Making Your Wardrobe Work
Posted by Gail | Filed under Thinking Out Loud
People spend gobs and gobs of money on clothes and all the accessories that go with. I’ve never been a clothes-horse. When I first started making Til Debt, I used to show up in fleece and a fanny pack. After years of “being dressed” I now carry a handbag and all my fleece is gone. That’s not to say I got all fancy. No siree.
Part of the problem is that I am a terrible slob. If I eat anything, it lands on that shelf just below my chin, leaving behind a stain that just will not come out. I never seem to notice until someone points to the spot and then flips my nose! I’ve learned to cope. I’ve also gotten smart about how I use my clothes.
I have a drawer of stuff that I can cook, clean and hang around the house in. I shouldn’t be seen dead in these clothes, but sometimes being a little vacant (and not really caring) I end up in the supermarket in them. A prouder person would be embarrassed to be caught in their “house clothes.” For me, it’s just par for the course.
One side of my closet is devoted to my regular clothes. I’m not really into clothes, but I do have tops, pants and a couple of dresses I look less than beggarly in. When I forget to change out of these clothes and they get all messed up, they go into the drawer.
Then there are my “TV clothes”. I do a lot of TV appearances, book promos and the like, and I occasionally speak in public. These are the clothes I wear. You might consider this your going out to dinner or going to church clothes. I wear these until they’re no longer appropriate for “special occasions” and then they move to my regular wardrobe.
The other night I was out with The Girls for dinner. My girlfriend, Boo, said, “Nice top, new?” I showed her the spot on the arm where the threads had pulled.
“Old TV clothes” I said.
Sometimes I have to make myself throw old clothes away. Or I have to take the scissors to them and turn them into scraps because I really feel comfortable in them and just don’t want to give them up. I have a pair of TV pants that I just love but that have stretched out to the point where I have to keep hauling them up. Not very sophisticated. I’m going to have to brace myself and either get out my sewing machine to take them in (at which point I can still wear them as house clothes) or cut them into a million pieces for use as rags.
Do you have a big wardrobe or a small one? How do you make your wardrobe work?
August 8, 2012 at 5:07 am
I hate clothes shopping. I can’t understand how people can waste so much money on clothes and shoes. I live for shorts & t-shirts. I have lost 50 lbs last yr and I still have kept it off, but I didn’t get any new clothes, like I said I hate clothes shopping so like you Gail I have shorts and pants that are too big now and are fine for around the house but when I go out I must keep pulling them up. I guess one day when I get embarrassed in a store because my pants fell down maybe then I will break down and get some new ones. Maybe…
August 8, 2012 at 5:10 am
Fairly small but functional! I grew up on a farm and now into my adult life still go to the barn everyday to work with my horses so…I have “barn clothes.” Which are usually worn out “life clothes.” My “office clothes ” seem to last a bit longer.I tend to find decent brands that I know will last, so generally my office clothes get out of style before I am ready to give them up haha.
I have some old t-shirts that I plan to make in to a quilt. I do a clothing purge and good will run at least once a year, usually to finally give up those droopy slacks or scratchy blouse!
August 8, 2012 at 7:06 am
I have a two-out-of-three policy. Whatever item of clothing it is, it has to be 2 of the following: fit right, I like it, and/or right price. So if it fits well and I like the style/colour, I’ll do something to make the cost work (within reason). If it’s priced right and it fits well but I’m not so keen on the style or colour, that’s ok.
@Kate: congrats on your weight loss! The trick is to find a second-hand shop (around here they’re MCC shops) that gets donations from a relatively well-off population. That way you can find quite nice (i.e. work-suitable…I’m a teacher) clothing for a decent price.
August 8, 2012 at 7:11 am
I try to keep a small wardrobe where as many things work together as possible. It helps I go to work in jeans and t-shirts most days but I tend to stick with neutrals and accessorize for my nicer things. Unlike my friends I have no problem wearing the same dress to several different events, but I’ll often change up the necklace or shoes from my collection. I find whether I have 10 tops or 100 I’ll still just wear my favourites so I try to go for quality over quantity!
August 8, 2012 at 7:19 am
Living at my parents house, I have a very small closet and only 4 drawers so I don’t have a enormous wardrove. I work in a clothes store where I need to be always very dressed up so when I buy clothes, I try to be intelligent in my chose and by a top that will either go with jeans to go to school and go with a skirt and a blazer for work. A great black dress can go a looooonnnnggg way with accessories and a different shoe… trust me!!!
