Coffee Talk: How Much is Too Much to Spend on Clothes?

Oct 29, 2012

Coffee Talk: How Much is Too Much to Spend on Clothes?

With fashion at the forefront of the blogosphere, we are often scrolling through photos of beautiful girls in designer shoes, sporting the latest It Bag, donning the season’s most coveted clothes. There are some lucky ladies out there who don’t consider the word “budget” to be in their vocabulary, but that’s not reality for most. What is your shopping limit? Do you splurge once a year on one thing, and if yes, how much do you spend? Do you only buy a few low-priced items when you are forced to shop? How much is too much to spend on clothes?

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Annie Del Walsh

http://stylizedexistence.com/blog Lauren Corso

I always struggle with this. I am definitely a saver and a bit of a worrier, so spending a ton on clothes doesn’t feel so great to me. I splurge occasionally, and I may even spend more than what others feel comfortable with, but I feel as though I am pretty conservative when it comes to my shopping budget. I see a lot of bloggers with $500 shoes or $1000 purses or $250 blouses and wonder how it all works within their budget… maybe they aren’t budgeting at all or maybe they have a very well paying job – it’s hard to judge someone else’s situation. So I try to stick to only paying attention to what I can afford or what I feel comfortable with and not worry about everyone else

Gabrielle

I just remind myself that more often than not, many of those bloggers often follow the $1000 item with a c/o. I’d carry it too if it was free to me! (Not to mention that I worked with a company doing social media and was amazed to see how much some bloggers charge for a simple 1 inch ad or giveaway on their site – $500+ and a product! – they are some smart girls!). I know it isn’t all of them but many do.

http://wishfulthinking23.blogspot.com/ michelle

I try to thrift as much as possible. I do it a lot – so much that I feel like I overspend. I get great deals, which makes me feel like I can splurge if I want to. Then, a few times I year, after starving myself from shopping, I binge. It’s a bad cycle.
I get so confused when I see young ladies who have so many designer items. There’s no way they make enough to afford high end boots, bags and dresses. Do they have a lot of credit card debt? Do they live with their parents? I know it’s all about priorities but it still baffles me.
http://twitter.com/catfishcaviar Drew Elizabeth

I am the wrong person to answer this post since I can’t budget to save my life. I try to save on most items & splurge on a few key pieces that I know will get lots of use!

Catfish&Caviar
Londa

I usually do 2 BIG splurges a year and buy the necessities in bewtween. I only pay regualr price if I like them item after a few days, then I go back and buy…and if its no longer there, then it was not meant for me to have.
♥, Londadesignroundup.blogspot.com

Gabrielle

Same here! I try to do one in the spring and one in the fall. And, I always do the go back and buy trick. Most brands I won’t pay full price on so I usually wait for a 30% off or some other promo.

http://www.facebook.com/alexandrabgill Alexandra Gill

Being a college girl, it is all about finding that cute piece for the lowest price. I love scouring ebay for deals, and even though I work in a more expensive store, I always look for the lowest price to still keep my style! One day, I will no long have to worry about it. I hope for the big bucks to foster my love for clothes!
Jennifer Wood

I’ve always been pretty good at saving my pennies, but I have a weakness when it comes to clothing. I can do more other things on the cheap, but I am pretty terrible at bargain shopping for my closet. However the idea of dropping $500 on a shirt is absolutely insane to me. J.Crew, Anthropologie and Madewell are my staples and although they are by no means thrifty, I can typically guarantee the quality of my purchase.

I needed a new white oxford the other day and although I am sure I could have found a decent one for $20 at Old Navy, I splurged on the $70 J.Crew one because it was the perfect fit and I know I’ll get my money’s worth.

Madewell and J.Crew Factory also have pretty awesome sales which makes adding a few new pieces here and there a little less costly.
RoseJB

I’m very frugal in all other aspects of my budget and I’ve been setting aside money for retirement since I was 20, but I do spend frivolously on fashion. It’s something I’m trying to change.
When I was a student I bought my clothes from thrift stores and clearance racks, but I’d end up donating them within a year because I often settled for things I only sort of liked because the prices were low.When I started working full-time I was willing to spend more on clothing that was of better quality and that better fit my personal and professional style. Slowly I grew accustomed to spending more for each item of clothing. A reasonable price for a dress jumped from $20 to $80, to $150 if I really liked it. Although the prices were not outrageous, I was still shopping as frequently as before so fashion was taking a bigger bite out of my budget than I would like.I’m currently trying to bring my ‘flinch point’ back down to a more reasonable level now that I have a solid wardrobe. I’m getting better at saying no to items, recognizing that I have similar pieces that fit my needs at home.I think continually spending hundreds of dollars on fashion each month would be too much, especially with an already full closet. With my new budget in mind, I think spending up to $1000 in a year is a number I could live with.
Scensibles Bags

I absolutely love to shop! There are so many possibilities, colors, combinations–I just go wild with inspiration. Every time I walk into the store I want to buy it all, but I have got to be realistic right?

