How do people afford to be trendy?!

[ChilliHeeler1]

How do people (who aren’t already really well off obviously) afford clothes? Treats? I live in the same battered old trainers, jeans and have a selection of a few jumpers I’ve had for years. One coat. My kids are turned out beautifully but I really don’t have the money for nice stuff for me and it’s getting me down! I feel so embarrassed and am always watching other mums on the school run thinking how do they afford to just causally buy new trainers/new boots/new this that and whatever and have social lives etc, I’m so fed up of being just about able to manage the bills and there being sod all left ☹️
does everyone just put it on credit card? Karma? What do people do?!

I use Kalarna (sp?) twice a year. So I’ll do a £150 shop on somewhere like ASOS or Shein and spread it out £50 over 3 months.

Then if I need anything in between, I just buy it, so long as it’s no more than £30.

I have tonnes of clothes and don’t spend much on them. I buy a lot in the sales and shop in high street shops. I go through different phases to liven up my clothes, this summer I bought a load of belts and wore them with my dresses. I don’t buy anything second hand. I have more clothes for the summer (cheaper stuff). For the autumn and winter I have less stuff but more separates that I can mix and match. I just worked out for the last 10 days I’ve worn 12 different outfits by mixing and matching. Jumpers over dresses, tracksuits, the tracksuit joggers with different tops, smart trouser and blouse combo, mini skirt and boots, none of these items cost much.

They earn more than you, or they don’t, but prioritise spending on clothes, or they have more patience in sales, buying second-hand etc.

Im not entirely sure it’s a matter of a choice between the same jeans and trainers versus ‘trendy’. I tend to buy expensive things that aren’t on trend, but which suit me, and keep them forever. I haven’t bought a single item of clothing this autumn/winter, for instance. I’m wearing a Margaret Howell coat that I bought with my first FT academic job paycheque in the late 1990s. My winter ‘uniform’ is wool skirts, wide-legged trousers and cashmere jumpers, and boots.

Shein and Temu seem to be selling huge amounts, might look good in the short term.

temu.

Vinted and charity shops. I got a Hobbs dress, brand new with tags, from my local charity shop last week. It was £30 but would have been £130 new!

Vinted and charity shops. Always been a chazza devotee and used to use EBay but Vinted is much better. No need to buy anything new from shops anymore.

My recent finds were a pair of £90 jeans for a tenner in Cancer research and a Stella Luna blouse for £13 in Shelter that would have been £180 brand new.

I tend to buy what I need and then a few nice things. Once you know what brands, fits and sizes you like you can buy really nice stuff that is high quality, lasting and not from the fast fashion monsters like Shein.

Some people are buying brand new stuff - they either earn loads or are in serious debt.

I also buy all my child’s clothes second hand.

I’d say get yourself on Vinted and down the charity shops and treat yourself to some new to you trainers and jumpers 😊

I buy high quality stuff that stays looking good for years. Build it up over time.

I also tend to change into M&S basics when I'm just at home. This keeps the nicer stuff looking new for longer.

Can you share some?

I'm really into Vinted myself, I personally think it's too good to last, we are really lucky to have a platform where you can buy and sell for essentially nothing, just postage and a protection fee.

I don't think it's expensive to look current, style of jeans, choice of handbag etc. Where one new thing in different ways etc.

I've literally just purchased a Fenn Wright Manson military style coat for £17 on vinted 😬

I have a couple of friends who always look on trend and always have expensive new stuff and I know that both of them juggle credit cards, Klarna & various store cards to do it.

Other people I know who have lots of clothes use Vinted.

Sell on Vinted and use the credit to buy brand new stuff listed there