Clothing and Grooming Costs

Iblamethebeer · November 2014

I always feel like the office schlub when I'm at work, but have trouble getting myself to spend time and money on clothes.

So I'm curious, for those of you who work in an office or other professional environment:

1) how much do you spend on your clothes, as a percentage of your income?

2) how much do you spend on other grooming-related costs (e.g. hair/skin care, dry cleaning, tailoring), as a percentage of your income?

3) do you spend equally on "work" and "non-work" clothing?

4) on a scale of 1-10, how much do you think it matters how put together you look?

potbellypig · November 2014

1) I maybe spend $50 a month on average?? I'm probably underestimating... I splurge twice a year on a few things I really need for the new season, and I go to the thrift store a lot because I like to have lots of clothes but refuse to pay full price unless it's underwear or something I really need.

2) Every few months I get my hair done, which is about $150. Every 4 weeks I get an extraction facial for $80 (I have cystic rosacea, so in my opinion this isn't a negotiable luxury). Last summer I got pedis for $40 every two weeks, and I use to get a Brazilian wax every 4-6 weeks for $50, I don't dry clean things because it's not available in town. I don't wear anything but eye makeup thanks to those facials, so that cost is $0.

3) I buy stuff that can be worn both for work and non-work. I dress a little fancier than most people in the town I live, but it's not so fancy that I can't wear it on the weekend (think leggings and a tunic with boots and a long necklace).

4) For me, 10. I like to look good, it makes me feel good. I like to feel put together, it doesn't have to be expensive (hence the thrifting) but I need to feel confident about it.

I find Pinterest a great resource for ideas for using pieces in my wardrobe that I'm too clueless to figure out on my own. Also, the blogs "outfit posts" and "putting me together" are great.

djm31012 · November 2014

Tough to say how much I spend because it differs season to season. If there is something I really want/need, I will spend on it. But I will also go months without shopping. If I think about just clothes/shoes/accessories, I probably spend $5k a year.

I get my hair cut every 3-4 mos...its $62 for a cut and then I tip her 10-15 depending what I have on me! I have just started to do a glaze in my hair which is another $100..should go every 6 weeks but I push it to 8/9 weeks. Now that I am pregnant I wont be doing it anymore so that expense is out. I get pedicures every 3 weeks which is $25 plus tip and I do my own nails weekly unless I have an event like a wedding or something to go to then I get them done.

My clothes sort of overlap. I cant wear jeans to work so I do a lot of dresses and skirts. But most of my tops/sweaters/cardigans can be worn to work and on the weekend with jeans. I try to make them go both ways.

To me .. a 10. Looking good makes you feel good and that makes you more productive. Also looks are your resume cover letter. Like it or not, thats the first impression that people get of you, your appearance. I never leave the house without make up, even if its just concealer and bronzer. Even on maternity leave, I showered every day and if we were ever going out..also did my hair and put on at a minimum concealer and bronzer. It just makes me feel better.

mae0111 · November 2014

1) how much do you spend on your clothes, as a percentage of your income? Not sure, but I put aside $60/paycheck (every other week) toward clothes for DH and I. I really don't love clothes shopping (and HATE shoe shopping), so I tend to do a few shopping trips per year. I shop at Talbots for work, or try to buy better names on clearance, and trend more toward classic pieces that will last. Today, I'm wearing a faux wrap dress (black and white leopard print, so not exactly classic) that I bought 4 years ago for $50 (marked down from $350 - tahari).

2) how much do you spend on other grooming-related costs (e.g. hair/skin care, dry cleaning, tailoring), as a percentage of your income? $125 plus tip every 6-8 weeks. Partial foil, but my hair is lighter, so I can get away with greys poking through a bit longer. Brow wax every few months to reshape for $20, and I pluck in between. No manis/pedis, more because I'm terrified after my sister got an awful staph infection at one of the "nicer" places in our town.
ETA: Forgot about makeup, drycleaning, etc. I wear drugstore stuff - Almay eye makeup. I do buy Prescriptives foundation - it's the only thing that doesn't wreck my skin - but I don't wear it every day.
Drycleaning - maybe $75 per quarter? I wash most of my "dry clean only" stuff, and only send a few pieces out after 2-3 wears each.

