How much clothing do you need?

**Caoineag** · 07-23-2008, 10:05 AM

I don't tend to need a lot of clothing. I do have to dress up to business casual at work. As to if I dressed differently, people would think it was strange since I am one of the more conservative dressed individuals in my office.

I do need lots of exercise clothing since most of my hobbies need something that isn't work clothes or jeans. However, that I can get relatively cheaply.

My main expense associated with clothes is the need to constantly replace them. I am very hard on my clothes, especially since I buy so few that they don't last very long before getting ratty.

So now the question is, why do you ask?

**JanH** · 07-23-2008, 10:07 AM

This is a good question. I've had periods of very low amount of clothes, and needed more for work. I've had periods where I overcompensated and had WAY too many clothes. Now, I have a bunch of casual clothes since it gets so hot here and I often have to change. I have clothes to wear working around the house (usually retired clothes from other purposes). We recycle sneakers into work shoes. I have a few pairs of dress shoes. A couple of pairs of black dress pants and a couple of jackets for dress. I used to have dress clothes for church, be we aren't attending one right now and they were so outdated I donated them. I guess the majority of my clothes are jeans and nice casual shirts that mix and match. I then can wear them in winter here and in the summer. The things we never wear out are coats. We use them years and years and years. I have a dress coat, a raincoat or two, and a couple of casual coats. I try to give myself permission to update some shirts at least once a year. And, perhaps to replace a pair or two of jeans since I wear the ones I have over and over for the year.

**fruitbowlk** · 07-23-2008, 10:24 AM

Does your work impose special needs in the way of clothes? Yes I work around servers so I have to put on a sweater because it so cold.

If you dressed differently for work, would you be scorned, or perhaps thought better of? They send out a dress code for us to follow every spring/summer time.

Do you have hobbies that necessitate different clothing than your everyday wear? nope

Do you need to replace or update clothing frequently? not really but after having a baby you body isn't really the same so I do feel like I need new clothes but I'm trying to get out of debt and increase my EF first.

**disneysteve** · 07-23-2008, 12:17 PM

I think most of us own way more clothing than we truly need primarily because we don't want to keep wearing the same clothes over and over again. We want variety. Personally, I'd be fine with maybe 3 pairs of pants for work and just alternating between them, and another 3 pairs for casual use. Same for shirts, socks, etc. Add a suit for semi-formal stuff and I'd be all set, plus a pair of black shoes, a pair of brown shoes and a pair of sneakers.

Of course, if I only owned 3 pairs of pants, they'd wear out a whole lot quicker and need to be replaced much more often, so in the long run, I'm not sure that having more actually wastes any money. I have shirts in my closet that I've had for nearly 20 years. I have pants that I've had for 10 years or more. Surely, they wouldn't last that long if I was wearing them twice a week.

**Scanner** · 07-23-2008, 12:41 PM

I actually have a "clothing horde" down my basement. Christmas and birthday gifts that never got used. It's a huge trunk and then a pile of clothes on top of that.

I tap into my store occasionally.

**Snave** · 07-23-2008, 02:14 PM

My work does impose clothing standards. I have a suit and tie job, so that obvioulsy takes up some of my closet. As for hobbies, I play golf, so I have plenty of golf shorts and shirts. My wife bought me a bunch more golf shorts this spring b/c she ws tired of washing the same couple pair all the time. I also run or workout nearly every day, so there are gym-type clothes that I need. As for everything else, I am a jeans and kind of guy, so I don't need much else.

**maat55** · 07-23-2008, 02:23 PM

Before I became really frugal, I slowly stocked up more clothes than I really need and am using them now. Many of my nice shirts came from winnings in golf. I'm to cheap to buy expensive clothes. I haven't bought clothes in a year or more. My needs are not that great.

**LivingAlmostLarge** · 07-23-2008, 03:51 PM

I need nothing. My DH 3 years ago bought 4 khaki, 10 undershirts, 10 polos, 10 long sleeved shirts, 12 pairs of black socks from costco and one pair of shoes, and a belt. 3 years later he's wearing the same things, unless there is a hole, it's not going anywhere.

I should add this is 2 weeks of clothes for the summer and winter with only the shirts rotating. Everyone at work knows his clothes. I wash his long sleeved clothes only like 1 month and he wears undershirts to stay warm. So he puts it back in the evening at the end of the chain. It's so anal compulsive! Same with pants and his other shirts. Rotated perfectly.

I think we spent $300 on his clothes total. He once told me a long, long time ago his goal was to wear less than 50 cents worth of clothes a day, including his watch, shoes, socks, underwear, etc. I calculate once that he's getting mighty close.

Thankfully he never gains weight and has been the same size since high school. So he can wear clothes from then. He has the same jeans from college!

Me I only buy clothes occasionally as I gain and lose weight. Mostly jeans. But heck every woman I know complains about finding the perfect jeans. Glad I'm not alone.

