10 Ways to Save on Clothing Costs

Clothing accounts for a large portion of most budgets. I do my best to minimize our clothing spending and thought I'd share ten ways I lower the amount we put into this necessary expenditure. (These are not earth-shattering ideas, but they may be something a reader has not considered.) Even though women are more apt to identify with and use some of these tips, they are applicable to everyone, regardless of gender.

1. Keep a list of clothing needs. Planning ahead will prevent many foolish impulse purchases and will ensure that you know exactly what is needed if you come across a fabulous yet unexpected sale.
   
2. Only buy clothes you absolutely love that fit you well. (If you like to make alterations, you don't have to be as picky about fit.) If you buy something that you really don't like or that doesn't fit well, chances are that it will seldom be worn and will migrate to the back of your closet. Unused clothing is wasted money.
   
3. Build a core wardrobe of timeless styles. One of the quickest ways to blow money is to purchase clothing simply because it is trendy. Trendy clothing needs to be updated frequently, but classic styles can be used for years. Just purchase a few trendy pieces to update your look.
4. Learn from past clothing mistakes. We've all made them - the wrong color or style can make you look absolutely dreadful. Cut your losses and make a note to avoid that color or style in the future. (If you need help figuring out what is right for you, check out my 5-part series, Your Personal Style.)
   
5. Buy the highest quality you can afford at the lowest price you can find. The better the quality, the longer the item will last. Initially paying a higher price can be cheaper in the long run when the item lasts for years.
6. Purchase clothing that can be worn with at least two items you already own. Dresses are a possible exception, but I have purchased dresses with jackets that coordinated with other dresses or skirts I already owned. Building a wardrobe that mixes and matches means that you need to purchase fewer clothes.
7. Avoid buying at full price. Nearly everything will go on sale sometime during its shelf life.
8. Don't limit your shopping to retail, department, or outlet stores. Frequent thrift stores, clothing exhanges, and garage sales as well. I have bought many brand new outfits (with the tags still on) at our thrift stores.
9. Be humble enough to accept hand-me-downs or to sew your own clothes. Our family is blessed in that we have not yet had to buy any clothing, other than underwear, for our girls. The Lord has provided many families who have offered us their children's outgrown clothes. The girls have beautiful wardrobes containing many name brand labels such as Tommy Hillfiger, Rare Editions, BT Kids, Rothschild, and more. Because we were willing to accept clothing from others, our girls actually have a better quality wardrobe than we would have been able to provide if we had purchased their clothing ourselves.
10. Learn basic mending skills. Repairing an article of clothing costs a lot less than purchase a new one.

So there you go; you now know the ten ways I save money on our clothing. How do you save money on your clothing expenses?