Another thing I do is buy one, get rid of one…. There is no place in my small closet to add stuff right now so when I buy a new skirt for example, I get rid of an old one.
It’s disipline!!
August 8, 2012 at 7:22 am
Remember when you were a kid and after school you changed into your “play clothes”? I think house clothes serve the same purpose and are great. When I get home from work I immediately switch into a comfy old tshirt and sweats, yoga capris or even pajama pants. I wouldn’t be caught outside the house in most of this stuff but for puttering around getting supper ready, curled up watching a movie or cleaning the house it’s perfect and nothing I still value gets splashed with food, cooking oil or cleaning products.
For work I have over many years developed my own uniform. Most days I wear black pants or skirt (capris on Fridays), a black top from tank to turtleneck depending on the season, and a bright cardigan or jacket over the top. I only have silver jewelry, black purses and all my shoes from flipflops to boots are black. Everything goes with everything and I change things up with one of the ~15 scarves or pashminas I have. I swear I could get dressed with the lights off and everything would be fine. I only replace something when it’s wornout or damaged beyond repair. I buy clothing so seldom I don’t even budget for it and often go a year or more without needing to replace anything. I often shop at Goodwill, but if I think I’ll soon need to buy something new I ask for gift cards to my favourite store for my BD or Christmas, so even when I finally buy, it normally doesn’t cost much.
August 8, 2012 at 7:36 am
I usually do two shops a year…spring/summer and fall/winter…maybe the odd tshirt or underwear in between…when I bring in new things I move old things out…I need to dress bussiness professional 5 days a week so I need a fairly decent wardrobe…but I shop the sales…buy alot of mix and match items so that 1 outfit can easily translate into two outfits…I also think it is important to look decent and to have clothes that fit properly…that doesn’t mean big bucks or gigantic wardrobes just clothes that fit…I also had a large weightloss a few years ago and have kept it off…when I lost the weight I dropped about 3 sizes so I had to replace all my clothes which I did as an investment in myself…by giving away all my BIG clothes it was an extra incentive to keep the weight off as I don’t have the money to put out again replacing my wardrobe!…so if anything starts to feel snug I know it’s time to slow down on the food and increase the exercise…money and weight maintenance…they go hand in hand in so very many ways!..lol…works perfect for me since my full time job is in the bank as a financial services rep and my “fun” job one night a week is being a Leader at Weight Watchers!!..
August 8, 2012 at 7:55 am
I just shortenend an old pair of ragged shorts into a new bathing suit bottom and an old pair of gardening pants into shorts. Sewing machines are a great money saving tool. I buy the kids’ clothes at the thrift shop and if the pants are too long I hem them until the kid is taller, then I let the hem out. I also do the shorts thing when they outgrow their pants, doing the same with pyjama pants for my daughter so she’ll have something light to wear under a skirt.
August 8, 2012 at 8:32 am
Like others have said, I have my ‘work clothes’ and my ‘home clothes’. If I wear a pair of dress pants during the day, as soon as I come home ‘boom’ they are off and I am in shorts/yoga pants. Even when it comes to dressing up – I am not that great at putting an outfit together. I try though. For me, comfort is key. I remember one day at the school I wore a pair of heels and the kids all start yapping “whhaaa, you never wear heels!” (which is essentially true).
My wardrobe right now is pretty small – I had a baby in december and although my weight is back to normal, my hips got a few inches bigger, so must of my pre-baby clothes still do not fit! So I had to buy some basic pieces. I am going back to work in a few weeks and I may have to go out shopping again just to have a workable wardrobe for work.
August 8, 2012 at 8:48 am
Wardrobe??? What’s that?? I have three pair of elastic waisted jeans and some t shirts. Somewhere at the back of the closet is a pair of black slacks and a shirt that might make me presentable enough if I absolutely HAD to go somewhere (left over from my work days so they may or may not fit). Spending money on clothing irritates me.
August 8, 2012 at 8:53 am
I don’t waste a lot of money on gym-wear, I figure I can sweat in my paint-stained yoga pants and no one will care.