When I do my quarterly seasonable shopping, my budget is around $500

During the other parts of the year, I just try to have fun with my girlfriends and try on clothes, not buy. (easier said than done) BUT if I feel like I need to buy something, I will usually try to spend no more than $50!

Anything over $500 is too much to spend.
http://answertheunasked.blogspot.com/ JMill

I accept hand-me-downs. I believe in tailoring. I wear bargain brands sometimes. I buy in the off-season.

I keep a personal budget of $195/mo (it’s a percentage of household income between my Mr. and me) and that has to cover clothes, meals out, drinks, travel, hair appointments, manicures, museum admittance, etc.

That said. If there is a sale on loafers or I need to catch a flight to Fort Worth, I’ve been known to blow my budget. Sometimes spending more on something you really want feels good and, as long as you know you can make up the difference somewhere else, I think it’s ok to splurge safely.
http://www.katskull.com Kat Skull

I think I spend too much on clothes because I don’t set a budget. I do, however, try not to buy items unless they’re on sale or if I can get it cheaper with a percentage off and always look for free shipping online. I’m a bit of an impulsive buyer and I need to work on that. My budget should be around $100-200 per month maximum, but I end up going over.
Madeline Cobb

As a college student in a suburban school in Mississippi I didn’t have a problem spending too much on fashion, I had no place to go shopping. Then I transferred to a school in NYC, goodbye money. I have it under control now, sample sales are seriously the best because everything is marked down so low but the clothes are all brand new, I know which thrift stores have the best merchandise. My biggest struggle is emotional or boredom shopping, my solution: window shopping on the upper east side where one dress costs more than my bank account.

Anoreastern.tumblr.com
http://twitter.com/_thebrunetteone Samantha Peterson

I’m with Lauren. I spend maybe more than I should, in general, per month on clothes. But on items within my means vs. splurging for one item that is $500 {I could never do that!}. In general, I need to concentrate on my budget and only worry about me, but I do get a bit starry eyed seeing the latest and greatest sported by my favorite bloggers.
http://twitter.com/leann1601 Leann Fowler

After reading a fashion magazine or blog, I’m always left feeling inadequate. At these times, I usually feel the need to go out and buys lots of new clothes/bags/shoes. However, if I am honest with myself, these things don’t make me look or feel that much better. My rule is, I have a budget each month for “play” money. If I want to buy a new designer bag or new boots, I have to bring my lunch to work or go out to dinner less to be able to afford it. I don’t use my credit card, so if I want something, I have to find a way to make it happen out of my salary.
http://heartofablonde.com Molly Rasmussen

Love this topic! I am so very frugal. The only thing I would ever consider paying over $100 for is shoes. Dresses or jeans I’ll spend over $50. Anything else is under $50 with most items likely $40 or under.

I really, truly believe that things don’t have to be expensive or designer to look great on. xx
http://talesandtrenchs.wordpress.com/ Cassie

I definitely don’t have a set number for this category, and I don’t have a set shopping schedule. It’s more like my wardrobe hits a point where I realize that I need certain items to pull the items I already have together, and then I go looking for them. Generally I try to buy them off the sale rack. That’s not to say that I don’t have some higher priced designer items, it’s just that they don’t make up the bulk of my shopping.
http://christineinspain.com Christine

I love clothes shopping…but I love traveling even more, so when I do shop, it’s all about budget finds for me. I believe in investing in classic items like leather boots, wool peacoats, etc. that will last through more than one season and spicing up my wardrobe with trendier things that don’t put a huge dent in my account.
Nathy

I used to do a lot of “on-the-hop” shopping, like browsing while meeting with friends and then picking up some item I did not completely love for cheap. My wardrobe used to be full of such pieces, that made me feel like I had nothing to wear and though they were cheap, the total sum would have allowed me to buy one or two really nice things.
Now when I find that I actually “need” something, I type it into my phone, and should I go browsing, I stick to that list. For example, I type “Sweater that can be layered and worn with shorts”, and its a wide enough range to go browsing to my hearts content.
If I do find something that I love but that’s not “needed” I leave it, and come back at Sale-time, if it’s still there it was meant to be. With shoes I just leave them and think about it for a week, if I still remember them and really do not have a very similar pair and an occasion to wear them, I pick them up. (No, you do not need more than one pair of fancy high heels when you never go clubbing anymore)
I am not much of a fashion-addict, so most pieces I have now are timeless, have a good quality and fit me perfectly, otherwise I do not buy them. I splurge on such items as coats, black pumps, jeans and blazers, because I know I will wear them forever and ever. Still I have never spent more than 100 Euros on any item, and that was a business-suit.
My yearly budget would be around 250-300 Euros I think.

thelittlecave.wordpress.com
Lauren Amundson

I’m kinda judgey on the expensive clothes front. I have too many clothes, but I try to be frugal on the amount I spend on each article and I wait for things to go on sale. But, I splurge elsewhere in my life, so I guess it’s a give and take kind of thing.
instantphoebe

I don’t think there is an amount that is too much. If you are able to pay your bills, there’s no problem. If you want to eat ramen for the rest of your life so that you can afford a cashmere-only wardrobe, that’s your jam.

