STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

kittenheels · Coach

How much do you spend on clothing each month?

gingembre1 · Kate Spade

I'm very bad, and have no budget.

I tend to spend between $150 and $250 a month on clothes, although this month I haven't spent a single cent on clothes! (I'm very proud of myself). I usually have a general idea of pieces I would like to get each season, but not a list that I stick to.

AllieGurl · Marc Jacobs

I am REALLY bad. I Spend at minimum - $700 a month. Sometimes its as high as $2,000. Last year my amex bill said I spent $34,000 just on clothes.

I just like shopping way to much I guess :)

luckylily · Gucci

How do you budget for each season or each month?

I break the year into two seasons: fall/winter and spring/summer. For each season I budget $1k - $1,500.

Do you pick a bunch of pieces for each season and limit yourself to just them?

This kind of gets to why I have a range. I try to limit my specific pieces to $1k each season, then I have the extra $500 for other stuff I like throughout the season. Sometimes I don't even spend the whole extra $500 - like in 2005 I hated the whole boho thing, so I didn't buy much extra that year.

Do you set aside a certain amount of money for each month?

Not specifically. Some months I spend more, some months less. On the months when I spend more on clothes, I definitely find myself cutting back in other areas (going to rock shows, eating out, knitting stuff, etc.)

This is how I envision things anyway. Reality is that I allow myself a lot of flexibility in my budget, as long as the bills are getting paid and I'm also saving every month.

twinkle · Coach

i don't budget but do try to keep it around $1000 a month.

Lilykind · Hermes

I'm becoming a lot more frugal lately, mostly because I'm hating my body right now.

I would say anywhere between $200 - $750. It depends on whether I buy any big-ticket items or if it's all supplemental accessories.

jacks435 · Kenneth Cole

It depends. Some months I'll go a little crazy, but I always make up for it by holding back in other months. But I probably average around $150-200 a month -- that's including accessories, bags, etc. I'm trying to cut back, but it's so hard. Buying one nice pair of pants or a bag can blow the whole month's budget (then I just force myself to not go in stores until next month).

This month doesn't count because I bought two gorgeous winter coats, so my budget was gone on like one sleeve :)

sephorablue · Marc Jacobs

I am never organized enough to stick to a monthly budget, but if I had to guess I'd say I probably spend about $3000 a year on clothes... I guess I'll know in December when I have a year's worth of data in my Quicken.

What's really more alarming is the rate at which my spending has accelerated in the past couple years. As recently as three years ago I was spending only a little over $1000 a year on clothes... this year I may well end up spending four times that.

Cortney1982 · Chanel

I really don't know. And it varies too. Some months I buy a lot and somtimes hardly anything, I have gone a month without purchasing clothes.

So I just buy what I need or something I really want that is in my price limit.

Kitty · Hermes

I don't budget. I tried it one month and it was very hellish keeping track of everything.

cahabo · Kate Spade

Cortney1982 wrote:

I really don't know. And it varies too. Some months I buy a lot and somtimes hardly anything, I have gone a month without purchasing clothes.

So I just buy what I need or something I really want that is in my price limit.

Same here.

TheLovelyLady71 · Hermes

Well, I'd say about $400-$500.00, and it also depends on the time of year. I go crazy in the Spring/Summer, and might buy a few pieces in Fall/Winter. So yeah - it varies also.

shopaholic · Dooney & Bourke

Im really bad...I usually spend about $1000, I usually try to keep it below that but sometimes I make it and other times I dont.

kittenheels · Coach

I should answer my own poll...approximately 200-300 per month. Some months are bigger (there was a month last year when I bought two new suits...but I really try to keep it along those lines). I'm trying to buy slowly and think about my purchases to only buy stuff that I love.

Elle · Hermes

Maybe $50-$75 a month?

I don't really have a budget, so I basically buy as little as is reasonable and operate on gift cards alot - my birthday and Christmas fall at opposite times of the year, and I usually get a larger (~ $150?) GC for each of those that supplements me pretty well almost until the next occasion comes around.

halah · Kenneth Cole

I don't budget but clothing is the last thing I spend on so before I shop I make sure all the bills are paid I also have money taken out automatically for my retirement, my savings account, and my stock purchase plan so whatever is leftover after paying the bills can go towards clothes or fun. If I know I'm taking a vacation or buying something big I'll cut back.

kenzie · Chanel

halah wrote:

I don't budget but clothing is the last thing I spend on so before I shop I make sure all the bills are paid I also have money taken out automatically for my retirement, my savings account, and my stock purchase plan so whatever is leftover after paying the bills can go towards clothes or fun. If I know I'm taking a vacation or buying something big I'll cut back.

This is what I do as well. Basically, whatever's leftover after bills, savings, etc is what I get to use for clothing and entertainment. And this varies b/c I get bonuses of different amounts on almost every paycheck. Sometimes, I have several hundred dollars of extra cash, other times it's only around $100.

Alot of times, I'll save more with the bonus money, rather than spend it on clothes, depending on the time of year. But right now, I'm trying to stock up on some fall clothing, so this month, extra money will go to that.