Addressing Your Dress Code
Did you know that the average person wears 20% of their wardrobe 80% of the time? That’s a good starting point for thinking about how to reduce the clothing line in your family budget.
Begin with purchasing decisions. The more classic or traditional a piece is, the longer it’s likely to get steady use. On the other hand, this year’s fashion can quickly become next year’s “back of the closet” resident. Higher quality goods can be good investments too, because they last longer than poorly-made ones. Of course consignment shops can be great, cost-effective sources for quality clothes. Here’s a great tip – sell some of your rarely worn items and use money you make to buy a new item or two. When clothing small children, consider some outfits that are gender-neutral to increase the use of hand-me-downs. You might also want to engage in “hand-me-overs” – by swapping items you’ve tired of with friends or family members. Most folks are good at adding pieces to their wardrobe, but overlook the subtracting part. With a greater emphasis on keeping the wardrobe size constant, you can cut down on spending and even earn some pocket change. For some great “green wardrobe” ideas, visit Diane MacEachern’s Big Green Purse website here.