I do buy good quality, classic clothes that last a long time and always look smart. Keeping up with mending your clothes, polishing and repairing your shoes goes a long way in keeping you look well-groomed and helps your wardrobe last longer.
I have learned to stay away from those “great bargain” one- offs that never seem to fit and don’t go with anything in closet.
I wear uniforms to work, so usually like to be nicely dressed when out and about.
(Don’t tell anyone, but often I put on a nice dress before my husband comes home for dinner–)
August 8, 2012 at 9:01 am
Oh, Gail, I hear you on stains on the fronts of my tops! For years I’ve had this great stock of Amway spot remover and that stuff gets anything out. I’m down to my last bottle and I think I can order more from their website. Or I might try dish soap as you mentioned recently in a post.
I love clothes and shopping and have little occasion to wear them. Both hubby and I are in the military so we wear a uniform although now that we’re in Ottawa, we get to wear civilian clothes on Fridays and that means dressing up.
I try to stick to classic pieces since my dressy clothes get worn so infrequently. By the time I factor in holidays and days away for training, I might get dressed up on Fridays 30 times in a year. And we do head out socially a few times so my pieces are investment pieces.
We’ve been finding this time of year is the best for sales – all the stores are clearing out old stock from all seasons and the savings are great! Last summer, I picked up half a dozen lovely summer dresses that were on all on deep discount – about 70% off. With the right shoes and jewellery (hubby came back from Afghanistan both tours with beautiful stone jewellery), I can make a dress fancy. With sandals, it’s comfortable for lunch out with friends.
This year with Zeller’s closing out their stores, we have scored big on hubby’s clothes. He wears a size small and there are lots of clothes left in that size. One trip we netted 10 different styled shirts (polo, collared short-sleeve, collared long-sleeve) for a combined total of $46 with taxes! Last weekend all the t-shirts were marked down to $2.10 so now he has a stack of those.
I wear a larger size so the selection when it comes to sales is limited. And not all plus-sized clothing is pleasing! I was just commenting to a coworker recently that I look forward to getting this weight off and participating in these summer sales where I see some lovely clothes on the rack for $10.
I’m a big fan of second hand clothing stores (vintage and classic finds are my fave!) and with in-store prices this low, it rivals the value I find in the used stores.
Now, if only I could find the same availability, variety and discount for the specialty clothes that fill our spare closets – work out gear, sports gear, outdoor winter sports clothes, winter boots, etc.
August 8, 2012 at 9:28 am
This is a tough one for me. Home isn’t too bad, I mostly look like I’m going to work out. The clothes are just super comfy. Going out for special events I have dresses for things like weddings. Work tends to be the problem for me. Guys have it so much easier as designers (architecture is my field). We have to go from presenting info to clients and the city, who expect us to dress in suits and in my case, dresses. Not to mention we’re expecting to be fashionable because we’re in design. Especially when we attend fundraisers or other events. But then we end up on a construction site, talking to contractors, so we don’t want to wear clothes that we can’t clean. Not to mention steel toes aren’t very fashionable. So my solution has been dressy jeans for site, which I can dress up with a blazer. If I’ve got a really important meeting, out come the heels and dress pants/skirts. The rest is somewhere in between. I stick to fairly classic styles, and trend it up with inexpensive jewellery. I’ve even taken to leaving clothes at work to change into for site visits.
August 8, 2012 at 9:39 am
I am definitely the oddball out in these comments.
Everyone’s talking about how they don’t like to spend money on clothes, or have a small wardrobe.
I am the total opposite, trying to get my wardrobe down to the perfect, functional pieces. I think I’m there now, so I’m pleased.. but it was 5 years in the making to finally realize:
1. Spend on quality not quantity
2. Don’t buy it unless you LOVE. IT. You will end up donating/tossing it.
3. You don’t really need a ton of one type of clothing, especially if you don’t go to formal events a lot
I love clothes. I love jewellery. I love shopping for them. Spending money in general doesn’t irritate me, but it does give me pause for thought and makes me return things I know don’t fit the 3 rules above.
Otherwise, my clothes are pretty dressy. People think I dress up for no reason, but I just.. enjoy wearing nice things and makes me happy.
Everyone else was in sweatpants in college and I own exactly one pair, which are still pristine and white.
I have never been into the ‘bum’ style of clothing, and that’s just the way I am.
