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)?

That sounds lovely ThinkOfTheMice Do you know what you're going to make with it?

I love clothes, love how they make me feel, and love how they can change how I feel - a sharp jacket just the ticket when you're feeling a bit 'small'.

I like to buy good quality which lasts - but as others have said even the best quality looks tired after constant wear. I've just replaced a 6 year old wool winter coat as was looking really tatty.

In the last month I've spent quite a bit - new coat, a couple of shirts, a pair of trousers. I spend more than a £100 per month I think on average.

Same here really billstickers. I spent 6 weeks looking for the perfect coat. Mango, Tommy H, Hobbs, Next, I looked everywhere. It had to have a high wool % so it'd be warm, be well-cut and flatterig, be not black, not too long, not too short.. classic but not boring. I eventually found what I was looking for in Jigsaw and it makes me feel so well put together. Love it.

flo I'm making a huge quilt - all hand pieced, English paper piecing style. Pic attached of a tiny section of it so far. I expect it to take a couple of years :)

The yarn will end up I think as a blanket for my little boy for the pushchair, and a hat and cowl for me.

ohtheholidays very sorry to hear that.

That's beautiful ThinkOfTheMice I hope it gives you a lot of pleasure as I'm sure it will.

It's good to see traditional women's crafts are alive and well. When I retire and have less money but more time, I intend to learn how to make my own clothes. When I was a teenager, I turned up my nose at sewing because I was an arse and swallowed the idea of it being 'women's work' and therefore of no value. I really regret that now.

Another thing is that I get no pleasure from rifling through the rails at TKMax or the reduced rail at M&S. I have occasionally come across a real sale bargain - something reduced that I'd have paid full price for.

But the new season stuff as it cones in gives me pleasure to shop for.

Oh I love TK Maxx It's not as good as it used to be but I still get that tingling feeling whenever I step inside.

ohtheroses- believe it or not there are some of us that get no pleasure from clothes shopping- be it new the new season rail or the reduced rail.

I would welcome a more thought about how folk spend their money. Censorious is not all bad.

I agree. That is why , because I can afford it, I buy clothes from independent shops , local designers and made in the UK or the EU.

Final thought for now as I don't want to hog this but, on the subject of buying more thoughtfully, my most recent treat was a Harris tweed jacket for a big birthday. I didn't choose it because they're fashionable - they're not at the moment - but because, as well as looking great and fitting like it was bespoke, it's beautifully crafted. The fabric was spun, handwoven and dyed in the outer hebrides and it has a serial number so I imagine I could probably trace the craftsmen/women if I want to.

As far as I'm concerned, that's as satisfying as owning a piece of art and the artist in the family agrees - in fact he spotted it for me.

To those of you who like to buy quality where are you buying these days? Quality clothing is harder to come by in my opinion as each year goes by.

Damelo I suppose you're right it is both parsimonious and joyless difference is, buying/having more clothes doesn't increase my joy and I as long as I'm neat for work, I'm happy. I detest shopping and actually ask my mum/DP for clothes for Xmas and birthdays so I don't have to bother going. Actually this has just made me remember that my annual haircut is now 2 months overdue .

However, completely agree that it's completely individual choice how to spend disposable income. I do feel like a bit of a failure as a woman sometimes for having simply no interest, which my feminist side then gets cross about!

I think I'll back quietly out of this thread...

Not joyless or parsimonious at all.

I dislike shopping for clothes and I resent paying for overpriced goods.
My life is full of joy - most of the things I find pleasure in are free or very low cost.
"stuff" just doesn't do it for me.
A giggling child, a supermoon, time with my OH are massively more important than a stylish coat.

For quality I like Basler/Jaeger/Reiss - for work I like M&S, Jigsaw, White Stuff, Boden (not a formal environment). I also have a cracking independent boutique/dress shop for ladies of a certain age in my village which also takes some inspiration from the local racing market/community.

Hmm I thought I was finished on here but I don't think I can let that barb go, Mindtrope. I'm sure we would all prioritise our children and families in a heartbeat and I rather object to the insinuation that any of us wouldn't.

Agree floisme.

I've tracked my spending on clothes this year in detail and it averages out at £100 per month.

I have to look smart for work though e.g. I recently spent £70 on two pairs of smart work shoes that I wouldn't need if I didn't work in a smart environment.

I'm also sporty and I've had new trainers and a new sports bra and a few pairs of sports socks this year so again if I wasn't sporty I'd save on those clothes.

I could have spent less if I'd needed to, but I don't feel that I've been hugely extravagant given I work full time, don't have kids.

I've also bought a couple of investment items this year like a leather jacket and two pairs of knee high boots that I hope will last for years.

The new mumsnet chicken indeed

It's interesting how these things are used as proxies for moral judgements isn't it? When my parents were young you'd be judged on how white your laundry was, how ironed the husband's shirts were and whether your front step was stoned daily. Now it's if we dare to spend our own money on ourselves. Loose women, eh?

I've been poor, I've had years on end where I could afford only charity shop/etc. Not judging anyone whose budget is simply lower but there is s lot of implied moral judgement on this thread.

Agree. It's possible to take pleasure in many things. Clothes bring me joy. So does reading, coast path walking, my dog, spending time with my family. Liking clothes does not make you shallow.

I could look back at my paypal to get an inkling of what I've spent. I might do that later. Not sure I'd feel that guilty though. I buy things I love.

I know exactly how much I spend on clothing and footwear for myself and DCs as I keep a record ( geeky I know). Averages out at £25 a month for myself. I am a SAhM and have been the same size for most of my adult life so don't need many new things although I could afford to if I wanted to.

On average I tend to spend more on each of the kids ( including school uniform) than I do on myself as they're growing ( and I sell their stuff on eBay afterwards).

thinkof clothes have always been a priority for me. Even when I was skint I used to read about them, think about them and sometimes even buy them
My DCs have never gone without because I love clothes.

Its a bit like housework on MN. If you admit to liking a clean and tidy home you get a whole load of responses from people who 'don't have time' to clean because they are too busy spending time with their kids or reading etc.
The same sort of logic is applied if you like clothes and make up.

People start posting that they just dont have time for That Sort of Thing because they are doing much more high minded things.
I have never understood it.
If you don't care about clothes, fine. It doesn't make you more intelligent or mean that you love your kids more than those who do!

I LOVE spending a whole day wandering around the shops. It doesn't make me a moron who neglects her children

I think this roughly what I spend now ( was up at £200 pretty dcs and down to £20 ish on mat leave). I need to look presentable for work though and work ft. Last month I bought a new winter coat (£80 down from £140) this month I have bought a dress £67 and some boots (£88 down from £110). That's probably it until January.

Oh and I love clothes shopping :)

Bloody Hell!

My best winter coat is one I bought on sale when C&A closed down about 20 years ago (£85 reduced to £15 - red swing coat, pure wool, with a black faux fur collar - still looks fab).

Trying to remember what I've bought this year:
2 prs jeans - (£18)
1 pr leggings - (£12)
Coat - (£35)
Shirt - (£15)
5 prs of socks and pr kids trainers* - (£16)
Charity shops - 5 tops and 1 pr shoes)** - (£8)
and 1 pr jeans )

Grand total £104 approx

Just over a month's worth for you. What do you do with them all? Your wardrobe must be bulging!

*fell into rockpool - needed cheap stuff quick
** same fall, same reason