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?

Mae - why do you feel guilty?

That makes me feel quite sad Mae - why is your appearance/comfort/happiness in what you are wearing less important than DHs?

I'm not a stay at home Mum by any means! My DCs are adults- I have my own company and meet clients occasionally.

My dress is smart casual most of the time with a bit of business dress.

I think our food bills take up all my "clothes" money- I shop at Waitrose and have 2 adult DCs at home a lot of the time.

PP what surprised me was how it added up with your example of 300 plus 150 plus say two times 60 you're up to 570 call it £600 for Autumn/winter minimum without new undies/sports stuff/umbrella, etc. I'm similar in that I use to spend more, now at home, where do I wear it? I think the constant washing of childrens paint/food/mud wears stuff out.

My complete admiration for anyone on a strict budget and all of us who's shape has changed in the last few years.

Sorry PP cross posted, I'm hope your DCs are past running to mummy with their snotty noses.

PP - don't - I have 3 small dc's and am already dreading how much they'll eat when they're older.

It'll be aldi for them and new look for me then

I don't buy new sports stuff- my exercise consists of walking over the hills and I am wearing tonight a pair of very old combat trousers from Next, and a T shirt from Uniqlo that cost £5! My walking trainers were over £80 though.

I don't buy designer stuff TracyB as I consider it a waste of money.

The only new clothes I bought this summer were a pair of Jigsaw trousers- £100 and that's the most ever spent on trousers and felt very guilty- a dress from Kew £75, cashmere cardi Boden, 2-3 new T shirts, tunic from White Stuff, and 2 pairs sandals from Dune.

Face stuff and hair though- that adds up- I reckon hair is £90 4 x a year as there are fares to LOndon for that, and face cream and make up averages £30 amonth if I add it up and average out.

About £20 a month. I get lots in the Dotty P & Primark sales. Being skinny has it's advantages.

Need office clothes, gym clothes and smart mummy clothes. I get reduced primark pyjamas (£2) for pottering about the house. I have a huge amount of clothes now as I am back to pre-children size, although a lot of that is not suitable for me now.

I also get nice clothes / shoesfor xmas / birthdays, sheepskin boots and converse etc.

I spend very little and have huge amounts of clothing. Most of it is of a very good quality. I am poor and only buy good quality second hand from ebay or find things in sales etc. I do not want to spend money on clothes I won't want to wear and will look rubbish after a few washes. I have many pairs of gorgeous jeans which I never wear because the legs are too long and I can't afford/be bothered to have them altered.

I'm very, very thrifty and just seem to be fairly lucky. I looked through a wardrobe earlier and was surprised at how nice the clothes in there really are. I collect gorgeous things and usually don't have to confidence to wear them. End up slobbing around in old ripped jeans .

I sell things I no longer like/don't fit properly to make money to buy new ones. Right now there are things I should be selling. I wish I had the money to simply buy things I like, but I don't so I just do the best with what I have. I think that shopping this way means I have to put a lot more thought into clothes I need and how much wear I will get out of things/which things will slot in well with my existing clothes. A lot of thought goes into it.

To those who ask me why I feel guilty spending money on myself, it has little to do with clothes and all to do with money.

I don't earn as much as I used to (part-time + child care costs) and I worry about spending money frivolously so I "make do" and never replace anything.

DH would never begrudge me spending money but I find it difficult to do so.

I have had £200 worth of stuff sitting in an online basket on the White Company website and I can't bring myself to click "Buy".

It is irrational. I need winter clothes.

I should set myself a budget and make myself spend it. I do look very scruffy indeed.

erm I tend to shop in one go with my birthday/christmas money/vouchers so about 100-150 a year
average out at about £10 a month

I have spend about £25 so far this YEAR!
Yes i really need some new clothes but i don't have the money to spend on any. God knows what i am going to wear on holiday. Saved hard for a holiday for my DC which is more important to me than clothes.

of those who spend £300 a month.