3) do you spend equally on "work" and "non-work" clothing? No. I go to Kohls and Old Navy for hanging around stuff. For "going out", I have 1-2 nice outfits per season (don't get out much), or I can repurpose a lot of my work stuff.

4) on a scale of 1-10, how much do you think it matters how put together you look? In my workplace, at my level, 9-10. I want to shake some of the younger women that look like they just rolled in from the club, the yacht club, or the gym. My mom always told me to dress for the job you want, not the job you have. In my industry and my company, this is very true, for men and women.

Helenahhandbasket · November 2014

1. I am not sure percentage wise, but I am a shopper. I probably spend more than I should, but I don't ever pay retail, for anything. Since I work in fashion, I like to say that my clothes/shoes shopping habbit is research and development- haha.

2. This is where I probably save a ton. I color my hair myself at home. I keep my hair long and don't frequently change the style (it's just side swept bangs and long layers) so I get a trim maybe every 3 months. I buy my skincare prducts from the drugstore (I am an Olay fan). I also purchase most of my makeup from the drugstore, with the exception of my blush (I use Tarte) and my fragrance (Chloe). I maybe spend 30.00 a month on dry cleaning- as I purposely look for clothing made out of fabrics that I can launder at home.

3. Lately, I have been spending equally on work and play clothes. I don't have a dress code at work, but I probably dress a notch or two above many of the ladies I work with (formality wise). I am recently single though, so I have been spending more on outfits that I can wear on dates-- so jeans, dressy/ sexy tops etc.

4. This has always been a 10 for me, right or wrong.

emberlee3 · November 2014

I spend $50-100 per month on clothes. I have been updating my wardrobe this year, trying to replace worn out stuff with higher quality pieces. I plan to spend less in 2015.

Grooming: $150 every 8 weeks for haircut and highlights. I don't wear much makeup, so virtually nothing is spent there.

I spend more money on work clothes.

On work days, I try to look put together, so maybe an 8. On non-work days, more like a 6.

Tink112011 · November 2014

1) how much do you spend on your clothes, as a percentage of your income?

I put aside $100 every month into my own personal checking account. I use that for clothes and shoes. I guess that's about 3% of my own gross income, or about 9% of my net income after taxes.

2) how much do you spend on other grooming-related costs (e.g. hair/skin care, dry cleaning, tailoring), as a percentage of your income?

My hair is pretty low-maintenance. It is long and I don't color it, and I go about 3 months between trims. I do splurge on nice shampoo/conditioner and I also buy high quality make-up and face products. I probably spend about $500 a year on hair products, skin products, and make-up.

3) do you spend equally on "work" and "non-work" clothing?

I don't spend much on non-work clothing. The bulk of my spending goes for work clothes, and I can use more casual pieces (sweaters) to wear with jeans on the weekends.

4) on a scale of 1-10, how much do you think it matters how put together you look?

10. Like it or not, your appearance influences how people perceive you.

MickeyM04 · November 2014

1) how much do you spend on your clothes, as a percentage of your income?

It's hard to say...I usually buy stuff for myself in phases. For example, I just pulled out all my fall/winter stuff and realized a lot of it was old/doesn't fit me right (I was trying to hide pregnancies or lose baby weight the last three seasons), so in the last couple months, I bought three new tops for a total of about $45. I need a new pair of winter friendly work dress shoes and that will probably be my last purchase until spring/summer when I'll probably buy a few new tops. It's hard to say as a percent of income, but I would guess I spend maybe $200 per year on myself when it comes to work clothes, and maybe $50 per year on non-work clothes. So $250 per year total.

2) how much do you spend on other grooming-related costs (e.g. hair/skin care, dry cleaning, tailoring), as a percentage of your income? I get my hair cut about twice a year for a total of about $100. I spend probably $150 per year on face wash/lotion/make-up/hair products. Our dry cleaning bills are ridiculous. I'm an attorney so I wear a lot of suits/dress clothes, so that's probably $40 per week or about $2000 per year (SICK).

3) do you spend equally on "work" and "non-work" clothing? Absolutely not. See #1.