The only things I don’t spend a lot on, or buy a lot of are purses and shoes. You can only wear so many pairs of shoes and I always go for the same pairs day-in, day-out… so I just stick to basics.
August 8, 2012 at 9:40 am
I am not much of a clothes shopper. I realized the other day that I haven’t bought shoes (other than running shoes) in about 4 years! Crazy! I made my self a deal that I would no longer buy cheap crappy shoes, so I bought three pairs of well made shoes, and they’ve lasted a long time. The work shoes are starting to look pretty raggedy (considering I wear them almost every day!) so I need to go shopping again, not my favourite way to spend time, especially now with a little one at home who I want to spend time with when I’m not at work.
With clothes, I find myself getting to the point that I have nothing appropriate to wear to work. I too have the dilemma of spilling things in the exact location that Gail described
I have to be somewhat professional, not super dressy like suits, but definitely not the stuff I’d wear on the weekends. Once I notice I haven’t got enough to wear something different for more than a few days in a row, I go out and find a few new items to make my wardrobe last until the next time I notice that I have nothing appropriate to wear to work. Sigh.
August 8, 2012 at 9:46 am
Clothing is a bit of a weakness for me. I am in the process right now, of purging my wardrobe so it only contains the items I truly love to wear. I like variety, and having options. I was waaaay worse with the wardrobe thing, in the past. Currently, I am using the “replace what you love if it can’t be saved”, “toss/consign/donate the rest” rule. If I don’t truly love it, and have worn it often it stays. If I don’t, then during my next purge it goes.
Given that I have more than I really need, I set up my hangers to face the wrong way. When I wear the item I turn the hanger the right way. It allows me to readily see what I truly love wearing.
With the activities and sports I am involved in, some of this wardrobe is specific to those activities.
It’s an area of my finances I’m working at getting under control.
To answer your question, my wardrobe is big. Much too big. I’m fairly confident I can go a month without repeating any single item, and still have nearly two weeks worth of clothing to still be worn. Not something I am proud of – and that’s not the reason I’m posting it. More, because I’ve just now realized this, and need to do something about that. Too many choices often brings on the feeling of “having nothing to wear” just as the unhappiness in yourself does.
August 8, 2012 at 10:14 am
I’ve lost 100lbs and have another 65ish to go! I used to hate shopping until I found a plus sized store that didn’t make everything I put on look like I threw a colorful boxy paper bag on. I do one good shop a year and buy things as needed when they wear out… and by wear out there are holes or stains or something that makes it not even suitable for house wears. Saying that… I have way to much clothes I need to do another good will run, but I have an emotional attachment to clothes.
I live in yoga pants, tank tops and a few sweaters/dresses thrown in. I would love to dress “better” but with my life style, work-home-gym-sleep there really isnt a place for it. I think once I get to my goal weight I’ll be able to properly purge my closet and have only what makes me feel the greatest…
August 8, 2012 at 10:34 am
Here’s a bit of perspective from the male side of things
I like looking nice, but I’m not a clothes horse and I’m a bit too cheap to spend much money on clothes. I work an office job that requires dressing neatly, but thankfully I don’t have to wear a suit very often. For work, I have about 10 good-quality shirts, about 4 pairs of dress slacks or khakis, and three pairs of shoes (1 plain black, 2 brown slip-ons). I wait for sales at stores that sell well-made clothes (Brooks Brothers and Land’s End are favorites – Harry Rosen’s a bit expensive) and pick up maybe one or two new things a year to refresh the work wardrobe or to replace worn-out stuff. I tend to be one of the better-dressed guys at work, but that’s more a reflection on my colleagues than on my fashion sense
For those really important meetings, job interviews, weddings and funerals, I have one suit and about 6 ties to keep it interesting.
At home, I’m a jeans/shorts and t-shirt kinda guy. I have 3 pairs of jeans and about 4 shorts that still fit me. Fun cheesy t-shirts are my weakness – I have a favorite website (www.threadless.com) that sells artsy t-shirts. I wait for the sales ($9.99 a pop) and buy 4 or 5. For a nice dinner out, the jeans paired with an office shirt usually works very well. Overall, I do believe that you shouldn’t buy clothes that don’t look good and feel comfortable, no matter how good the deal – you’ll never wear them, trust me. My approach is to wait for sales and then only buy stuff you love.
