Clothing budget

Bargain_Rzl

Wow, heroicnich, that La Redoute sale site has some terrific things at great prices! Can you tell me whether the sizing from L.R. tends to be on the large, small, or average side? (I take a size 14 in most things but am basically a size 14-16 bust and hips with size 12-14 waist and shoulders, so for a dress or a coat it has to be a generous 14 without the shoulders being too broad IYSWIM.)

heroicnich

Glad to be of use. Thinking about what I've bought from there, I would say that the tops are average size, but that it might be wise to allow a bit spare for trousers if you're pear shaped (like me)! When I've bought dresses (i.e. something that needs to be both together) I go for my normal size - so I would imagine that the same applies for coats. Hope this helps!

Wendrie

The way I was taught to cut down on things I needed to look good in the office when I worked in an office and had to (now that my office and bedroom are the same place my dress code is much less formal ) was to pull everything out of my wardrobe and try stuff on. You might need a day - and a good friend who's taste you trust is great here

Everything gets tried on to make sure it fits, doesn't need mending etc. but then mix and match - cross dress and try on stuff that wasn't expected to "go" together. I used to have a wander through magazines in our lunch room and any outfits I liked I'd rip out (the mags were headed for the bin) and stick in a file, these were used to give me ideas. Other people's recycle bins are another terribly frugal ways to acquire them - our neighbour started handing them to me after my asking several months on the trot.

As your trying on all the stuff you own - make notes - grey suit jacket goes well with black suit skirt, flowery shirt actually looks nice with grey suit. If you think "oh, that would go, but its needs a blue scarf and I've only got green" write that down too. You should end up with a list of new outfits - and another list of things to look out for (light scarves with stains in a charity shop often come up beautifully when bleached and then dyed) when you go shopping.

If you maintain your notebook then as you go shopping you should be able to fit new outfits in to your wardrobe quite easily and cheaply. If your inspired you can add swatches cut from hems - I never did but knew people who did. One friend had been taught by her mother that you should have four colour ways in your wardrobe plus black - one for each season. I'm not sure you have to be so formal but if you know your spring coat is pink and coffee and your winter coat is black, whilst in summer you're likely to live in your pale blue summer suit, and base your other clothes around that it does make mixing and matching so much easier!

Good luck

Lucie_2

Bargain_Rzl wrote:

Save on shoe repairs (and possibly also on the purchase of new shoes) by wearing trainers to travel to and from work and only changing into slim heels when I get there.

Ah. That was going to be my tip but you've already thought of it.

On the bra front - I've taken to buying skintone coloured ones, as white never stays that way for long & makes you think it's past it's best probably before you really need to replace it. You can still wear them under a white top without it showing through.

Penny-Pincher!!

Hi Hun

Have you tried any of the local Jumble Sales? There a few about ATM and have picked up some great items for between 5p-£1:eek: Per Una items, Next, Monsoon and loads of designer gear but mainly good quality shirts and trousers. Most items are old tat but you can get a few gems there.

Failing that, I know what makes and models I like...LOL so once every few weeks have alook on ebay and can grab some great bargains on there. Also Bootsales..last year I bought a trouser suit from Monsoon for £1 and was brand new. Also BN in box Dolci Boots 50p. Fitted shirts and skirts £1 etc.

For your boobs:rotfl: again if you know the size and make you like or find most suited...try on ebay. Im quite fussy with me boob holsters and like Triumph and Gossard bras...picked up 2 BNWT for £7 inc postage:D they would be over £25 in the shops.

When I was working I used to have 3 good quality suits, trousers, skirt plain, several shirts/blouses and a couple of good quality fitted jackets. I think I could have managed on less and wasnt savvy back then with money, but if I had to buy a wardrobe again for work I would test my methods above first and see how i got on. I also had good Boots and shoes.

The pop sock things are fab under trousers and in Primarks £1 for 6 pairs.

I dont know what size you are but I have a dark Trouser suit here thats too big for me-think its a 12 and is top designer one....would be glad to give it to a good home!

PP
xx

Jay-Jay_4

Bluddy 'eck! By the sounds of things I need to 'up' my clothes budget.

The last thing I bought was a pair of jodhpurs from ebay for four quid, that was about three months ago. Before that it must've been my holiday/honeymoon clothes last August for which I had a budget of £50 to buy enough clothes for a fortnight.

I don't know about other Mums but I have to put the kids clothes, food, bills, petrol, pets, household stuff first and clothes is absolutely last on the agenda and then only if I really really need something for a specific occasion. In fact, I can't imagine having a specific amount each month just to spend on clothes, it would seem like buying for the sake of buying.

I do understand that good coats, shoes and underwear have to be bought but surely not all the time?

FZwanab

Here is the complete tightwad gazette solution. You need 2 jackets, 3 tops and 4 bottoms either trousers or skirts. Then you use the following combinations:
e.g. 111 = 1st jacket with 1st top and 1st bottoms, 112 = 1st Jacket, 1st top with 2nd bottoms.
111, 112, 113, 114, 121,122,123,124,131,132,133,134,211,212,213,214,221,222,223,224,231,232,233,234. This is one way of getting a month's worth of different business outfits at minimal cost. Make sure jackets and bottoms coordinate. This is easier if you choose solid colours and limit the number of patterns. The lady in question has a black jacket and a black and white checked jacket that match various shirts and trousers. The tops are blouses, sweaters, shirts and t shirts. This method uses 24 different combinations. I hope this helps you if I didn't confuse you with all the numbers.

Smashing_Blouse

Matalan do Mmachine washable trouser/skirt suits for £40

muddled_midget

I can sympathize on the bra front, I'm a FF and find them so expensive, but I only buy them in the M&S sales, in January and July, where their bras are £12 each, and sometimes the DD-G are priced up wrongly, is the same price as the smaller ones so £5 each. In January I got 3 bras and 6 pairs of knickers for £27, which should keep me going for quite a while. Unfortunately it's not the seam free ones, but I also have a stock of plain white vest tops that I can wear if my underwear doesn't go with the clothes I'm wearing, ie black bra and white shirt.
Other than that my staples are a dark grey suit, with a variety of different coloured v-neck t-shirts to wear underneath, not quite as smart as a shirt, but much easier to iron! And all my shoes come from Primark or Asda, with trainers to drive into work.

nabowla

I wish I could find bra bargains Trouble is that there just don't seem to be many bras about in a 30G - and no, I'm not joking about my size! Then there's the fact that I have size 12 shoulders and size 18 hips.......it's an absolute nightmare trying to buy clothes. I wouldn't dare to buy anything on Ebay because it's 95% certain that it wouldn't fit. The only things that seem to fit me are expensive clothes. My friends used to think I was just a clothes snob until I went shopping with them one day and actually let them see me in a couple of outfits from Next and TopShop. Not a pretty sight. One of them just looked at me and said "I never believed you before, but I do now!"

Anyway, whinge over. That's not the reason for posting! What I suggest you do is completely reorganise your wardrobe, either into seasons or into colour groups (hanging all the black stuff in one spot, pink stuff in another). It forces you to look at what you've got with a fresh pair of eyes. Then, make a list of the contents and think carefully about any gaps that you might have. Make a list of needs (not wants!) and carry it with you at all times. Only allow yourself to buy stuff in the sales that's on the Need List.

Right, I'm off now to do the same thing to my wardrobe