4) on a scale of 1-10, how much do you think it matters how put together you look? In my line of work, probably an 8-9. Can't exactly go to court looking like a schlub. But on the weekend I live in yoga pants and t-shirts or thermal tees.

sugarbear0524 · November 2014

1) how much do you spend on your clothes, as a percentage of your income?

Not much...I usually get new clothes for Christmas and my birthday, with a few other things thrown in. I dress in a pretty classic style, with a few trendy things to update. My office is business casual, so I usually wear a sweater and pants or a skirt. On Fridays/weekends, I wear jeans and a sweater.

2) how much do you spend on other grooming-related costs (e.g. hair/skin care, dry cleaning, tailoring), as a percentage of your income?

Again, not that much. I spend about $45 on a haircut once/month (I have short hair). I dye it myself. I do my own nails, with an occasional pedicure when my mom or MIL treat me. I get my eyebrows waxed about every 8 weeks, and I maintain them in between. I wear drugstore makeup and cut coupons for it. I'm blessed with good skin so I don't spend much at all on that.

3) do you spend equally on "work" and "non-work" clothing?

About the same since my office is pretty casual.

4) on a scale of 1-10, how much do you think it matters how put together you look?

It matters about a 7 for me. I like to look nice, but it's not the most important thing to me.

MommaP12 · November 2014

Iblamethebeer said:

I always feel like the office schlub when I'm at work, but have trouble getting myself to spend time and money on clothes.

So I'm curious, for those of you who work in an office or other professional environment:

1) how much do you spend on your clothes, as a percentage of your income?
2) how much do you spend on other grooming-related costs (e.g. hair/skin care, dry cleaning, tailoring), as a percentage of your income?
3) do you spend equally on "work" and "non-work" clothing?
4) on a scale of 1-10, how much do you think it matters how put together you look?

1. I spend only about $50/month on average on clothing for myself, if that. This doesn't include "necessities" like a new winter coat - but I only buy that like once every 2 years.

2. I only get pedicures every 2 weeks in the summer. 1x/month or less in the winter. Brazillian every 5 weeks. Cut my hair only 3x a year since it's long and wavy I can get away with it. I spend about $100 a year on make up and nail polish. I tweeze my own brows and do my own nails (but with quality stuff like OPI, CND Stickey base). I get a manicure maybe once every 2 months.

3.My clothes are one pool since I work in casual ad agency type environments thankfully. I do have dressier clothes that are older/classic for client meetings and such, but I rarely buy that type of clothing.

4. It's a 10 for me to look good, but I do it on the cheap. I do my own nails about every Sunday night, make sure my brows are good and I wear make up and accessories every day. I feel better this way. On the weekends if we're just running around I'm in leggings and little to no make up.

QueSrah · November 2014

1) how much do you spend on your clothes, as a percentage of your income? Well under 1%, except for the past year (I lost a ton of weight and I'm slowly replacing almost my entire wardrobe).

2) how much do you spend on other grooming-related costs (e.g. hair/skin care, dry cleaning, tailoring), as a percentage of your income? Also probably under 1%. A few pedicures per year, maybe 5 haircuts, and very rare tailoring or dry cleaning. (For dry clean only clothes, I tend to get the stuff like dryer sheets you can get at the grocery store to "dry clean" in your clothes dryer.)

3) do you spend equally on "work" and "non-work" clothing? For the most part, I spend more on work clothes, both because business attire tends to cost more than casual weekend wear, and because I spend most of my time at work so I'd rather spend my money on clothes for the office.

4) on a scale of 1-10, how much do you think it matters how put together you look? 9

amieeyoung · November 2014

Hmm overall I am a laid back person, and tend to go more natural than not... Also I just can't see spending much money on myself.

I only buy new clothes when I need to or see a great sale- so maybe 20.00 a month once it is averaged out.

I don't do mani/pedi/eyebrow waxing/professional hair dye- I do these things myself. I have actually stopped dying my hair and it has become more healthy and manageable. I get my hair cute maybe 2-3 times a year. I buy drugstore make-up and only wear it sometimes. I wear foundation only for very important occasions- I have very sensitive skin- and eye makeup sometimes

I definitely spend more for work clothes than casual b/c work 5 days a week so need more clothes.

