£1200 per year

[fatgirlswims]

I have this much to spend each year on clothes.

Is it possible to look nice with this amount of money?

I have to buy everything with this from pants and bras to costs and winter boots!
Holiday clothes and travel items, work clothes, gym clothes, event clothes everyday clothes.

I just want to look nice and not a grumpy mess!!

How can I spend this wisely?

Or maybe they have all their finances sorted but earn a lot of money, or have smaller outgoings.

And, tbf, a pair of ugg boots and a Canada goose jacket cost a lot less than £1200. So could you buy just your favourite items and not a whole shopping list?

On the “In the pursuit of elegance” thread I linked to up thread, the OP used her annual budget to first get her basics & in the following years she could then use it to buy the more designer & fun stuff

I love that thread, although iirc, her taste was very classic, which I think op doesn't like.

But totally agree she could take that same idea and do it with more 'fun' pieces

You are of course correct. I’m too easily swayed by good deals! Plus I need the ability to return items as I’m still figuring out my new post-DC shape. If you know what fits & suits you, shopping secondhand is much easier!

@AmeliaTangfastic I love your outlook!

I have all that and more -no debt, savings, don't work self to death and a good pension and lots of holidays. And my beautiful house.

I need to cut my cloth- figuratively and literally!

Yea I agree, her style was even too classic for me. But the principles have helped me realise I need to get the basics right (what ever that may look like to me) before I blow the budget on something which I love but won’t get much wear. I used to do that all the time & I had the dreaded “loads of clothes but nothing to wear” situation.

A problem with threads like this is that although it's in Style and Beauty, lots of people don't look at the topic, so you get people responding who have no interest in clothes other than as necessities, so they will wear the same things for years until they fall apart. The OP is obviously interested in looking up to date and reasonably stylish, and is looking at ways to do this within a limited budget.

Some posters do admit that they don't really bother about fashions, so only replace as necessary, but others can tip over into being sanctimonious about people spending on things they consider unnecessary, or wanting a choice of, for example, trainers to wear.

True, but I love clothes and still think it's a scandal that people feel pressured to buy new things all the time. Haul culture for example goes well beyond a love of clothes and style. Plus, a lot of it isn't real - many of them either send that stuff back or are gifted it.

I love buying clothes, but I also try very hard not to be influenced (but nobody is immune) into buying things which are unethically made, low quality but you're just paying for the name or things which influences say fit a certain aesthetic. It doesn't mean you have no interest in clothes if you don't buy a lot of new stuff. I think shopping your wardrobe is quite stylish. Anyway, op mentioned Canada goose jackets and ugg boots. There is absolutely nothing wrong with those products, but they equally are not the epitome of style (not trying to offend op at all - ugg boots are cosy and practical as are goose down jackets)

@AmeliaTangfastic I don't want Ugg bots or Canada Goose. I'm Just shocked at prolific they are it think personally they are bit basic!

I'd just like some nice things from cos or arket and Nike. Some Levi's and a nice necklace! Some nice Chelsea boots too. Maybe a sezane jumper? A nice handbag too. That would be my annual budget!

Ah I see - that makes sense! I agree with you fwiw. How are people able to drop £500 on a down jacket and why do they need to in the south of england (where I live)?! But as I say, they could be in debt or have no safety net if the boiler breaks etc.

Re your list - why don't you make a list or spreadsheet and prioritise them 1 - 5 or whatever and then buy one of them every couple of months and then one thing for Christmas?

@AmeliaTangfastic you obviously are interested, some others not so much. I agree with you about the haul culture and influencers.

I'm older but I try to look up to date and stylish. My idea of up to date is a nod to trends, not a blind follow. Stylish is timeless. I don't spend the amount you've mentioned in a year by buying what I like, not because of the brand name.

Yes, but they may have no emergency fund, credit card debt and a terrible pension. It is fine to invest in your looks, but only after you've invested in yourself financially (imo - obviously people are free to spend their money how they like).

I think most people do what they can to make life bearable.

Some people may have an easy or manageable route to long term security: the right name for interviews, inheritance or monetary gift to help with house purchase, good health, good partners, luck.

For other people it may be that their every effort turns to dust and they somehow don’t end up with a huge old house and lots of long holidays. Maybe fine clothes are the one thing they can rely on to bring them joy? I certainly wouldn’t judge how people choose to spend their money - not without hearing their entire life story first.

I don't judge them either, but I also don't envy people their designer brands as I dont know their circumstances. They could be really struggling financially for all I know and living in a poor quality rental with some awful landlord who doesn't look after it - I don't know their whole life story as you say.

I think you've missed off the part where I said "people are free to spend their money how they like" as well.

I am not a high earner but do take a lot of joy in looking at clothes, the odd new thing, reorganising my wardrobe etc. I just have really started to question how much people are pressured into buying. I understand what you are saying - it's the whole "I'm going to be broke anyway, so I'd rather be broke and happy" argument. But I just question whether buying lots of new clothes actually does make people happy... I don't think the attitude of having to have more and more and more all the time is particularly good for anyone (not to mention the people making the clothes or the planet). That isn't up to me to judge as you say, but I do question it for myself. You don't have to agree though - I don't really mind

The "buying more stuff makes me happier" notion ultimately makes poor people poorer and rich people richer (in my opinion). That's why I don't buy into it myself. But again, and I cannot emphasise this enough, what other people do with their own money doesn't especially concern me as long as they have capacity and aren't doing anything illegal