Let’s be honest. Nobody likes to throw their money out the window during the best of times. With the uncertain economy that we have now it’s even more important to pinch every penny and stretch every dollar. I’m going to share with you three clothing items that I think waste your hard earned money.
I’m not a fashion expert, however, I am someone that likes to look nice when I’m out of the house interacting with others. Sweatpants and hoodies won’t always do! {Check out our How to Wear a Hoodie article}
Here are three of my biggest historical money wasters:
Cheap shoes.
Any of these I’ve ever purchased have lost their comfort way faster than I found acceptable. I use to think that rotating through them to transfer my discomfort was a smart idea. Yes, I never got blisters that way but my feet were constantly uncomfortable. It might have been a sore heel one day and then a cramped toe the next. It wasn’t worth it! When I met my husband I found someone who spends as much money as me on his wardrobe but he has a significantly smaller selection. While I’m not ready to minimize as much as he has, I have learned from him. I’ve found that investing in two good pair of comfortable shoes a year, shoes that will last, is worth more to me than 30 pair that I can’t wear two consecutive days.
White bras.
Ugggh, how I hate these! They easily stain under shirts of a different color, they aren’t discreet under a white shirt, and well, I just don’t think they are very exciting. I like fun colors but if I’m wearing something light in color or a white shirt, I’ll go with a flesh tone bra that can’t be detected. Avoiding white bras saves me from being immodest, spending my Saturdays trying to get unwanted dye out of them, and I get to add a little bit of color to my day.
Way too cheap T-shirts.
I’ve fallen into this trap multiple times! Never, ever, ever, ever buy a shirt that is under $5 at a non-sale price. I’ve bought shirts for $1 that have lasted me 10 years (and counting!) but they were originally $30. Every shirt I’ve bought for $5 and under has made it’s way to the trash can within a few weeks. They don’t even hold up well enough to donate! Don’t get me wrong, thirty dollar T-shirts aren’t in my budget either but that’s why I know where the clearance racks are at my favorite stores and what day of the week they mark new items down. The fading, stretching, pilling, and loosening of seams isn’t worth it to me to buy the cheap shirts.
There you have it. Those are my top three money wasting wardrobe purchases that I refuse to buy any longer. Do you have any other items you would like to add to the list? I would love for you to share! We’re all trying to save money during these tough economic times and I would love to hear what ideas you have for shopping and saving!
About Ashley
Very interesting! Thank you so much for sharing this information!
I’ve learned – don’t buy shirts from Walmart! They’re simply not worth it when you have to throw them out. T-Shirts or tank tops.
Do your or your hubby have any recommendations for quality dress shoes for men? My DH wears through his every 6 months I swear. Same with dress pants!
Since being broke and my body changing from pregnancy I live in the Target Long and Lean tanks. They’re the BEST tanks. You have to layer them because they’re kind of see-through otherwise, but I like that look anyway. I just pair them with jeans (I rotate through 2-3 pair.)
Yes, those shirts are awful aren’t they?!
I’ll have to check with him about the shoes but I know my husband buys all of his pants & jeans from Banana Republic. He’s only thrown out one pair of jeans since we’ve been together and that’s because they had holes in the knees. Those last forever! They are expensive though so we like to shop the BR outlets and watch the clearance racks.
I have heard such good things about Target’s T’s and tanks. I’m really going to have to get some for myself!
I hate white bras!! I wear a lot of dark colors so the white ones always show through my clothes, especially in pictures. Drives me crazy!!
Totally agree! I might also add to the list: cheap bras (especially for those of us that need extra support), inexpensive clothes that are dry-clean only, and dresses that require additional undergarments.
And one last thing: ill-fitting clothes. One thing that I finally put together over the years is that I am long waisted, so even though I am 5’8″ and technically not a “tall” woman, my torso is longer than average. So this means that for tops and dresses, I am actually a “tall” size. This was a huge revelation for me and ever since I realized it, I shop accordingly. I usually have to buy online, but I am so much happier in the clothes I purchase. Even if you have to spend a few dollars to get something tailored (if you can’t do it yourself) your clothes are going to look better and last longer if they fit you.
Oh, and Banana Republic t-shirts are great. I usually can get them for $8-10 and they are colorfast and so much more flattering than Gap and Old Navy (which are both the same company as BR.) Walmart tees are terrible. They just feel rough.
I agree with all of these! And the comment about the ill fitting clothes. Cheap, ill fitting jeans is another thing I’d add.