I'd say 6 or 7- Looks are important, but I also think it's ok to be your natural self- I dress business casual I suppose, work pants or skirts and dresses but not suits, hardly wear make-up, do low maintenance hair. What is important at work is that I get my job done, not what I look like.

DiveFrog · November 2014

1) how much do you spend on your clothes, as a percentage of your income?

Probably around 1% of my gross income. This would be the amount I spend on just clothing for myself. As a family we probably spend about 1.5% of our total household gross income

2) how much do you spend on other grooming-related costs (e.g. hair/skin care, dry cleaning, tailoring), as a percentage of your income? Barely anything. I cut my own hair. I haven't had it professionally cut for about 6yrs now, and due to it's extremely fine and thin nature I embraced hair pieces and wigs about 10 years ago. I spend maybe $50 on "new hair" each year. I only wear make-up on special occasions and when DH & I go out. I get a facial maybe 2-4 times a year.

3) do you spend equally on "work" and "non-work" clothing? I try and make them one and the same. My engineering job is definitely work casual and jeans are standard unless we are attending very important meetings. Recently, I have been spending the majority of my time on the factory floor so jeans, and a nice top or sweater is my uniform everyday of the week. No jewelry is allowed around equipment so I don't need to accessorize either.

4) on a scale of 1-10, how much do you think it matters how put together you look? Around an 8. However, put together doesn't necessarily mean more formal, IMO. I aim to look age and location appropriate, that my clothes and shoes don't look too worn, that everything fits properly (Not too big or small, short or long), That the clothes have a flattering cut for my body style. That they are clean and pressed/not wrinkled. On a personal level, I like to look nice and have a clean look, but it definitely doesn't need to be the latest trend, or new clothes every season. I replace something when it is worn out a lot more then buy something new because it is trendy, or I really "like" it.

2chatter · November 2014

It probably averages to $50-100/month. DH spends more on my clothes; he randomly picks things up (and is WAY better at it than I am, but he also does not even look at price tags). I buy most at a local resale and score Loft sweaters new with tags for $8, etc.

I infrequently get hair cuts at the $15 place. I got a Brazilian blowout last year and really want to spend the $100 every three months to keep that up. It is more

I work from home but dress business casual as I feel more productive. Today is a blouse, cardigan, jeans and boots.

10 - I wore leggings with a tshirt to pick up DD yesterday and felt naked. When I dress like a slacker I am way less motivated and authoritative.

Sept07b2b · November 2014

Wow! I'm so impressed with how many working mothers can get away with spending so little on new clothes! I fully acknowledge I absolutely love shopping, and I have a tendency to shop online quite a bit and return things if they don't work out (easier to try things on at home than wrangle two little ones), so I think I shop more often as a result. I probably spend a couple hundred dollars per month on clothes and shoes ~ $5000 per year or so.

Make-up seems to last me a long time. I just replaced almost all my make-up for $200, but last time I bought any make-up was 2 years ago, so I probably spend about $100/year on make-up. I get an occasional facial, but only get a haircut twice a year. I use drug store lotion, etc.

I definitely spend more on work clothes than casual clothes. I work in a business formal environment, so I have to wear suits. At home, I wear mostly Gap/Old Navy jeans, sweaters, shorts, sundresses, etc.

9-10. I absolutely LOVE feeling good about how I look. If I feel like I look put together, I have significantly more confidence, which I think is an overall benefit.

kmh2201 · November 2014

1) how much do you spend on your clothes, as a percentage of your income? I spend around $100 per month; that's less than 5% of my take-home pay.

2) how much do you spend on other grooming-related costs (e.g. hair/skin care, dry cleaning, tailoring), as a percentage of your income? I spend about $70 every 2 months for a hair cut and high/low lights; one of my friends cuts hair and has a salon in her home, so it's a lot cheaper than going to an actual salon. I do my own nails and I rarely have clothes dry-cleaned, but I would say I spend $30-$50 every 3 months or so on dry cleaning (usually just my blazers and DH's sport coats; we only wear these to work occasionally).