Personally, I just have a monthly budget. I can blow it on one thing, or I can spend it on several.
Alyssa Gapske

I don’t splurge on clothing very often. I do however believe in items like boots, work pants, jeans, and winter jackets that are well made. You want these things to last, and keep you warm and dry so that’s why I don’t mind spending a bit more for one of those items. I also don’t like professional clothing that looks like it is made of polyester. I would love to buy myself a nice purse, but my budget just doesn’t work for that right now, so I’m totally fine with a purse from Target.

There’s something to say about well-made items. I really don’t mind paying a bit more for a cardigan if I’ll still be wearing it several years from now.
therufs

I don’t buy anything terribly expensive, but I have way more clothes than I could possibly need. I think there are two big reasons for this: first, until recently, it was really hard for me to get rid of anything; second, I am terminally indecisive, and (this sounds really dumb to say aloud) I think I’m trying to make sure I always have enough options, so I never feel stuck for what to wear. (It doesn’t work, of course.)

But when I moved here five years ago, I had about a week of outfits and that was totally fine with me … a week seemed like a lot longer to go between wearings then than it does now!
debrakay86

I can splurge a couple times a year. Usually, its around the fall. I’ll spend good money on boots and jackets/coats. I do this because, to me, these are things that will last you for years or they should anyway! This fall season I treated myself to some Frye boots and I’m so excited because this is my first time buying this kind of quality boot. I’ve heard nothing but good things and that they last forever. So , it’s worth splurging on things like that, I think. Things that are quality made and will last longer than the season you buy them in.

honestlydebra.blogspot.com
http://www.streetsandstripes.com/ Chaucee

I like to say that I can only buy one thing a week. And if money is tight, then I can only buy one thing per paycheck. That’s what’s helped me in moderation and it gives me something to look forward to all week!
Ann

I do not splurge on handbags. I have a few staples from good brands like Kate Spade, and rotate them in and out of my wardrobe. I’d rather buy clothes. That being said, I know when my bills are due and subtract that amount out of my paycheck. Then I account for other expenses like food, savings, travel, or what may come up during the month. Then I know what I can spend on clothes. Some paychecks I do not shop for clothes if I have a lot going on with travel, events, friends, etc.

I do shop often but I keep a running list of wants vs. needs. If I really do need a new coat or pair of boots, I will keep that in mind when a sale or promo rolls around. If I have extra funds leftover at the end of the month/paycheck, then maybe I’ll get the dress or sunglasses I’ve been wanting for a while. It all depends with the time of year. I’ve found that I do not spend much on clothes at the end of winter and summer. I don’t need neon pants in February or wool in July.

All in all, I do try to justify most of my purchases. What can I wear it with? Will I wear it next season? Will it last (quality)?
Shayna SteelPetalPress

I spend small amounts on little things as needed. I’ll also splurge on 1 or two purchases a year. But I know all these terms are relative and ‘splurge’ for me might be average for another (like spending $200 on a new winter coat last year was a pretty big purchase for me)

I’m all about recycled clothing! My friends and I participate in an all girls clothing swap several times a year where we empty out our closets to trade for still fashionable yet new-to-us cloths. Its a great way to revamp your closet for FREE while spending time with good girlfriends. Always fun
http://thethreadaffect.com/ Megan – The Thread Affect

I am awful at being sucked into SALES. If I see something marked way down and it fits, it’s generally coming home with me regardless of needing it or not. I need to be better at purchasing the items I need to fill the holes in my closet instead of just the price point and how much I’m saving. That said, I LOVE a good sale but it’s only worth it if the item is wearable and good quality and will actually be worn! Trying to get better at asking myself “Would I buy this at full price?”. If not, no purchase. I think the amount spent on an item is all relative to it’s wearability and purpose. $100 on a coat, absolutely. $100 on leather pants, no way.
20SomethingDiaries

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20SomethingDiaries

I always go for few things at great quality. My biggest fashion purchases are usually for key accessories like watches or bags–I find it’s easier to find great clothes on the cheap at places like TJ Maxx, but their accessories have always been picked through! Invest in good, quality accessories
heatherbquinn

I have a mental budget – for example, I don’t like to spend more than $40 on jeans and sweaters, more than $30 on knit tops and shorts, etc. For items that will last a really long time, like coats and bags, I’m willing to splurge a bit.