August 8, 2012 at 10:43 am
I’m too vain to keep anything less than nice clothes. Even my house clothes are lulu lemon or cotton sundresses. In university, I rolled out of bed and into sweats for the day, but once I graduated and began my career I decided it was important to begin dressing like a grown up. I got rid of all my unflattering clothing, and only kept things I wouldn’t be embarrassed being seen in — you never know who you’ll run into! Because I work in an office, 99% of my clothes are corporate attire. I’ve learned how to dress it down and up as needed.
I don’t have a big closet because I get frustrated if I feel I’m not wearing all my clothes (I hate that feeling of spending money on something and then never wearing it) so I only keep clothes I love and I wear them until they wear out — and then I give them to my sisters. This way I keep a small closet but everything is lovely.
August 8, 2012 at 11:10 am
I have a medium size wardrobe, with a few dressy outfits, professional work clothes, casual clothes, and workout clothes that are only worn when I’m at the gym. There is also one pair of old pants and a shirt for messy household tasks like painting or window washing.
I switch out of work clothes when I get home and prefer machine washable, casual items for home ,weekends, or trips to the store, etc.
I don’t have the lastest styles or a lot of high priced clothes but I do think it’s important to look nice for oneself, family and others.
I remember enjoying when casual Fridays started at work but unfortunately it evolved into dress-down Friday and eventually “sloppy dress” Friday, and now so many people don’t know what is appropriate for their work place.
I still think pajamas are for sleeping, not grocery shopping or eating out.
August 8, 2012 at 11:29 am
oh I should add: anything ‘dry clean only’ or something that requires extensive ironing does not make it into my closet
August 8, 2012 at 11:53 am
Vests- I have a few in different colours. You can wear them with long sleeved shirts or short sleeved. They completely change the look of your outfit for way less money. I got my vests over time at Value Village during the 50% off days- sometimes almost brand new ones for $2.99. For dressier vests, add a necklace with a longsleeved black v necked shirt and dress pants. For fleece vests, add jeans with that same black v necked long sleeved shirt. Complete change of look using what you already have. LOVE my vests. LOVE keeping the formula simple.
August 8, 2012 at 12:03 pm
I hate shopping for clothes. I despise it. I have a small but functional wardrobe and all my stained clothes I now wear at home. I go out and shop once a year. That is it. I don’t have a problem wearing the same clothes week after week.
My wardrobe is spring/summer & fall/winter based. I actually had a pair of pants that I had not worn as the legs were to long, I brought it over to get it hemmed into a pair of capris & now I wear them all the time…I am a really bad sewer.
August 8, 2012 at 12:31 pm
Wow, I have been working very hard to not spend money on clothes. When I was in school and living with my parents my wardrobe was fantastic but now that I am on my own priorities have changed. I still love the clothes on Gossip Girl and SITC but I will admire them from afar.
August 8, 2012 at 12:31 pm
I hate shopping for clothes…my boyfriend has to drag me out to get new clothing. However, when I do clothes shop i try to think of what can go with what I already have. I also buy a lot ‘basics’ if I need a shirt for work I try to get in a neutral colours so I can wear with different colour pants.
I have also recently been more leaning to getting things to jazz up old outfits. A couple of necklessess or earings. And i ONLY buy that stuff if its on a good sale or if I can get two for one.
August 8, 2012 at 1:11 pm
My wardrobe is relatively small – I could go about two weeks without repeating anything but like an earlier poster I also don’t do track pants or “bum” clothing. I would also add jeans to the list of clothes I don’t wear. Over the years I have built a wardrobe where what I wear to work is what I wear at home and that suits me just fine.
Since my in-laws live in the US and we visit them regularly I usually pick up one or two pieces each time we are there. The icing on the cake for me is that we shop at the store DH once worked at and his old co-workers are always happy to give us a further discount so we normally get out of there spending under $100.00 between us. Once we get home we give away an equal number of pieces so that the closet stays manageable.
August 8, 2012 at 1:56 pm
I’ll echo some of the earlier posters’ comments. I love shopping and finding special pieces. I really try to find pieces that fit perfectly and are flattering to my figure. I must admit, I don’t wait for sales or make a list — I ALWAYS regret if I pass up something great
However, my wardrobe is actually really small. I wear suits to work nearly every day, and I probably have only about 5 or 6 suits for summer (and the same in my winter wardrobe). I would prefer a few fantastic outfits rather than a huge closet full of stuff that doesn’t fit well or that I don’t love.
