment with a personal shopper. I left the shop with clothes I wouldn't have considered wearing before and the experience wasn't as embarrassing as I'd feared. You may find it's worth considering if you find the clothes don't suit when they arrive.

[thenightsky]

I've just spent £90 on a pair of Dune boots in the sale. £300 for 11 items sounds a bargain.

[southeastastra]

asos is free delivery and so easy to return to go for it! love asos

[MsAspreyDiamonds]

I am in the same situation as you & have spend about £250 on 9 items of clothing so it is about right.

Some tips would be:
Get a good haircut to complete your mini makeover

Get some freebie beauty products from makeup counters

Buy some good supportive underwear

Book an apt with a personal shopper to find out what styles suit you. They are usually free in the big dept shops but do check. John Lewis etc )Then you will have a standby template of styles that you know will suit you as a guide for further shopping trips.

Happy shopping

[EllaFitzgerald]

It's so lovely when you've got money specifically for clothes shopping rather than paying bills! If you're still feeling a bit unsure about spending it all on 11 items, think of it as an investment. You said you need smarter clothes for work, and you've probably just created a capsule wardrobe that will last you ages.

I'd definitely agree with MsAsprey's suggestion of good supportive underwear as well. It can change your whole body shape.

[silverten]

Try not to think of cost per item, but cost per wear.

So a 100 quid pair of boots is great value if you wear them daily for years, whereas a 20 quid pair of shoes you wear three times, isn't.

[Theodorous]

You are totally not u but I look at things online and then see if they are on eBay second hand. Most of my work suits are designer and rarely cost more than 20. I have only has a few smokey/Stained disasters!

[imsureineverdo]

YANBU, see it as an investment.

[ocelot41]

Hell no! We all need to rediscover who we are after the blob years! My lovely DM treated me to a Colour Me Beautiful session (although other firms do similar) as I simply didn't know what suited me any more.
You lose confidence about your own judgement, don't you?

It really helped me avoid a lot of costly mistakes and made shopping much easier as I have a little swatch of colours that will make me look 'well' and I also know which.ones are the kiss of death and make look ill/old/tired. I guess a good personal shopper should do the same thing?

I would second the good haircut and undies suggestion, add a suggestion of M and S for jeans (just found a perfect fitting pair for fifteen quid!) If there's anything left over, I would say a new lippy or perfume to start you feeling womanly again!

[Minnieisthedevilmouse]

Agree on new make up, blow dry at very least to top it all off. 300 is fine from where ur shopping.

[rabbitlady]

£300 on one item would be fine. just do as you feel.

[ocelot41]

I also found a v funny book in our library which I evangelise about to any friends emerging from the baby/v small children zone. It's by Vicky Iovine, its called A Guide to Getting Your Groove Back and it includes a great section on appearance. Highly recommended for warding off guilt at spending time/money on yourself!