To think the price of clothing has soared!

I try to only buy when things are on sale, or a good makes in a charity shop, although that’s often a by chance find. Other than that I think ahead and buy sale items for the next season, so I’ve got good quality leather sandals waiting in their box, bought for £29 in December.

just told me hysband..the brand of shoes i usually get for the kids are 40-80 pounds, used to find them on sale for great prices like 15/20/25- now the "sale" prices are 40/60/80..for childs boots/trainers.

Unless not your thing ! But for me - one of peices and the price works

Try vintage - this lot cost leas tahn 100

I did see a white floral dress in Next today. Looked lovely, but when I put my fingers under the fabric it was completely see through! People go on about fashion wastage, but it would really help if shops made clothes they could actually sell.

Charity shops aren't that great where I am. They used to be and i had some lovely stuff in the past, but the quality of the clothing in them seems worse now and more expensive. I have bought some great ebay items but a hell of a lot of shit too and don't do it anymore. I just buy new clothes in the sales i can try on. It's not really helping the environment if I keep chasing second hand bargains that don't fit and I can't send back. I'm just transporting them across the country for nothing. I think my success rate with ebay declining is down to being fatter now. Never had an issue when I was thin.

I agree with this to an extent. I remember buying a halter crop top in New Look in the 90s which was 17 pounds. I remember it because I was deliberating over it then. It wasn't even one of the nice crochet ones that was around at the time but a nasty lycra one. It was standard that a dress was £30 back then in a cheap shop.

I am disappointed that clothes are more expensive again now because all the stuff that was cheap in the 90s like housing, energy and food is expensive in comparison now. Cheap clothing was one of the few joys left. 😫

Indeed. When I was a teenager my mum didn’t have any money to buy clothes from high street stores so she made me a few dresses that I lived in. One off pieces - quality fabric, made to measure - was cheaper than anything you could buy in a high street shop.

How things have changed lol.

Totally agree.

Well said, Misthios. I actually find high street clothing cheaper today than it used to be. (And lower quality.) I have items that are 30 years old that look better than some of the flimsy new things.

Second hand is the way to go.

Vinted is my friend now but it does mean I stick to brands and shapes I know work for me which is a bit boring!

I've put on weight and am now a size 16 so I sold what no longer fits and bought a whole new wardrobe mainly through Vinted. Some things didn't work and will sell them on but on the whole the best way to buy clothes now.

Having lost 8 stones since August, I’ve been obliged to buy clothes and shoes-dropped a size and a half. I did have a few bits left from slimmer days. I’ve been used to buying online, mostly eBay so was shocked at the prices in eg Asda for basics, plus I’m reluctant to spend much when I’m not finished losing (someone told me 18lbs=a clothes size, obviously it’s not that simplistic). I’ve lost 5-6 dress sizes, depending on brand, the variation drives me nuts!

I only discovered Vinted last year (I live under a rock) and bar one item that had an undeclared stain that won’t wash out, everything has been great. I’ve bought loads of jeans for £3, brand new stuff with the labels for similar. Just about to pick up a Regatta coat-£5. I’ve sold on there too and am extremely careful to ensure items are clean.

I’m pleased to see the checks on delivery/pick up on there, no nonsense re buyers/sellers it on saying stuff hasn’t been delivered/returned these days.

In Primark yesterday and it’s definitely a bit more expensive, but I bought some reduced items very cheaply and now fit their shoes!

Also a big Vinted fan - have just bought a BNWT dress on there originally from the pretty little dress company, I paid £25 including postage, the tag price was around the £100 mark.

This sort of comment always comes up and rankles with those of us who volunteer in charity shops. There is no logic whatsoever in pricing things at more than they cost originally. There is no way on earth that any chain or shop will have this as a policy as it just doesn't make sense for a shop that is there to generate money. What IS possible though is that there are a few volunteers who don't recognise specific brands and think Nutmeg or Tu is high-end high street rather than supermarket. And that if there is a manager (not all charity shops have paid staff), they are so run off their feet doing everything else that they don't have time to check prices every day.

Also agree that the quality of high street clothing has declined massively over the last 20-30 years along with prices.

Changing perceptions of value though is difficult. I remember buying a pair of jeans when I was a student, I think I paid £15 for them in about 1993 or 1994 and that was a standard high street price from somewhere not particularly expensive. 30 years later, supermarkets and Primark are still selling jeans for the same price or less.

Another vote for Vinted here. I have so far picked things I know are likely to fit as they're from tried and tested brands - the quality has been excellent. I was particularly pleased with a brand new pair of shoes for a fiver. My husband has sworn he'll never buy work shirts new again and we've had such lovely things for our DD (7) that I can't see myself buying new for her again for a while. I know we'll probably have a bad experience at some point, but so far it should be outweighed by the good - for our bank balance, the environment and ethical considerations.

Brexit
Exchange rates rubbish. Most commodities are bought in USD and it’s £1=$1.25. I was in USA 16 years ago and it was £1=$1.97.
Red Sea blockade so cargo ships sail around Africa - adding 12-14 days to transportation

I bought an incredible 100% wool jumper from Toast for £58 in the sale, I expect it to last me decades

Clothing is stupidly cheap

Expecting to buy an item that lasts for less than 2 hours of a minimum wage means someone is suffering somewhere

I only buy second hand now as I can only afford new in a sale

I got a couple of jumpers from cotton traders a couple of winters back and they are still looking good and they have had a lot of wear this winter. They were more than I like to spend initially but have been worth it in this case.

I haven't bought any clothes from regular shops for about a year...

I get things from charity shops if I really need something. My favourite pair of jeans was found for £4 in a charity shop...

Frankly, I have realised I had way to many clothes as it was and that there was no need to keep up that endless consuming drive.

I am planning to get a sewing machine and do some of my own stuff too because what I see in regular shops is just too expensive and badly put together.

I buy far fewer clothes than I used to. Just got a couple of bits in Sainsbury’s sale. I wouldn’t have paid full price for what were essentially basics. Quality down, prices up. I did splurge on a couple of Hobbs dresses before Xmas. Sale prices but still close to £200 for both. One was woolly and despite careful washing has gone bobbly very quickly. The other had a broken belt loop after one wear and wash. Not sure what the answer is!

And about time too. The sooner we move away from fast disposable fashion and the "wear it a couple of times and discard it for the next new thing" the better.

Agree about Fatface. To be fair I usually only bought in the sale but even that never goes to a price point I am happy to pay now. Was thinking about trying Amazon fashion but maybe someone could advise if their stuff is any good?

My post was meant to be in response to @KeinLiebeslied54321 😊

Vinted is definitely more hit and miss for me, I'm big and have a strange body shape that unfortunately doesn't look good in much 😂 so most of the time things on the hanger look awful on me. I bought a few things on Vinted for my holiday last year that ended up looking awful, I ended up selling them on at a loss.

But Vinted for kids stuff is amazing, I've had so many amazing bargains on their. I've also sold on lots of DDs stuff for bargain prices as well because I just want it out my house and she earns a few pennies.