I keep a clothes fund in my ING Direct account so that I will always have a reserve in case I come across something great!!
Also, I’ll donate any old clothes to Dress for Success. It’s a great organization (in Canada) which helps women to get into the workforce by providing them with a wardrobe for interviews.
August 8, 2012 at 2:42 pm
I have far too many clothes, but I am in the process of paring down, handing stuff off to the nieces, weeding out old stuff that is too tired to wear any more. I hope some day to have a reasonable sized wardrobe – that might be when I am 80.
August 8, 2012 at 2:55 pm
Not related,
but does anybody else find it ironic that there are now AD’s on Gails blog advertising things like Car loans for 0% at 84 months? (THAT IS SEVEN YEARS!!?????)
I find it a tad strange myself…
August 8, 2012 at 5:50 pm
I have a small wardrobe. I actually need to do some shopping since I’ve noticed myself repeating my clothes too much. I guess it’s just not a priority right now.
August 8, 2012 at 7:23 pm
I have been a graduate student in a lab for the last four years, so hole-y jeans and t-shirts are my my uniform except for important meetings or presentations. Since I am so close to being finished my degree I am in the process of cleaning out my closet and changing my overall style from “bum” to at least put-together. I am looking for staple pieces that are versatile for mix and match. I actually donated two huge garbage bags of clothes (not the hole-y ones) and still have more picking over to do… But there is only so much you can do in one go. It will also help with my impeding move to have a small functional wardrobe.
August 8, 2012 at 7:53 pm
I have a very small wardrobe. I’ve recently lost a lot of weight and have had to completely replace everything I have – that has not been hard. I recently bought 2 summer dresses. I have 2 pairs of shorts and 2 pairs of jeans. I have half a dozen t-shirts. I have 2 pairs of sandals (and only 2 because my son outgrew the one pair and I decided to keep them as they fit perfectly!), steel-toed shoes for work, winter boots and a pair of dress shoes. I have a really hard time spending money on clothes for myself!!! I am happiest in jeans and a t-shirt, barefoot. Never been a fashionista
August 8, 2012 at 9:46 pm
I do love clothes and shopping for them but we are living the “Gail way” to eliminate our debt so I buy very carefully. I try to always shop from a list, and though I do try to buy on sale, I purchase items that are on my list only. After all, “a deal’s only a deal if you need it.” I have enlisted the help of my sister and a close friend, both of whom have great style. They have helped me to put outfits together to look nice for work. I also, like many of you, have my “play clothes” to keep my work clothes fresh and clean. As well, I avoid fads so that my high quality dress clothes will stand the test of time. I am practicing patience…waiting until an item I really want is at a price that I can afford. If I don’t end up getting it, I figure it wasn’t meant to be. I also have the “one in one out” rule so that I don’t have an overcrowded closet. I shop for some of the items on my list at the second hand shop here in town, where I sometimes have a credit due to the clothes I have brought in.
August 8, 2012 at 10:03 pm
I also have a ‘uniform’ of sorts. For work: black dress pants (I buy from a certain chain store because their petites sizes fit me without needing to be altered) and a ‘fashion’ top (with a blazer or jacket of some sort in the winter). For home: I swap the dress pants for black yoga pants, which are comfy at home and just good enough for public if I go out after. For sleep: I buy $10 novelty t-shirts at Walmart sometimes when out with the boyfriend.
August 9, 2012 at 4:27 am
Comfy, practical clothes for this SAHM! And when I do need “outside the house’ clothes, it’s Value Village or ebay every time.
August 9, 2012 at 8:13 am
I like to buy clothes that are reasonably well made, and I am short so only the petite sizes really fit me. So I shop at the Talbots outlet in Vaughn, or their online catalogue, petite sizes, good clothes at cheap prices! And I shop online for Lands End sale or clearance items, they have every size under the sun, good quality and you can get fabulous shoes for dirt cheap. My husband will only shop at Lands End for his work and play clothes, their men’s clothes are great, he even shops himself, goes online, finds what he wants and it arrives at the door 2 days later. We live on a small farm in the country, so to get to a mall would waste a whole day.
We have a clothes shopping system that works for us! Good quality, discounted prices, and delivered to the door.
