When you buy an item of clothing, how long do you envisage wearing it for?

[TheOGCCL]

A coat? A pair of jeans? A t-shirt?

If I truly wore my things until they wore out beyond repair, I wouldn't need to go shopping for several years and I think plenty of other people are like me. But the shops are always full and someone always needs something new. There always seems to be a new trend or twist.

I know plenty of people are trying to buy better quality but realistically how long do you think you will be wearing an item you buy?

I aim for ten years but then I get pregnant/have a baby/eat my weight in chocolate/diet which interrupts things somewhat. I have very little though, just one pair of jeans, 3 pairs of leggings and four dresses at the moment for example. I tend to only buy when something starts to look ropey and I also have a scale where things start out as work wear, then go to home but out and about wear, then just inside the house/dog walking wear.

Lots of synthetic clothes last for ages, especially polyester, it never seems to wear out.

I used to buy things intend to wear for year's but everything I used to buy somehow didnt fit well or couldn't match with anything or I didn't feel good in it.. So I just kept buying and buying.. Then I decided to get a stylist 2 years ago and it was my best investment ever! she created capsule wardrobe with a few pieces, I can easily mix and match and create a new look every time. Each piece suits me well, they all match each other and I can wear anywhere anytime looking stylish. I haven't bought anything since our shopping and I don't feel like I need anything for year - unless my body size changes.

@TheOGCCL I've bought myself some fairisle sweaters this winter, as I figure its the sort of thing that isn't out for long enough to get bored of, and even if it goes away for 5 years should still lookfashionable enough. Hopefully they last!

Jeans tend to last me a year or two. I unfortunately don't have a thigh gap 😁

T-shirts i have a large rotation, and good quality ones last a few years, some might only get through one summer. I definitely buy a few new at least every year, and when they start looking thin/ tired I move on. But I'm trying very hard to not buy for the sake of buying.

@notmumlisa don't you get bored of what you have? Do you have something for every occasion or mood? How many tops or trousers make up your capsule wardrobe?

As long as it still fits, my 20 year old dd wears my old jeans, dresses and tops from when I was her age, (30 years ago) nothing in my wardrobe is safe

Same

We got 8-9 tops, 4 skirts, 2 trousers, 2 denims and 2 shorts, 2 -3 jackets and couple of dresses for summer & spring, belts, neck scarf and jewellery. For winter, 4-5 jumpers , 5-6 coats added on top.. Half boot, full length boots, flats, hills & sneakers for shooes.

They all work for work, social life, date & dinners. The only I needed shopping since then when I was invited for a wedding in Italy with dress code and cocktail dresses for events. I dont get bored, each works well and love them all. I dont get bored it gets me mins to get ready every day.. I was spending hours before trying to figure out what to wear and I wasn't happy with whatever i wore in the end.

Hmm. I don't really think of it this way although I occasionally look at my clothes and think wow - I bought that for (event/holiday etc) that's 8/10/12 years old! I don't buy a LOT of clothes though so the things that last tend to be suits/dresses etc....

When I buy any clothing I tend to think "How many wears will I get out of this? and divide the wears by the cost and consider where I would be wearing it (work clothes a lot cheaper than night/social clothes. So a pair of jeans at £80 but I will get 50 wears minimum... £1.60 a wear for casual use - fine. An evening dress at £100 but I might wear 5 times... I would consider this more and probably get something with more potential use. (Buying a wedding dress was hard for me).

I also work out my after tax hourly rate and think ... Is that worth x hours work (for any large item I buy). I like to make things complicated!

I also like to pay a fair price for everything. I want the person who made it to get a decent rate.

@Ikeameatballs I agree on physical shopping. Looking back over the last year, I’ve wasted a lot of time trying to work out what something will feel like and look like on me, waited for it to come (post strikes another off putting factor) then have it lying round waiting to be packaged up and returned. Whereas in a shop you can see straight away what a garment feels like, what colour it actually is and how it might fit. It’s just a lot more efficient and enjoyable.

Until it doesn't look good, has holes, I get fed up of it. Indefinitely I suppose.

Forever unless I get totally sick of it or it wears out. I have things in my wardrobe that are well over 20 years old.
I try not to buy fast fashion & never shop in places like primark/ h&m etc
I spend money on singular items of beauty (to me of course!) And wear them with less expensive neutrals which get replaced to reflect changing fashion (trousers shape etc)

I buy classics and wear them until they die. I have quite a few oieces that are between 25 and 35 years old.

A looong time. I still regularly wear coats and knitwear from the 90s, and I found a pair of perfect widelegged jeans in an old chest from last time they were in and which still in good nick. I'm not fashion-y, though -- I like slouchy, oversized stuff in soft, dark fabrics. I have a lot of Cos, Margaret Howell, Oska.

I walk everywhere, and I'm hard on shoes as a result, though, so they tend not to last very long.

I haven’t been able to maintain a weight since I was 25 (now 40s) so have clothes in good condition years later as not worn.

My clothes wear out in a pattern based on the cerebral palsy especially socks and tops.

Coats a long time.
I spend a fortune on boots as they wear out quickly due to my walking but I only wear literally that one pair of boots when out - not sandals high heels or other shoes except trainers at the gym.

Bras far too long - I need a new fitting and to cull, that’s laziness.

Forever unless it’s damaged or destroyed. I never put a time limit. My Primark pjs are still going strong after 11 years. I’ll wear my jeans until they have holes in them. I have some incredibly beautiful piece that are >20 years old and look new.

I expect to wear things until they fall apart, or no longer fit me.

I’m bigger than I was 10 years ago - most things bought before then no longer fit (still have some boots and shoes).

I find jeans only last a year or two before they are full of holes, but I do wear them a lot.
T shirts I expect to replace every 5 years or so.
Jumpers and coats I expect to keep going much longer.

Teen dd has my old dressing gown and a pair of pyjamas from when I was a teen myself, but they are noticeably sturdier quality than most things available nowadays.

I’m such an idiot! I’m a keen gardener and I wear woollen knitwear but never thought of putting them in the compost bin when they wore out.
I assume you just cut them into strips?
Thanks to posters who mentioned this and sorry for hijacking thread op.

Realistically 10 years or so of pretty regular wear.

I've never bought anything for a "one off" event or with a view to wearing it for only one season etc.

Most of my current wardrobe is many years old, some items are 20+years old and still get worn occasionally.

OH is the same, he is still wearing suits, shirts and ties that he had before we got married 25 years ago!

Decent quality stuff lasts forever.

It varies. Jeans I’d expect to last three or four years, minimum. Leggings probably only a year. A nice jumper 5 years plus. A cost 5 years plus. Shirt, three or four years. Skirt, hopefully 5 plus. I’ve spent maybe £150 in total on clothes in the last four years. But fashion’s not my thing at all so it’s not a hardship.

I usually cut out the seams if any, as the thread is often polyester and any labels. Other than that I just roughly cut it up and throw it in.