Clothing, Key Element of Your Lifestyle?

[Patrick Murtha]

Earlier today in another thread on another board I wrote:

I have always spent a very high percentage of my income on clothing -- although I've never been in the same financial bracket as many of the bankers and lawyers on the board, and therefore I'm not buying $2,000.00 suits. I've hit six figures occasionally, but not steadily, and of course when I was teaching I was very far from that range. I live in a very affordable smaller city; I rent rather than own; my car, a Mitsubishi Galant, is handsome and serviceable but nothing spectacular; I seldom take expensive vacations; I haven't a wife, a partner, or any children; and my cat makes low financial demands. Really, it all goes on clothing and books. I like the freedom of being answerable just to myself; there is no one around telling me "That's too many shoes!"

This got me wondering about how clothing fit into the lifestyles of others on this board. Is it one of your biggest budget items? Do you make trade-offs in other areas to have a better wardrobe? Do you have to justify your purchases to someone else who (horrors!) doesn't understand? Is clothing your major hobby, or at least in the top group?

 

[playbelle]

I'm kind of similar, I'm a teacher so I don't make much (it's one of the lowest-paid professions in my country, actually), but out of what I do make, after the daily and monthly necessities like rent, food and cat care, most of the money goes to clothes.

Luckily I don't have to answer to anyone about my purchases, but I am sometimes a bit embarrassed about having something new again so I try to downplay it ("Oh I've had it for ages!") or the price ("Thrifted! Barely 5 bucks!"). lol

 

[John in Covina]

Clothing Etcetera

I don't buy a lot of clothes but I do know that when it comes to getting what I want in clothes, I have to buy them myself. I have in the past received a lot of golf shirts and light jackets as gifts. Rarely are these gifts anything I would wear either to work or for a day out, they tend to be the clothes I will mow the lawn in and work around the yard or home.

I have never had a custom made suit or jacket but contend with selecting something off the rack and having the tailor get the fit right for me. In the future i will probably get something a step up but need to wait a bit for the finances to be right to make that part of the budget.

All in all I have a list of what I'd like to get clothing wise that if Dame Fortune were to smile on me, I'd add to my wardrobe.

 

[retrogirl1941]

My lifestyle(besides living as vintage as possible) is reenacting! And boy does that ever take alot of clothes at least for me. My husband who does WWII military, does'nt buy as many clothes as I do. My impressions I do almsot always require a new outfit(darn! ). So for me clothes do take up a good part of my income but, luckily for me I sew! I usaully only have to buy fabric and whatever accesories I need(usaully shoes).


Samantha