August 12, 2012 at 2:07 pm
I have a modest wordrob that suits my professional and home life. I have learned a little fashion sense, and depend on a list of must have items recommended by Stacy London and Clinton Kelly from the “What Not to Wear” show. I buy my clothes from thrift shops, yard sales, and store sales. I have a difficult size to fit and tailor some of my clothes. I stick to classic-styled clothes and replace them when they are worn out. I also wear an aprin when cooking or eating at home if I do not have time to change my clothes. The aprin fully covers my shirt and goes down to my knees. I have saved so many shirts that way.
August 12, 2012 at 8:03 pm
Gail I was there when you auctioned you “TV shoes” at the Northumberland Womens Centre’s Fundraiser & that was fantastic to watch.
As for myself I find a lot of my clothes at Giant Tiger. I find the clothes are sometimes less expensive there than at Value Village.
Also when I buy something I ask myself where will I wear this? There is no sense in buying something that will just sit (whether or not it’s cheap or expensive).
August 12, 2012 at 8:26 pm
I actually dread shopping for clothes I have considering hire a wardrobe consultant so I know what items I must have in my closet. I know I don’t need a lot of clothes when I am around the house I wear nothing at all. I guess I can do that because I live alone.
I think buying the right clothes is a life skills and knowing how to work with your closet too. but if you never learned it then how are you suppose to handle those clothing stores.
I actually get pannic attacks when I have to buy clothes
August 12, 2012 at 8:30 pm
I would say (and so would my hubby) that I have a large wardrobe BUT everything goes with everything. One sweater can go with 5 pairs of pants or vice versa. Buying stuff on sale and at Winners is key for me too. I RARELY pay full price for anything.
Also, lucky for me, I’ve been the same size forever so I can wear the same clothes for years.
I enjoy clothes shopping and I should have been a Professional Personal Shopper because I do help friends pick out and even buy their clothes for them (and they pay me back). I just enjoy the hunt for clothes that I can wear over and over, with a variety of things for a really good price!
August 12, 2012 at 8:51 pm
Huuby wears a uniform and i spend most of the day in my pjs and never really have an occasion to ‘dress up’ and when i do buy ‘new’ i have no problem leaving the kids with hubby and heading off to the thrift store. it doesnt take very long, there usually isnt much that i like, but when im out in my gym shorts again because my only other pair have a whole, i pick something and its never more than 8$/item. i feel guilty coming home some spending 45$ in total but, i have like 10 things.
August 12, 2012 at 8:53 pm
I hate clothes & shoe shopping. Luckily I work in a maintenance shop where all I need is casual clothes & safety boots (everything goes with safety shoes, right?) I shop mainly from thrift shops & Old Navy. My few dress up clothes I was lucky to find at a thrift shop!
August 12, 2012 at 9:14 pm
By choice my wardrobe is pretty sparse. I allow for 4 to 5 bottoms, 6-7 shirts, and a sweater or two and that’s it. My reasoning being I can only wear one outfit at a time and with five people in my family I’m doing laundry just about every single day so I don’t need anything more than that. And neither does anyone else in my family!
Another rule I have is that I cannot spend more than $20 for a top and no more than $50 for bottoms for myself. (I allow more for pants because I’m short so I need petite sizes and it’s hard to find petite sizes that aren’t granny pants) For my kids I won’t spend more than $15 for tops OR bottoms. With careful shopping it can be done, and it can be done with name brand clothing.
And my last rule is whatever I buy must match at least three things in my closet. For example, if I see an Ann Taylor shirt it has to go with at least three things in my closet. Now, it can go with two shirts and a pair of jeans, two pairs of jeans and a skirt, three shirts or whatever other combination I can think of, but either way the shirt I am looking at has to coordinate with three things I already own or it goes back on the rack. Period.
These few rules definitely keep the closets clutter free, the laundry to a minimum and the clothing bill in check!
August 12, 2012 at 11:33 pm
I have never really been into clothes. BUT here is my thing. I am not big into trends. I buy basics…my jeans are Levis, and they look GREAT on me, so that is what I buy. I never pay more than $24 for a pair, and I wear them for years. I have blouses that I bought in 2007 that I still wear for nice. I have
some nicer slacks and tops in traditonal styles and basic colors. My things mix and match. I have a couple of nice dresses, and a nice gray blazer. My shoes are black, brown, and sneakers. I have several nice pair of yoga pants and active tops I can slide on quickly to pull it together in a hurry and go from cleaning house to presentable if I have to…baseball hats are my friend. I have many colors, all either free, or on clearance. Or castoffs from my son.
