Do you have a budget for clothes? Do you know how much you actually spend? In this article, I’m sharing my own real numbers from 2024! When you know what works for you, you can be strategic about buying exactly the right pieces, no matter what kind of budget you have.
Do Most Women Budget for Clothes?
According to The Everyday Style School podcast’s 2024 Style Survey, released December 19th, up to 80% of women don’t budget for clothing – they simply buy what they want or need. Only around 20% said they make and follow a budget. (This fact makes me a little suspicious of what comes next.)
When asked how much they spent annually on clothes:
🔸 11% spent under $500
🔸 28% spent between $500-$1,000
🔸16% spent $1,000-$1,500
🔸 9% spent $1,500-$2,000
🔸23% spent over $2,000
🔸 12% admitted they didn’t know
My 2024 Budget for Clothes vs Actual Spending
I’ve tracked my clothing spending in a simple spreadsheet for over 15 years. In the beginning, I think I had $10/month, plus probably all of my birthday gift money and alot of my Christmas gift money. For several years in the late “naughties”, 2005-2009ish, I spent $500 or $600. When I was able to budget a little more, the hero and I together had $200, and I also kicked in some of my discretionary money.
My current budget for clothes: $100/month. $1200/year (plus whatever part of my birthday and/or Christmas money I choose to spend on clothes).
Total 2024 spending: $1,353.72
My spending varied significantly month to month.
October was highest at $334.16, but this was expected.
- Planned timing for winter clothes (typically more expensive)
- Strategic use of birthday money
No spending at all in May, August, or November, which were the same months I was traveling for Personality Hacker training for personality profiling. In the past, when I costumed alot of shows, those would end up being times I was just too busy to get into the stores.
When you budget for clothes and plan strategically, it ends up minimizing “wardrobe emergencies” and you can wait to purchase the items you know you are going to need when they are more available or well-priced. For example, I always plan to buy a “fun” cashmere sweater in December. This is about the time every year that I start getting really tired of wearing my sweaters day-in and day-out, but I have two or three months of Winter left! 🥶
2024 Store Breakdown
* Ranked total spending by store:
- Nordstrom/Rack: $271.11
- Target: $221.81
- Amazon: $151.57
- Anthropologie: $149.23
- Woolx: $130.80 (this was one pair of merino leggings with phone pocket and I used my birthday money)
- Thrift Stores: $111.84
- TJMaxx: $100.18
- Shoe Repair: $100.15
- Old Navy: $82.20
- Aerie: $34.83
Strategy by Store
Nordstrom Rack/Clearance:
- Quality coats, shoes, and accessories on clearance
- Example: Camel and coral plaid wool blanket coat, $60
- Example: Off-white leather Converse platform boots, $100
Anthropologie:
- Final sale items for those special pieces
- Updating pant silhouettes
- Strategy: knowing myself well enough to risk final sale. Every item worked!
Target/Old Navy:
- Basics like T-shirts
- This year, I am planning to try to spend less here and more at thrift
Thrift Stores:
- I always check blazers and jackets first
- Example: 100% wool knit Moto jacket in power-color indigo, $10
- Note: Cashmere basics harder to find now vs. years ago
Quince:
- Decent online store for those cashmere basics
- Example: short-sleeve cashmere T-shirts, $45
- Care strategy: machine wash, hang dry
- Future plans: exploring silk tops for quality basics
Amazon/Aerie:
- Basics: bras and underwear
- You may need to spend more on quality undergarments; feel free to economize in other areas (this is really important!)
Final Thoughts on a Budget for Clothes
* Clothing is still assembled by hand. When I see extremely low prices, like a $4 t-shirt, it makes me wonder how it can be sewn for labor input equal to $4. Yes, it might be “worth it” to us as consumers, but what about the person who made it?
* Knowing your style can help you:
- Make mindful purchasing decisions
- Invest appropriately when needed
- Find ethical options within your budget
It starts with knowing exactly what you need.
* The Wardrobe Pyramid (download the free guide) helps you understand your wardrobe structure, identify true gaps, and plan strategic purchases. When you know your style with precision:
- You know which stores to check for specific pieces
- You can make decisions about when to invest
- Your purchases work together intentionally
*Your suggested project is simple: start tracking your clothing spending. Just create a basic spreadsheet with the date, store, item, and amount. Nothing fancy – that’s all I did fifteen years ago, and it’s still all I do today.