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Original poster

£300 for a whole outfit isn't excessive? Is it?

99 replies

BigMacExtraPickles · 21/04/2023 19:39

Off out on a very rare day in London tomorrow. It's an all day affair, booze brunch and a show in the evening.

£300 is not bad for an entire outfit is it? Jacket. T Shirt, Jeans, Trainers and a bag.

I came away feeling I'd been quite thrifty but some people have implied otherwise! I do like a spend but literally for all that I'm quite chuffed.

OP posts:
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Usernamen · 22/04/2023 07:57

£300 for five items (that look great together btw) is not unreasonable in the slightest.

I think people still think in old money terms, like before the hyper inflation of the last few years, when you could get jeans for £40 and trainers for £50, that sort of thing. The truth is, you’re looking at at least double that these days. And it’s not just jeans and trainers, it’s everything.

Anyway, hope you have a fun day 😊

HAF1119 · 22/04/2023 08:06

It's all relative. If you can afford it without issue it's fine.

For me I couldn't afford it, for someone else it would impact them

VWHoliday · 22/04/2023 08:07

Lovely outfit. You'll wear the items lots more times too. Have a great day.

OneCup · 22/04/2023 08:10

To me,.it would also depend on what you already have in your wardrobe. If you already stuff to wear, then it was £300 too expensive.

Sunnydays0101 · 22/04/2023 08:14

They are lovely items and you should get lots of wear from them. I don’t think spending £300 was excessive at all but it does depend on your budget.

Why did you tell others what you spent though ? Unless you know they have similar budget/outlook to you, it can lead to niggly comments.

LolaSmiles · 22/04/2023 08:15

If you have the budget for it, why not?

I'd question the thrifty slant though as a whole new outfit for a day out doesn't seem thrifty to me, but you definitely did well to get some nice bits for that amount.

mac1974 · 22/04/2023 08:22

I think for the shops you went to that's what I would expect to pay.
I recently got some similar items and spent about £90 in total but I shopped at primark, Vinted & Uniqlo. It's impossible to compare. If you're happy & can afford it then don't worry about it. Like you say, they will last you so just think cost per wear & enjoy.

mac1974 · 22/04/2023 08:23

Btw just seen the pics. Absolutely love the trainers and bag.

ChocChipHandbag · 22/04/2023 08:27

That's really good value. It feels great to have a completely box fresh outfit sometimes and you'll wear it all again, much better value than a dress for an evening event. Have a fab time!

Iwantmyoldnameback · 22/04/2023 11:32

Now I've seen the pictures I think you did very well for the money. Very put together outfit.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 22/04/2023 12:37

On my budget that isn't thrifty. And I find it hard to believe that you don't already have all those things in your wardrobe (who doesn't have a pair of jeans?) I think it's a nice outfit but nothing special as they're all basic/staple wardrobe items.

Personally if I had £300 to spare I'd prefer to buy a statement piece to go with my (already in the wardrobe) jeans, jacket and trainers.

But it's your money and up to you how you spend it. Enjoy your purchases and your day out.

Alwayswonderedwhy · 22/04/2023 12:46

That's a lot of items for £300. Totally reasonable.

Alwayswonderedwhy · 22/04/2023 12:48

Just seen the pictures. Very nice. Love the trainers.

Slimjimtobe · 22/04/2023 12:50

It’s not thrifty. But you didn’t get robbed
thrifty would be finding things on vinted and so on

Floisme · 22/04/2023 12:54

I remember reading someone who's normally regarded as stylish saying this is how she shops: infrequently but a whole outfit at a time, that way she knows everything works together. I wish I could remember who it was. It's not how I like to shop but I can see why someone else might.

It also makes far more sense to me to focus on basic things that you'll wear time and time again rather than one knockout dress that you'll only wear a couple of times when most people are too pissed to even notice.

Enjoy your new outfit.

NatashaDancing · 22/04/2023 12:58

People easily spend £300 or more on clothes to wear as a wedding guest with no criticism.

Arguably spending £300 on an occasion which is for you is far less "spendthrift" than that.

Emotionalstorm · 22/04/2023 13:44

It's really cheap because the number of items is high.

Youcunnyfunt · 22/04/2023 13:58

I wouldn’t say thrifty, but if I added up the cost of those items put together for one of my outfits, it would be £520+ (excluding watches and jewellery) so I don’t thinn it’s bad at all if you’ll use the items again!

JaninaDuszejko · 22/04/2023 14:18

Personally if I had £300 to spare I'd prefer to buy a statement piece to go with my (already in the wardrobe) jeans, jacket and trainers.

Whereas I think it makes more sense to spend on the basics that you will wear multiple times for everyday life and buy the 'statement pieces' second hand or even hire them because you get far fewer wears out of them.

I don't think £300 for an entire outfit is excessive at all (as PPs have said you could easily spend that on a single bag or pair of shoes if you wanted) and all those items can be worn multiple times again together or separately. If anything it's probably too cheap when you consider the condition in the sweatshops most clothes are made in.

Porkandbeans1 · 22/04/2023 14:21

I'd spend more than that on a bag or jacket. As long as they're pieces you'll wear repeatedly I think it's fine.

ThatFraggle · 22/04/2023 14:26

It entirely depends on income. If £300 is on a credit card, you're already in debt and the bailiffs are at the door, you can't pay your rent, then it is wildly extravagant

If you just got an end of financial year bonus of £50,000 on top of your £1000 per week salary, then it's pretty much no different from an average person buying a Dominoes pizza.

Riverlee · 22/04/2023 14:30

Thrifty isn’t the correct word, but it’s definitely reasonable.

Your post makes me realise I never buy complete outfits all at once, usually bits and pieces as and when. Maybe I should try that approach more to get a more ‘put together’ look.

Great outfit you’ve chosen

DrHousecuredme · 22/04/2023 14:40

I think this thread just highlights the differences in attitudes towards money that people have.
You think £300 to spend on an outfit for a single day out is "thrifty"
For me, £300 would pay off my summer holiday and I've just been very pleased with my dress that I bought on Vinted for £5.75.

If you can afford it then as PP have said, it's really nobody's business but yours but I do wonder since you started a whole thread about your new outfit 🥴---- whether some of the people commenting on it are more like me and you might have inadvertently been rubbing their noses in it 🤷🏽‍♀️

BHRK · 22/04/2023 14:44

I spend more than that on a bag. If you can afford it, enjoy!

caringcarer · 22/04/2023 14:56

Better to spend £300 on items like that you will wear many times than a mother of the bride outfit you would wear once.

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