To think £100 a month should be enough for clothes?

[SabineUndine]

I don't have to wear formal suits for work, so I'm always in smart casual, with emphasis on the casual. But £100 doesn't seem to go that far. What do you spend (inc shoes)?

Agree. Occasionally you find some really good quality stuff in surprising places - I had a couple of primark cotton tops for several years that were better cotton than Ones several times the price. More often though I look at vastly overpriced crap made and cut poorly which is surprisingly expensive in more upmarket places. Far, far too much poly and viscose in even the high end of the high street! It's increasingly hard to find cotton jersey/wool jersey wrap dresses/tops etc. Even the pricier places are turning to viscose (and sorry, viscose /rayon is almost always cheap and washes poorly.) I can't remember the last time I found a pure wool sweater at a decent price either. I loathe artificial fibres, but it seems to be all you can find in so many places.
Cut and fit is also poor as well - but again you can sometimes find gems in cheap places. I had a little matalan hoodie for my ds the other week that was really nicely made, v high quality finish etc.

Are there any shops for grown ups where you can be sure of not having to wade through acres of cheap rayon and poly?

I probably spend around £100 on clothes a month - and find it's quite easily done. I'm not a particularly good dresser - there are people I know who always manage to look effortlessly good and well dressed and I figure they must do so by spending a lot more.
Equally I've a friend who wears clothes until they fall apart, then sews them back together and wears them some more.

I don't think you can tell the difference between some supermarket clothes and higher end stuff.
It depends on what range/manufacturer etc.
I have not been a fan of tesco for ages because their clothing range has gone downhill. They use horrible fabrics.
I would challenge anyone who has an average interest in clothing to tell the difference between some of the Sainsburys range and Hobbs.

They have been using really nice weight fabrics and textures. The cut is good too.

I haven't liked much out of George for a while because I find their colour palette depressing.

I assume supermarkets are source their fabrics and clothes from a range of suppliers because the cheaper outlets are rarely uniform in their quality.
High streets shops are the same. I know for a fact that The Gap have different quality jeans because I bought some in their 12.99 sale and they are nothing like the others I have bought from there.

I agree that some people would pick a Tesco from a McQueen in a millisecond but that is either because they are really into clothes or (and) they are so familiar with McQueen that they can tell if something is from that season (or the last 10) at a glance.

Thinkofthemice that's part of the reason I'm starting to make stuff - I'm sick fed up of static cling! That and nice clothes ruined by stingy linings- I'm hippy so circle skirts or those with pleats and gathers are good as the sizing is more flexible. But then they go and pair them with a totally straight fitted lining which ruins the shape.

I don't think you'd need more than a vague knowledge to tell mcqueen from tesco in the flesh. Harder in photos which is why those dm compare designer with primark articles are so pointless

Nice frock with too tight poly lining is one of my pet hates! When you make things like a circle skirt you realise how much fabric is in it don't you? Or a bias cut item...
Making your own stuff is wonderful, and there are so many good indie designers out there as well. I've had a couple of nice Colette patterns and made some wonderful double gauze dresses for summer (well, not that they make me look good but they do feel nice..) love making stuff for my son too.
Not sure I could pick out a McQueen (not really into fashion) but I can spot something well made a mile off. Good cut and construction and fabric makes a huge difference.
Definitely a niche in the market for well made clothes in the upper high street price bracket. Can usually find good kids stuff but I struggle to find things I like and which fit (am a short fat size 16.)

I'd rather make do with what I have than buy clothes from a supermarket. I would find that depressing.
I imagine an harassed parent with lots of dc thinking that it's all they can manage to be arsed with at that moment in time and chucks a few items that will 'do' for now in along with the weekly shop.
I don't shop for clothes like that.
I might take ages browsing around five different shops and come home with two things that I absolutely love.

I probably spend half as much as op, but that's because I'm very lucky and get clothes for Christmas. I normally ask for one pair of boots or a coat for Christmas and get the blanks filled in with what I need (work clothes, jumpers etc.). Throughout the year I will buy new bits for the summer and then any occasion wear - so a dress for a wedding or something. This year I've decided not to return after mat leave. Because of this I've actually needed to buy new clothes. For the last 18montjs I've lived in the same clothes, meaning every single pair of jeans I own has ripped. The boots I wear constantly, are falling apart, and I have mysterious holes in TShirts. So far this Autumn I have bought three dresses, two pairs of jeans, one long sleeved top and some new tights. I need new underwear and two pairs of boots / shoes, which will take me up to £300.

Yeah I didn't mean I would know mcqueen specifically but if you put two, say, black blazers side by side most people could easily tell tesco from high end. If you said "one is tesco and the other mcqueen" most would know.

Thankfully bias cut and I never agree but circle skirts eat fabric. I've just bought an adjustable mannequin so I'll be depressing myself by setting it up this weekend to try and be as close to my figure as possible...complete with lumps and bumps.

Oh yeah definitely. I'm a compulsive flipper of cuffs and examiner of seams

Most stuff I find on the high street isn't worth the price. I've just started a thread on where I can find decent stuff so I don't derail this one!

I started to add up what I have spent on clothes in October. Got to the end of week 1 and decided that nah, never mind, I don't really need to know..

It really depends on how you look at it. What is enough? Is it enough that you're covered, warm and dry? In this case yes you can manage with a pair of trousers, a top or 2 and a coat. And a pair of shoes. Would be a bit boring though, no?