I have been keeping track this year.

Bra - £18
Footless tights - £2
Denim jacket (ebay) - £3.75
Two tops (ebay) - £2
Dress (sale) - £3

Am sure there is something else, but only a few pounds. Total above is £28.75 but probably about £30.

Wish I hadn't had to buy a new bra but old one had fallen apart and my breasts had shrunk again

Am also worried about winter footwear - my boots have come apart - not just soles but actually the boots. Will be scouring ebay.

Truely can't imagine £300 a month on clothes.

People who dont buy much at all, do you find the things that cost are bras and footwear?

Yes. Have found that cheap bras aren't comfy and fall apart quicker. But do begrudge having to spend on underwear.

Footwear will be a problem once I can't wear my sandals any more.

Most expensive item this year was my Jigsaw cardigan, best value item in my wardrobe white linen dress I paid £3 for in Peacock's sale in 2002 - worn every summer since!

PP - didn't mean to say you were a SAHM but it is a help with your wardrobe if you can wear the same clothes for different bits of your life. I work for a charity for older people and have to look sort of smart and comfortable and non threatening at work - there is very much a no heels ethos in my sector! not the sort of image I want to portray in my social life!

I know we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time - would save a lot of money if we could predict which ones in advance!

I do too
especially as in the last 7 years and 4 children I never seem to have gone to the same size twice.

interesting reading!

can't really comment as I lose track. Buy loads online, send loads of it back, buy a fair bit of (good quality) stuff from charity shops (I have what you might call a knack - nose a-quiver, she hones in ... ). Buy a few bits from net-a-porter and my-wardrobe etc but also a lot from mid-to-low end high street shops (Zara right down to Primark) Anyway, makes it hard to gauge. Sell a lot on ebay, hoik a lot of it off to charity shops, give a lot away to friends. Wardrobe is still fit to bust.

But, like tracey I have spent the last few years either pregnant, or breastfeeding, or both. So an ever-changing shape to contend with.

Also tend to spend a bit more in summer as I love frivolous, sunshine-y summer dressing. Spend less in winter as it's all so deathly dull and grown up

I don't think that I have bought any clothes this year! But I've lost 2 stone and felt like I had a new wardrobe when I got into my old clothes - so I don't feel deprived! I haven't really spent much on the children either this year - except for shoes. This will all change when it comes to uniform buying in the next few weeks! Its because I have 3 boys who get the eldest's hand-me-downs, so I only really need to buy for the eldest boy and my daughter. Even they get hand-me-downs off friends! I would love to afford the amount some of you spend on clothes but even if I could I don't think I have the time to shop for clothes!

bronze My bras are about a year + old and don't fit properly. I only have about 3 pairs of shoes. Boots i bought for the 1st time ever and in the sale. Trainers i wear until they fall apart or are worn down. Always keep an eye out for bits in charity shops but never find much for me.

Loads recently as have had more time/money. Bit of fun and enjoy fashion and had good places to wear the stuff.

Can't believe you don't like AW ltec!

I like both. Bright, colourful for summer, luxurious for AW. Actually I just like each new season...

I generally don't keep track.

I don't keep track but know that this month have spent over £300 on myself and £250 on DD.

There were a few 75% off sales that I used to stock up on basics/workwear and I needed some new sportswear so bought more than usual, I got a lot of items for this and bulked out my wardrobe greatly. I don't spend this much usually although it might happen sometimes if buying boots/coat/poshfrock type items.

For DD I tend to buy twice a year and apart from odd bit only really top up with shoes so this month bought most of her a/w.

we go to USA normally every year, and cos I'm a big girl, I usually wait and buy clothes there, because big girl's clothes are so much nicer and better quality. Seriously, buy knickers, bras, PJs, tops, trousers... everything!

So I usually have about $600 but then rarely buy anything rest of year.

Although I'll have to buy some maternity clothes now... and just got new PJs cos my bump wasn't comfy in my old ones. :)