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Original poster

The average item of clothing in a woman’s wardrobe is there for just 5 weeks.

103 replies

Ali1cedowntherabbithole · 31/01/2019 07:29

Just heard on the today programme.

Really? I have a coat that is 30 years old and expect to get a few years wear out of most things. I don’t think I’ve ever thrown anything out after just 5 weeks, even the fashion mistakes of my youth.

OP posts:
Heatherjayne1972 · 01/02/2019 08:40

5 weeks ?
Not in this house

FlaviaAlbia · 01/02/2019 08:44

I could see it if it was 5 weeks of wear for some items, that's 35 days and some items of clothing -not just the cheap ones- wear and wash dreadfully.

But 5 weeks of actual ownership sounds unlikely.

buckingfrolicks · 01/02/2019 08:49

Rubbish. I have clothes that were around with the dinosaurs.

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Clothing
JeezYouLoon · 01/02/2019 08:53

I buy most of my clothes from charity shops and when I'm bored I re-donate them. I only have a small amount of wardrobe space so I have to be picky.

I do have a coat, that I still wear that I got when I was 15, I'm now nearly 45 Wink

borntobequiet · 01/02/2019 09:00

You hear an awful lot of rubbish on the Today prog.
Refer to More or Less for fact checking. I might if I cba.

[email protected]

Romanov · 01/02/2019 09:05

there is nothing in my wardrobe that is newer than 5 weeks! and there is LOTS in my wardrobe!

SlinkyDinkyDoo · 01/02/2019 09:16

What bollocks

EdtheBear · 01/02/2019 09:44

I can easily see it as 5 weeks of wear.

Think how many women buy fancy tops and dresses for occasions, nights out and weddings, wear them once or twice and want something else new because everyone has seen me in 'that'

AntheaGreenfern · 01/02/2019 09:46

Did they do A Facebook poll? lol.

CrabbityRabbit · 01/02/2019 09:46

I buy over half my clothes second hand. Sometimes I will buy something from a charity shop for a specific event the redonate it after. Wonder if that counts.

KrazyKatlady · 01/02/2019 09:49

I consider something new if its less than a year old. Some of my clothes are 10 years old, maybe more. I tend only to buy clithes when i get money or vouchers for birthday or xmas.....
But..

It looks like another thing to make people (women ) feel guilty. Buying clothes every 5 weeks= bad for the planet, disposible fashion = exploiting 3rd world labourers etc, buying clothes every 5 years = the death of the high street!!

ChanklyBore · 01/02/2019 09:50

I’m a size 12 but I have two jumpers that are age 12 that I have owned since that age, I also have clothes from my childhood I’ve passed down to my own kids, and I have hand me downs in my wardrobe from my mother and grandmother, my oldest clothing item is nearly 70 years old.

EdtheBear · 01/02/2019 09:52

Rabbit - I bet thats exactly what they are counting. Items bought worn for events, weddings etc and are tossed out / passed on / ebay.

I once worked with a lady who purchased a wedding outfit in a 50% off sale. Wore it to the wedding and ebayd it on Monday. Got more back on it than she paid for it.

AngelinaNeurosurgeon · 08/02/2019 22:40

This was on More or Less on R4 today. They went back to the person who used the quote for a source for that statistic but got no response. But apparently it's an urban myth, one that retailers often tell their buyers/designers.

Original poster
Ali1cedowntherabbithole · 08/02/2019 22:56

Thanks Angelina I'll listen to the podcast. Quite reassuring to know that it is all rubbish.

OP posts:
SwimmingJustKeepSwimming · 09/02/2019 05:03

Love more or less...!

Zoflorabore · 09/02/2019 05:23

I am 41. I have a top that I got for Christmas when I was 14! 27 years ago.

It was one of those tops that was so expensive I didn't think I would get it and when I did it was my most treasured possession and I couldn't bear to get rid of it.
Also, who has the money to replace clothes every 5 minutes weeks?

Millenniem · 09/02/2019 05:25

I have a few items 8+ years.

But most of my clothes are 2 months - 2 years. I find things don't last as well as they used to. And I do treat them well, hand wash more delicate fabric and i don't tumble dry everything. I also find that I don't donate much of clothing to charity anymore. It ends up in the bin as I wear it out. Clothing doesn't last like it used to.

AngelinaNeurosurgeon · 09/02/2019 07:57

Millennium if you're uncomfortable about throwing worn out unwearable clothing even that can be given to some charities. Rags get sold by weight and used in upholstery and insulation projects, apparently.

Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow · 09/02/2019 07:59

Don’t believe this. Who on earth made it up?’

I have stuff in my wardrobe for years.

StoatofDisarray · 09/02/2019 07:59

Bollocks.

museumum · 09/02/2019 08:07

My youngest is five years old and I’m only just reaching the point where more of my clothes were bought post pregnancy than pre.
I’ve just thrown out some gap stuff I bought and wore during mat leave.

LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD · 09/02/2019 08:07

Nope. My favourite winter boots are about 20 years old and I still have jumpers from 1980s. I also have an overcoat that my dad had made for him in the 1950s and a jacket he had made when he was on national service!

KizzyWayfarer · 09/02/2019 08:30

I think someone’s made a mistake and the actual research (and who knows how reliable it is) shows items getting on average 35 days wear. Including all the clothes we only wear to job interviews, or weddings, or on really hot days...

Uptheapplesandpears · 09/02/2019 09:10

There is no chance that's true.

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