**Gruntina** · 07-23-2008, 04:17 PM

I can see how ladies need more clothing in general. I feel like a yo-yo with how my body and weight changes (even monthly) and seems to need various sizes available in my closet so I can fit into something.

**Gailete** · 07-23-2008, 04:19 PM

I'm an at home person. I just need decent looking clothes for church and errands/shopping. I make a lot of my clothes and they last. I have some things that I have had for around 15 years, but this last year I lost about 40# and boy was it nice to put on my usual summer shorts (that after 15 years I'm sick off) and have them just about fall off me they were so big.

I used to work as a nurse which meant uniforms and at home clothes and church clothes. I don't miss it a bit. I want something new, I walk into my sewing room and make it.

**PrincessPerky** · 07-23-2008, 04:29 PM

well there is need and there is NEED. Really most of us only NEED a couple outfits, but....

I need at least 5 loose-ish shirts must be able to nurse in them. must be easy wash, and look decent after sitting in a laundry basket all week

I need two pair of pants, again easy wash, preferably ones that fit to make me feel fit

(see recent non frugal blog post) - actually I have often only had one pair.

I need two 'church' outfits, I am old school wear a skirt on girls collar shirt on boys kinda gal, I know God doesn't mind, but well tradition holds.

I also need a couple warm long shirts and sweaters for winter, plus the pjs and undergarments.

Now what I own, is another story, while not a clothes horse by any means, I have clothes up and down from 4 pregnancies, though not the good old jeans

Does my work impose clothing needs? yes, I have to be able to nurse in them relativly modestly (least when I leave the house) and be able to clean a bathroom, preferably a color that tends to hide spit up/food stains.

If I changed I doubt the kids would notice...husband might like it if I went in a direction....

hobbies well if you count getting pregnant......

replace or update wouldn't know how to update if I wanted to as to replace an item has to be totally immodest before I ditch it (and holes can be repaired...)

In general I dislike saving things for 'someday', but having been up and down the weight rollar coaster (pregnancy) I own at least one pair of jeans in all sizes 8-14 (now that I have these new pair!) for the 8 and maternity I own 3 pair

My husband owns more dress pants jeans and shirts than I AND one of my children do combined...

For kids BTW I buy to fill '3 of each' (pants, skirts, shorts, long sleeved shirts, short sleeved shirts) Though I prefer to own 5 of each. (about a bilion underware and socks though)

**zetta** · 07-24-2008, 02:50 PM

I prefer to have enough clothes that laundry is a biweekly occurance. (Although I actually wash them on separate days, there are 4 loads every other week -- whites, jeans/dark color, bright color/delicate, sheets -- and towels weekly.)

To pull this off, I need at least 15 pairs of underware, 10-12 cotton shirts for each season (short, 3/4, and long sleeve), and 3 pair each of shorts and jeans. My shirts get a lot of wear and spills, and most only get worn for a year.

I exercise twice a week and so like to have two sets -- sports bra, shorts, and tank top.

I work from home, but have a weekly meeting at the company office, where I feel I need to "dress up" by donning either a polo or button-front shirt and sometimes khaki pants. In order not to be seen in the same shirt every time, I end up buying 4-5 shirts per season.

I bought two suits that were on sale last Christmas, and don't know if I will ever wear them. I should've limited it to just one, but loved the fit too much to pass up the second. I then had to buy shirts in each season to go under the suits.

The hard part is that when infrequent events come up like going out to a dinner with another couple, I often feel like I have nothing to wear. My every day stuff is too casual, and the office stuff is too stuffy.

Every time there is a big event (wedding, company holiday party, etc.) I seem to end up buying a new dress to wear.

Don't even get me started on shoes...just to cover the basics I need loafers, flats, pumps, sandals, and dressy heels in black, brown, and cream or white, plus sneakers, teva's, hiking shoes, flip flops, and casual clogs...

**asmom** · 07-24-2008, 03:53 PM

Ever thought about how much clothing you need? All the time especially since I wear the same "uniform" all the time when I'm not working.

Does your work impose special needs in the way of clothes? We are supposed to dress in business attire. I'm new at my job and I have been checking the office culture very closely to see what would be tolerated and it appears to be very conservative. It's a burden because at my last job, we were rather casual so I've had to buy new clothes.

If you dressed differently for work, would you be scorned, or perhaps thought better of? Probably thought better of since right now I'm behind the curve a bit.

Do you have hobbies that necessitate different clothing than your everyday wear? No

Do you need to replace or update clothing frequently? Not necessarily, but I'm always battling my weight and 5 lbs one way or another does make a difference.

**patty jones** · 04-15-2012, 09:17 PM

My sister is Two months pregnant , can anyone suggest that how much clothing will be sufficient for her.

How much clothing do you need?