How many new clothes do you buy your teens?

[BillHadersNewWife]

DD is clothing obsessed. She LOVES clothes....like many girls of 15 I suppose.

I don't mind buying her things but it's hard to do it all the time...I go on a "need" basis and will sometimes buy her something she loves and wants just because.

But now it's nearing Christmas....if she sees a dress she loves...should I buy it and put it away for a gift?

I struggle with this because I was bought the bare minimum of clothing so I'm never sure what is normal and what's just over the top.

She's looking for a job...not easy to find where we live.

I bought mine loads of clothes. Almost every week. From charity shops. There's some really quality stuff if you look closely.

At that age i only had what I needed really and anything else was saved from allowance/birthday/babysitting money.

At that age maybe it's time for her to manage what is bought herself?
Set up a clothing allowance for things beyond the real basics (school uniform, underwear, a pair of jeans etc). Set the amount to something you can afford!

It's then up to her whether she chooses a few more expensive items, or goes nuts in charity shops etc.

Cheery we do Charity shop...but new clothes are sometimes a fine thing aren't they? Don'tWatch how much do you think would be appropriate?

Mine get pocket money monthly so they can buy their own stuff and I spend £50 on top for summer clothes and £100 for winter.

Gosh, I don't know, its difficult isnt it?
My dd - 15 loves Topshop. We went shopping recently, and she fell in love with a knit jumper in there for £35, which I treated her to. A couple of weeks later she saw another jumper in there for £35 , but I said I can't spend £70 and only have 2 jumpers to show for it!!

So I am a bit stupid when it comes to shopping with teens!
I'd love to know what a reasonable budget would look like. I had barely enough myself growing up, so I never want to see my kids short on things to wear, but I think dd1 thinks money grows on trees.

Not a clue on budget, how about her child benefit? That has always been bandied around as an allowance.
Although my Dad used to give me (I think) £20 a week in 2001-2004 so I imagine that at over £30 per week now might be too much? But it depends what you expect it to cover. I did buy everything with it any shoes that weren't school shoes, any clothes that wasn't uniform, toiletries beyond bog standard shampoo and shower gel , make up, sanitary products, travel/fuel for my scooter, any food I ate out, cinema, any birthday and Christmas presents for family and friends.

My DD (also 15) also loves clothes but she gets pocket money, babysits and gets lots of second hand clothes from cousins (who have lots of money and pass on unworn Topshop and Superdry!).

Since she was a teen I haven't bothered with a "Christmas" dress as she never wears dresses (except to discos and they would not suit Mass on Christmas Eve!!).

But, and this is where it is fab, thanks to the new awareness of waste amongst her age group, she has cut down her wasteful spending (still not down to the level of my DS who gets by with 3 tracksuits and two pairs of trainers - he needs a special one for his sport). So she is semi-embracing minimalism.

If I were you I would ask her to pick one or two key things she really wants/ needs and then see if family could buy her some small items such as a T-shirt from her favourite brand. That is how my DD gets more expensive items like boots.

rasberry forgot to mention we're in Australia. 30 a week would be around 70 dollars...WAY too much.

We don't get child benefit
annas I didn't mean a "Christmas dress" but as one of her gifts to unwrap.

Maybe it isn't comparable but I was given £20 a week in early 2000's to pay for everything, which is the equivalent of just over £30 in current money or 55 Aussie dollars.