When I was growing up my parents had 4 children. They saw to it we all had what we needed…and when it came to clothes we had school clothes/going out clothes and play clothes. When we got home we changed. If our clothes got a spot, mom treated it right away. There was not a lot of money to go around, so things had to last. We had a washer (wringer style ) and clothes were hung to dry, so they lasted a long time.
August 13, 2012 at 11:48 am
Since I don’t work due to disability, I too have 2 wardrobes; the ones I feel comfortable in around the house and outfits I don’t mind scooting to the local supermarket, restaurant or doctor appointments. Gail, you made me laugh about wearing food on your shrts, etc.; LOL I was going to go into an adults bib business. I have 3 dresses and a pair of black pants. The pants go with any top I have in my closet. I wear a plain pair of hoops and off I go. The only time I’ll buy is with gift money, a great coupon (or code for on-line) or even freecycle has a great listing (a person lost weight & is giving clothes away). Ask me about kitchen gadgets or what I bought from TV LOL that’s where my clothing allotments goes.
August 13, 2012 at 11:46 pm
I’ve been really lucky. Since I was a teenager, I’ve always chosen basic classics, a bit on the baggy side. Many, many, many, many years later, I can still fit into them. I’ve never had to throw anything away. I donate a few things here and there, I borrow for formal events, and I only ever buy things if something is worn out and needs replacing.
I used to be a mallrat and would stroll through on the way home from work and keep an eye out for sales. I’d keep the item, right to the end of it’s return policy, just in case there was a sale. I’ve collected a few nice fitting pieces, and the rest were all from gifts, gift cards, and Christmas/birthday money.
I still love to shop, so every time I’m out at the mall with a friend, I wear one of my favourite outfits. If the item I’m considering is a good price AND better than what I have on, I buy it. Since my closet is made of favourites now, the only things I buy are destined to become Christmas gifts from those who say “I had no idea what to get you, but pick something you like for your birthday/Christmas and I’ll be happy to give you the money.” The best part is, I spend way less than they would have, so they’re happy too.
August 16, 2012 at 3:22 pm
I have a great waredrobe that I’m very happy with. I have lots of different styles — office wear for work, hockey jerseys/baseball shirts for attending sporting events, jeans and shirts for around the house, etc. I actually don’t buy very often and update my waredrobe frequently with clothing swaps — they’re FANTASTIC. Just went to one on Tuesday and cleared out some of the summer items and things I kind of got tired of and got new-to-me clothes. Any leftovers went to a runaway shelter. Got the fun of shopping and didn’t cost me a cent, plus got rid of some items that I was unlikely to wear again.
August 17, 2012 at 12:32 am
[...] Gail Vaz-Oxlade wrote an article on her wardrobe and how much money people spend on theirs. I personally don’t spend a lot of money on clothes and have a small wardrobe. If I haven’t worn something in a year, it’s going to Goodwill. You may also like:From Blogger To WordPress [...]
August 18, 2012 at 1:43 pm
It helps that I dislike shopping for clothes because it is stressful for me so I only shop like once or at most twice a year at outlet malls. Before I shop, I take a look at my wardrobe to see what I need, get rid/donate of what I don’t so that I only buy to replace and not buy to buy. Basically my clothes are split in to 2 seasons instead of 4.One batch for spring summer, the other for fall winter. I wear same stuff to office every week, I just switch up the days so I only need like 5-6 set of tops. For skirts, I stick with mostly blacks with different styles and maybe one or two brown skirts so I can pair things up differently.I only have 4 pair of work shoes, I buy a little more decent ones around $60 but they last awhile & I don’t have to keep shopping & that is it.My wardrobe life is simple!
August 22, 2012 at 12:15 pm
My current wardrobe has recently been pared down to only practical clothes that suits me now & more important suits my way of living – not some glamorous lifestyle I once dreamed of. The truth is, the glamorous clothes paid for for the vast majority of the apparel I sold or donated. With a bit innovative arranging & organizing – we should without any difficulty fit both mine & my husbands wardrobe into a single one.