3) do you spend equally on "work" and "non-work" clothing? Most of the clothes I buy can do double-duty as work and non-work clothes so that I don't have two distinct wardrobes.

4) on a scale of 1-10, how much do you think it matters how put together you look? I would say an 8. I want to wear a current/stylish outfit, but I don't usually plan an outfit down to the accessories. I feel that people will be more apt to respect me if I look polished and presentable.

skibunny59 · November 2014

I can totally relate. I also feel like a schlub most days. I used to love shopping for clothes and spending money on stuff but now I don't want to spend the money or take the time to go shopping. Honestly, I would much rather spend money on going out for a nice dinner with DH or taking a fun weekend trip somewhere. Also, we are kind of on a budget now since once baby #2 comes, I am staying home for 9 months so I couldn't spend money on clothes even if I wanted to.

Anyway I spend less than $50 a month on clothes. I don't buy myself something every month and if I do it's cheap and from Marshall's or TJMaxx.

For hair, it's $35 for a haircut and I do that about once every 5 or 6 months or if it's just gotten too long and it's driving me crazy. I don't dye my hair yet but I am starting to see some grays so I may have to start.

Honestly, if looking good were much cheaper and much less work I would care more about it. Also, it helps that the school I teach at now is more on the casual side so I feel like I fit in with what everyone else is wearing.

umma4babes · November 2014

1) how much do you spend on your clothes, as a percentage of your income?
Not sure about percentage, but I would say $100-300/month on average. There are months I go without shopping, then spend $500.

2) how much do you spend on other grooming-related costs (e.g. hair/skin care, dry cleaning, tailoring), as a percentage of your income?
I spend very little on my hair. I haven't found any place that really makes me happy, so I just do a box dye every 3-6 months for roots. I have dark brown hair, and go a shade or two lighter at most so very little room for error. I mainly do it for vibrancy bc my hair color is very flat. My hair is pretty long and smooth so I can go 6+ months without a cut. I've had short hair before and it def cost more money maintaining it. Skin care cost is interesting - My mom buys them for me when she's out shopping or gives me things she tried once and didn't like. I have lots of Chanel and La Mer products which I could never afford on my own. I have lots of makeup from her too. The only thing I buy for myself is marc jacobs eyeliner ($25) once every few months.

3) do you spend equally on "work" and "non-work" clothing?
I would say 50/50. Some of my non work clothes can be dressed up for work.
4)on a scale of 1-10, how much do you think it matters how put together you look?
10. It really makes a huge difference in my mood.

Helenahhandbasket · November 2014

Wait.

Some people don't like shopping?

Helenahhandbasket · November 2014

ClaryPax said:

Helenahhandbasket said:

Wait.

Some people don't like shopping?
Its a very common misconception/ stereotype that all women love to shop. And all men are dragged to the stores to sit in the chairs and count down the minutes until the woman is done shopping. Dh likes to shop, I don't. He got me a personal shopper one year for Christmas 3 years ago. She knew I hated shopping and knew everything I needed. She went to the stores picked everything out, and all I had to do was try them on. She gave me style and fit advice. I procrastinated on it for almost a year because I thought she would be mean like on What Not To Wear and make fun of my clothes. She was really nice, and said lots of people including women don't like to shop and that actually makes up the majority of her clientele.

No I realize. I was sort of kidding. Whenever I hear this though my brain just shuts off.

MommyAtty · November 2014

I used to be extremely frugal about buying clothes. At this point in my life, though, and in the company where I work, appearance is a huge deal. Huge. I cannot over-state its importance. To make matters worse, we are in a business casual environment that is overwhelmingly male, and these guys judge women harshly based on style, and appearing schlubby or unkempt absolutely will limit your career. Unfortunately, I don't just generally have a naturally great eye for fashion.