Probably about £200/year.

I don't think £100 a month is a huge amount. Especially if work stuff included

I actually have quiet a small wardrobe, but it probably costs me that at least over the year. Thats buying good quality items in good materials.

So pleased this thread has moved on and more people are "admitting" to spending - I was one of the first posters and felt a bit embarrassed after the later posts!

For example this month:
New bras x3, underwear x6 -£140
Woolen Tights x3 - £35

That's £175 this month and is just basics that needed replacing. The old ones will be thrown as holey and tatty

If you can afford it and it makes you happy why not spend £100 a month on clothes. I'm currently modelling £20 of stuff from h&m, asos & primark. I'm 7 months pregnant and comfy so my outfit is meeting my needs!

I disagree that you always get what you pay for with clothes unfortunately. I've had cheap stuff from Primark and h&m last for years and expensive stuff bobble or fray or break after a couple of wears. It's the luck of the draw ime.

I can easily spend £100 on each of these 12:
Coat
Boots
Shoes
Underwear, tights, socks
Basics- t-shirts, vest/long sleeve tops
Couple pairs of jeans/jeggings
Work stuff
Few nicer things to go out in
Lounging stuff- hoody, bottoms, slippers
Summer stuff/holiday/events
Knitwear
Bag, scarf, gloves

Pretty basic wardrobe.
Obviously most people don't need new things every year, coat or bag for example but some of the other things will get tatty and need replacing yearly or so- basics, underwear etc.

I don't spend that much money either.
The one time I might be spending more than £100 (and it's more like £159 than £300 or £400) is during the sale in January. But en I am usually buying most of my wardrobe for the year.

I do need to be smart for my job (customer facing), I can't buy cheap bras etc...
The drench is that
1- I wear stuff until they are not wearable anymore (often stuff I'm wearing for work is then relegated to home stuff)
2- i dont have fancy 'going out clothes' that I am wearing twice a year
3- I probably have much much less stuff than a lot of people, if I'm looking at what people have on MN. E.g. I have 3 bras not 5 or 10, enough clothes to last the week but not more etc...

Oh I'm also very careful about the quality of what I buy.
So a coat will be lasting several winters (even if it was more expensive to buy), slippers ditto and so on.

I'm trying to spend more - have difficulty parting with the cash as I don't like the size I am, but it has been years...

I guess I am spending around £200/mth on average - mainly Boden as I find it flattering on my overweight frame and a reasonable price (with discount code) for quality. I could do with having a major splurge really - particularly for casual clothes but old habits die hard.

Previous to this I was spending very little on a absolute need basis - mainly places like M&Co, Dorothy Perkins, Sainsburys, next. Maybe £50/mth average.

I also travel a lot for work. So need clothes for all climates all year around

So for example I might have last bought a woolen coat 8 years ago. But in between one year I might have bought a down winter long coat for really cold weather, 2 years later a new blazer coat. Each £200-800 each. Most I have never Thrown but it's taken me about 10 years to now have a full collection of jackets to suit all year around, in smart, casual, ski, rain etc. Now I have them I probably will have a few years without, but then the first ones 10+ years old so might need gradually replacing

just checked my accounts

2015 £9.70
2016 £17.40 so far
have 2 wardrobes full of clothes for any occasion - cant think of anything to buy!!

I spend about £250.....a year on clothes. I have literally sat here and worked it out. I am still wearing the same winter coat I purchased in 2006. This year I've purchased, a couple of packs of knickers, two bras, two pairs of jeans, a couple of tops and a swimsuit. I calculate these clothes cost less than £200.00.

But I probably spend my money on other stuff.

I've never been a clothes person (or bags or shoes or make up either). If nice, new clothes regularly is your thing, it's not a lot (one decent outfit with a new bra and knickers set costs roughly that in M and S for instance).

when I worked in corporate environments eg city I just invested in various suits and rotated them.

so a smart Reiss suit, 2 Karen Millen suits etc - the KM suits in sale - Reiss suit approx £180/£200. TM Lewin shirts in sale, Jigsaw sleeveless jumpers in sale, Karen Millen shirts in sale etc

i often bought suits from Next or Next Directory or jigsaw etc on ebay

Why would you need to kit yourself out with new stuff each month?

I wear smart casual and am wearing some trousers that I bought about 4 years ago.

I never keep track of clothes spending TBH. I buy what I need and when. This month I've bought 3 nice jumpers all around £80 each and a down coat- though that was Uniqlo so cheap. But then I might easily go till Spring and buy nothing else.

I don't 'get' this 'monthly clothes budget'.

why?

I don't think £1200/year is a lot, even for non expensive High Street stores.

GAP jeans are £50, shoes/boots are more than that and if you do any sport, those costs add up to. I spent over £200 in a sports outlet shop last week on some warmer running clothes and trainers (2 pairs of shoes, 2 leggings and 2 tops - I run daily.) I haven't even got round to thermals, a waterproof or extra layers yet.

An M&S coat is £100 now and I'd hardly call that a lavish brand. My husband requested a tweed jacket recently and rejected the £110 one from Next for being too expensive. I told him the others I'd found were £250-400, which I do think is too much.

I don't enjoy shopping so tend to batch buy a few days a year when I really need some new things due to wear and tear. For example this week's trip since I only had one bra; I now own two that fit, neither of which are black which I think is kind of essential.

Of course it all boils down to what one can afford and how much of a priority clothing is.