How much do you spend on clothes?

[bobdog]

Have just looked at the credit card bills for 2010 and even though I tell myself I send a lot back it appears I have spent over a grand and yet my wardrobe is n't bursting.

In real life it would never occur to me to ask, just say you look lovely in your new coat/hat/flip flops but quietly, please how much have you really spent so far this year? and do you normally keep track of it?

I don't keep track of it but it is probably in the region of £200-£300 per month.

I am trying to buy less rubbish and so seem to be spending more on stuff I really love rather than several cheaper items.

I am also trying to then wear my nice stuff regularly rather than allowing it to languish in the wardrobe waiting for the right occassion.

I am hoping in the long run this might mean I spend less

This year so far? About 200 euros but they were massively bargainous buys - most things were 75% off in the sales, the others were at 50%.

Spent less last year.

I have just had to work out a budget for ds and I to live as have recently split with ex - things are going to be tight so have allowed for £20 per month for ds (5) and £40 for me. Have no idea how I am going to achieve it but needs must!

To be honest I don't really know, but it must be around £200 - £250 per month. It really needs to be reigned in and I plan to spend a maximum of £100 per month from now on. I am also trying to buy only things that are really 'wow' instead of being 'nice'.

I probably spend around £200-£300 a month.

£200-£300 a month OMG!

What on earth do you buy? Do you wear it all? I consider me and DH well off- (over £100k pa between us but we do support 2 DCs at uni) and there is no way I'd spend that.

I don't know what I spend. Each year I tend to buy a new pair of boots and a coat- so that adds up to about £300.

I tend to buy mid-range, Kew, Jigsaw, Boden, so most things are around £50-£70.

I would need to work it all out but reckong under £1K and more like £700-800 tops.

Just for me? My biggest indulgence at the mo is clothes for the dc, but leaving that out...

Depends, in a month or two I will spend a few hundred pounds on a winter coat so that bumps it up obviously.

I would estimate £200, although like all good estimates that is probably less than it actually is. Maybe £250- £300.

I work in fashion though, so it used to be much, much more . Am actually considered very thrifty these days!

My much more sensible friends spend maybe £50-£100 each month on clothes for themselves.

I have spent £186 this month which is a bit much for me! That was for boots(£65), knitted dress(£42), denim mini(£30), 2 pairs of jeans (£40) and 3 pairs of socks(£9). Won't be buying anything for a while now.

I've had one shopping trip this year, in which I spent approx £200 on clothes, so that averages out to... £25 a month?

Luckily I spent a lot on some really nice clothes about 6-8 years ago (things like a leather jacket, decent evening dress, really nicely cut cotton/linen trousers, so despite being ridiculously poor now, I'm not a complete disaster (although far from style icon). All those people who say to invest in classics are absolutely right.

Am determined to become fractionally cooler and replace some of my actual worn out clothes at some point (although mainly buying maternity wear at the moment)

On a similar topic, I have just made about £150 by selling old clothes of mine on Ebay. feels less guilty.

That's my problem - I love shopping!

At least £100 per month. Sometimes much more. But I don't really keep track of it. Am pregnant again (small gap between DCs) so had to buy more maternity wear, after just buying normal sized clothes again. Looking forward to regaining normal shape and buying nice pieces I will wear for a while.

Thankyou for your honesty everyone. I have now calmed down. With two small ones even on a good day everything is covered other peoples snot & food which makes me feel ungroomed and unfashionable probably why I'm surprised why its topped a £1,000 so far in 2010.

The sales - stock up it's 75% off
Sensible boots
School run coat
Another coat
LK bennett Tina dress to accessorize to death

• all adds up

I will never, ever add up how much I spent pre kids but made a fraction back on ebay.

This is fascinating, so I'll add my info too as I'm sure someone will want to carry on with the thread. I budget £2k a year - £166 per month and have too many clothes, so I will be doing a bit of ebaying soon.

I like good quality stuff and tend to wait for the sales before making purchases from Hobbs/Toast/Phase Eight, they start so early these days that it isn't real hardship and as I'm getting on a bit won't get too upset about stuff not being current season.

I buy vintage cashmere on ebay and get the odd bargain in Primark/Peacocks/New Look.

ebay is great for the sort of stuff most people don't want to buy secondhand, I've had all my holiday bits and pieces - 2 pairs of shorts and 3 m&s swimsuits that were as new for 99p each, which left me with plenty of dosh left for a very extravagant Jigsaw cardi (£100) I really enjoy putting my wardrobe together this way and would find it a bit boring if I could just afford to buy exacty what I want.

It's not just the sales it's the 25% off this week only - I see it as an 'investment' and I enjoy it more then spending it on stamp collecting or the horses.

I spend £100 to £150 per month - I thought this was a lot and was feeling rather guilty about it recently but after hearing about all you £200 to £300 lot I feel positively thrifty! Maybe this is sad but I keep a notebook where I write down what I spend on clothes each month - every now and then I look back and have a little mental calculation about how much I've worn the various things and what has been a good/bad buy so that I can shop more wisely in future

I dont spend alot on myself tbh some months i dont buy anything others i buy alot depends really but i would say much less than £1000 a year mabye around the £500 mark.
Buy my DS loads though and my DP

This year probably about the same as Carciofi

But I've been pregnant or bf for the last few years and only recently back to my normal weight so have had to buy new stuff - honest.

However - really don't need much now for a while and want a new house so on self-imposed frugality drive.

Waves to Tracey!
Now that I see the amount written down, I feel a little guilty. I do ebay quite a bit and am trying to rein in my extravagant tastes.

Why do you need to spend £300 amonth? when do you wear it all?

I work mainly from home ( do see some clients so need a couple of decent outfits) and don't need that much stuff.

I have just bought around £300 worth from Boden including a jacket, and apart from buying some new boots soon, for around £150, then I think I am sorted for winter, except for a couple of jumpers or cardis.

I used to think I spent a lot but not any more.

PP - well it depends where you shop doesn't it? Boden or nap for example.

Also as I said - I've had to pretty much totally re-plenish my wardrobe after the last 5 years of being preg/bf a good stone heavier than I am now.

But hey - if you can afford it - why not?

I really don't know. I haven't run out of money so I am fine but I don't know if my "spending money" has gone on bras or beer or books or blusher. I have bought two pairs of work trousers and some work tops, so will definitely be over £100 this month.

Purplepeony - no-one needs to spend £300 a month, but it seems plenty can afford to and enjoy doing so.

I think you probably need to spend more if you have a variety of activities to dress for. I have to have work clothes, but don't wear them outside work. Then I need dressed up clothes, casual clothes and stuff for running, riding, the gym, etc. If you are SAHM or work from home perhaps you don't need so much

Less than £500 per year.

I buy very little and, like Riven, wear stuff until it drops to pieces.

We are well off but I feel guilty spending money on myself. It is ridiculous as DH has hand made suits and I wear second hand H&M.