I used to wear a suit every day, because that seemed safe and above reproach. Then I was told my wardrobe was too formal and appeared stiff, so suits were out. I now use a personal shopping-like service where I visit the boutique with an appointment and they have all the outfits including accessories (except shoes) ready for me. After I had DS 6 months ago, when my weight had pretty well stabilized, I went to see them. I bought a season's worth of work and casual clothes including everything from dresses and dress pants to really nice designer jeans, for about $2500, which is just under 1% of our gross income. Normally I wouldn't need to spend that much, but my body just completely changed after having this baby. I needed someone to help me figure out how to dress my new body. And all my shopping was done in one slightly extended lunch hour. (Maybe 2 hours total.). It's totally worth it to me to save time and look good.

Iblamethebeer · November 2014

For all the ladies who don't spend much but ranked looking good as being really important -- do you spend a lot of time shopping for deals, or do you just feel like you have a really good base wardrobe so you don't have to add a lot to keep it up to date?

And do you have an occasional year when you blow the budget replacing staples that are looking worn, or do you really find that $50/month covers it?

Because I feel like 50/month = 600/year = 1 pair of work heels, 2 new sweaters, 1 suit, and maybe a bra and a couple pairs of panty hose.... all on sale.

justjinny · November 2014

I'd say that I would rank looking good as somewhat important. I go in and out of funks where I care a lot about my clothes and then don't care much for weeks at a time. I always wear make up, even on the weekends, but since I use Bare Minerals a little goes a long way throughout the year. I've been known to go almost a year without a hair cut when I'm growing it out for a new style

I probably spend in the $600-900 range on clothes throughout a year, and that would include replacing a 2-3 staple items like a new coat, boots, or work pants. I always shop first at thrift stores, then move to search sales racks at new clothes stores. Usually anything over $35 is a purchase that I'm going to really consider if it's a staple I can mix with a bunch of stuff in my closet or if it's something I'm replacing and know I'll use a bunch. Buying something that's not on sale is a splurge for me, and I'm not talking about anything high-end either. And if I'm buying something brand new, it needs to already fit me without taking it for tailoring.

I work in an office that's casual and can usually wear jeans as long as I'm not meeting with clients or doing some sort of a presentation. I can get away with one nice suit and a handful of nice dresses to cover the amount of formal business wear I need in a year. I definitely spent more on clothes when I worked in offices with more formal dress codes.

mae0111 · November 2014

Iblamethebeer said:

For all the ladies who don't spend much but ranked looking good as being really important -- do you spend a lot of time shopping for deals, or do you just feel like you have a really good base wardrobe so you don't have to add a lot to keep it up to date?

I don't spend a ton, and I do look for sales. I have a solid base wardrobe, My mom looooooves to shop, so I used to put her on the job. She would go to the original Filene's Basement and find fabulous deals. Examples - she found me a suit that retailed for $450 marked down to $75, then through Automatic Markdown (It had been on the rack for 3 weeks, so it got marked down again) I got it for $37.50. I took care of it, work it weekly when in season, and it lasted me for probably 4 years.

My ILs give me Talbots gift cards for birthdays and christmas, and I hoard them until I need things. There is an outlet near me that isn't Outlet-made clothes, but rather overflow from the retail stores and samples. I'm a sample size. Tops are $10, pants/skirts are $15, dresses are $29. I just keep my eye on sales, use coupons and GC's, and I can stretch it. Over the summer, I needed a ton of stuff after taking off most baby weight, but not all, and things shifted making my clothes look frumpy. I got 5 dresses, 4 cardigans, and 2 tops for $350 shopping sales and using coupons.

Helenahhandbasket · November 2014

Iblamethebeer said:

For all the ladies who don't spend much but ranked looking good as being really important -- do you spend a lot of time shopping for deals, or do you just feel like you have a really good base wardrobe so you don't have to add a lot to keep it up to date?

And do you have an occasional year when you blow the budget replacing staples that are looking worn, or do you really find that $50/month covers it?

Because I feel like 50/month = 600/year = 1 pair of work heels, 2 new sweaters, 1 suit, and maybe a bra and a couple pairs of panty hose.... all on sale.

I spend a decent amount of time shopping for bargins, but I do have a pretty good base wardrobe as well. I shop a lot online, have things shipped to me, try on at my leisure (usually when DD is asleep) and then just return what doesn't work. I make mental notes of how different brands fit me so that my next shopping venture might be more sucessful, and less time is wasted (returning).

I also have sort of learned that if you wait a bit, most things (in lots of the specialty stores - so Ann Taylor, The Limited) will eventually go on sale. Coupled with coupons (which you can have emailed to you if you sign up for it) you can buy a lot for a little.

You can also get great deals shopping huge end of season sales. Since the fashion industry operates on a slightly different schedule, there are usually huge markdowns mid season. If you shop then, you can still get a bit of wear out of the items, then put them away for next year. For example, most summer stuff goes on sale mid July to make room for fall, and boots are starting to get marked down now-- before most of the country has seen super cold weather.

Shop off price stores as well-- you can get a lot of current clothing, shoes and accesories for literally a fraction of what you would pay at retail-- you just have to have the time/ patience to look through crowded racks. So that type of shopping I would say maybe save for an afternoon when you have a sitter.

I am sure I spend more than 50.00 per month on clothes, average, but I do stick to my guns about absolutley never paying retail. For anything. Even if you are desperately in need of an item (say, a winter coat) shop a large department store. Many of them regulalry hand out 15-20% off coupons (sometimes more if you have a CC to that store) OR they will give you a price adjustment if the item you purchased goes on sale withing 14 days of you purchasing it.

Whew-- that got long. And now I think my crazy is showing, but I hope this helps!

vvvvvfee · November 2014

1) how much do you spend on your clothes, as a percentage of your income? not a lot- maybe $50 a month on average? i shop pretty much exclusively at tj maxx and marshall's. i work at a non-profit and the unofficial dress code is pretty casual. i did have to spend a lot more than when i was pregnant on maternity clothes, but i plan on reusing all of it for any future pregnancies.

2) how much do you spend on other grooming-related costs (e.g. hair/skin care, dry cleaning, tailoring), as a percentage of your income? also not a lot. maybe $20 a month? i buy shampoo/conditioner/lotion/toner regularly/razor blades at either trader joe's, costco, the grocery store, or occasionally whole foods. i only rarely wear make-up. i do my own nails. i buy a couple of bottles of nail polish per year, and maybe one or two bottles of hair styling product per year. i trim my hair at home and don't color it. i spend maybe $25 a year on dry-cleaning- just for my wool winter coat. anything else that's dry-clean only i hand wash or wash in a mesh bag in cold water in the washing machine. my mom does my tailoring for me.

she shortens a couple of pairs of my pants per year.

3) do you spend equally on "work" and "non-work" clothing? i spend more on stuff for work, since i work f/t and that's what i am wearing the most. maybe like 75/25.

4) on a scale of 1-10, how much do you think it matters how put together you look? i think it's pretty important, maybe a 7? it's important to look professional for your job, and also important that you feel good about what you're wearing.

MommyAtty · November 2014

@K3am‌ - The women who started it used to work at White House Black Market. A friend of mine shopped with them there, and when they started their own business, we all tried it out. Their business model is very cool. Their boutique is in an air stream trailer and if you want them to, they will bring it to your house. They do parties at different restaurants and events multiple times a week. It's like a food truck for clothes. I think it's a new trend in a lot of cities.

I love them too because they offer such great service. I had a multi-day business trip recently that required a lot of changes of clothes. I got overwhelmed about what to wear when and texted in a panic. I told them the events and that I was packing my carry on only. They literally sent me pictures of what pieces to wear for every event, limited the number of pieces I took so it would fit in the carry on, and told me what shoes and jewelry to take. It was fabulous.

traveltheworld · November 2014

I used to spend quite a bit - I have a soft spot for very nice tailored suits and since I work in a formal environment, I was able to tell myself a nice suit is always a good investment. I haven't done much shopping since I've had DS since I keep meaning to lose more weight, and now I'm pregnant again, so probably won't buy anything again until well after the second kid is born.

olenkapdx · November 2014

My work is very, very casual, but I dress up at least to some extent each day. I have a good basics wardrobe that gets replaced when needed, so I pretty much only shop for a few special things here and there. Nordstrom Rack is just up the street from my work so I tend to shop there quite a bit.

I doubt I spend more than an average of $50-60 a month on clothing and grooming items. I used to splurge quite a bit but that was pre-baby!

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