I legit do not understand how people afford style

[Anonymous]

I feel like you're doing something wrong when you make 200k but can't afford new clothes but every 3 years. I make similar and have plenty of disposable income. No car payment and our mortgage is $1500 though.

Also- "style" is typically how you wear your clothes, not always where you buy them or the cost. Stylish people can make thrift store clothes look good.

[Anonymous]

I buy a lot of my clothes on Poshmark - many times things are new with tags on for a fraction of the original price. I’m 43 and would rather get a few nicer quality things than a lot of new pieces.

[Anonymous]

You feel sick to your stomach if you buy new clothes more than once every 3-4 years? That sounds a little extreme. If it's really a money issue you can buy from thrift sites like Poshmark or just do cheaper clothes like Old Navy and Target. I get compliments on stuff from Old Navy and Target all the time, and it's often cheaper than a take-out salad. Another good trick is to make a list of things you want that would help spruce up your existing wardrobe (e.g., a military-style jacket, low-heel black boots, high-waisted jeans) and check out sales until you see something that fits the bill.

But if you are making over $200k I think it's probably more of a psychological issue, like you feel that spending on yourself is a waste. Do you buy new clothes for your kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How in the world do people afford style? I look at my take home pay, taxes, health care costs, etc. etc. And I'm left with a modest paycheck. Then after I pay mortgage, utilities, groceries, a car payment for a modest car, and the rest of the bills, I only have modest amounts of disposable income that mostly goes towards savings for emergencies. It isn't like we are poor either - we are a $200k+ household. We don't live in an insanely expensive house and drive a $22k car. I max out the retirement accounts, which is expensive. I literally cannot figure out how people afford style. Like how are people able to afford to wear new outfits every day that you don't buy from Walmart? Shirts are no like $30+. Pants? $50+. Sweaters? $60+. Decent pair of shoes all $80+. I think right now I have one pair of jeans, 3 chinos, about 6 plain T shirts, about 5 collared shirts, and about 3 sweaters. 3 pairs of shoes (2 dress + 1 sneakers) My wardrobe is pretty pathetic, I know it. I just cannot fathom blowing hundreds of dollars every few months on buying more clothes or shoes. I probably do clothes shopping maybe once every 3-4 years, but only begrudgingly because I get sick to my stomach spending money on clothes when that money could be used to save for emergencies, investing, or paying off debt. How are people able to afford style to keep their wardrobes modernized and to have a selection wide enough where they're wearing something new almost every day of the year?

I find it very hard to believe you know ONE SINGLE PERSON who wears a different and new outfit every day of their lives. You sound ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Has OP admitted to what “we don’t live in an insanely expensive house” means to her?

[Anonymous]

Its all about priorities and trade offs. You're making choices in which groceries you buy and don't buy, what your thermostat is set at. What are your other bills? Are any of those the result of choices? You drive a $22K car.
That's another choice (I drive a $10K car, and there is nothing wrong with either a $22K car or a $10K car). You max retirement accounts. Another choice. Your question is basically "after I pay for this long list of choices, why don't I have money left for clothes." Well...

You're fine and you're going to be fine. Maybe examine what you're spending on and whether that aligns with your priorities. If not, make a change.

[Anonymous]

They make more than you do or maybe they save less than you do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They make more money than you. They have family money. They have a trust fund.

+1. Also, buy nice staples like neutral cashmere sweaters, well fitting jeans and pants and store them properly. They are timeless.

[Anonymous]

OP, do you work? Because I can’t imagine any professional job requiring at least periodic in person attendance where you could survive let alone thrive on that wardrobe. Looking the part is an important component of getting external facing or higher roles.

I wouldn’t consider myself especially stylish. Most of my day to day is built for comfort, and my work gear is an investment in my career. Decent fitting separates from any of the mid-range stores above can serve you well across multiple uses. For example, dress pants and a nice TJ Maxx blouse look great in a business casual office, at a PTA meeting, or at a baby shower. I have work dresses that can do double duty at weddings, depending on what shoes and accessories I wear. Some of my favorite pieces are 10+years old and didn’t cost more than $100. Clothes are kept cleaned, pressed, and mended.

As for shoes, $80 seems like the bare minimum for a quality leather pair these days. I have wide feet, and I view shoes as an investment in my health. A decent pair will last me for years with proper care. A cheap pair will hurt my feet, hurt my knees, and fall apart quickly. I can spend $100 now, or $400 on the chiropractor or podiatrist later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, do you work? Because I can’t imagine any professional job requiring at least periodic in person attendance where you could survive let alone thrive on that wardrobe. Looking the part is an important component of getting external facing or higher roles.

I wouldn’t consider myself especially stylish. Most of my day to day is built for comfort, and my work gear is an investment in my career. Decent fitting separates from any of the mid-range stores above can serve you well across multiple uses. For example, dress pants and a nice TJ Maxx blouse look great in a business casual office, at a PTA meeting, or at a baby shower. I have work dresses that can do double duty at weddings, depending on what shoes and accessories I wear. Some of my favorite pieces are 10+years old and didn’t cost more than $100. Clothes are kept cleaned, pressed, and mended.

As for shoes, $80 seems like the bare minimum for a quality leather pair these days. I have wide feet, and I view shoes as an investment in my health. A decent pair will last me for years with proper care. A cheap pair will hurt my feet, hurt my knees, and fall apart quickly. I can spend $100 now, or $400 on the chiropractor or podiatrist later.

TLR - beware the false economy of having cheap clothes or clothes not appropriate for the occasion or your goals

[Anonymous]

You decide what your aesthetic is - classic, bohemian, preppy, feminine, artsy, sporty, etc. - figure out what stores and designers cater to that aesthetic, and then look for staple secondhand or nwt pieces through poshmark, fb marketplace, depop, etc. I like feeling stylish even when I'm wearing a simple outfit and over the years I think I've cultivated a somewhat unique personal style without spending a lot of money. But I do spend time on it. I keep pinterest boards of what I buy so I can visualize what I have and what goes together. I also sell things I don't wear anymore and then funnel the proceeds into new stuff, so I never really feel like I lose money on things. I think it's important to have the right sunglasses, shoes, jeans, and jewelry. Those are the items that, to me, can make you look dated or frumpy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You feel sick to your stomach if you buy new clothes more than once every 3-4 years? That sounds a little extreme. If it's really a money issue you can buy from thrift sites like Poshmark or just do cheaper clothes like Old Navy and Target. I get compliments on stuff from Old Navy and Target all the time, and it's often cheaper than a take-out salad. Another good trick is to make a list of things you want that would help spruce up your existing wardrobe (e.g., a military-style jacket, low-heel black boots, high-waisted jeans) and check out sales until you see something that fits the bill.

But if you are making over $200k I think it's probably more of a psychological issue, like you feel that spending on yourself is a waste. Do you buy new clothes for your kids?

I refuse to buy directly from Old Navy in particular but I’ve bought nice secondhand stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're making 500K/year and we're both inheriting over 10MM. The grandparents pay for college for our kids. We moved from the DC area because we can WFH so our mortgage is low. We don't spend a ton of $ on travel because our families have vacation houses in a ski resort, on the beach, and in Europe so all we pay for is airline tickets. We're not into cars and we drive regular cars, like Toyota. I'm a fed so we have cheap health insurance.

Is it sad that the only thing I'm jealous of is the cheap health insurance?

[Anonymous]

I must be missing something with this post. 10x shirts @ $40 each = $400. 5x pants @ $60 per pair = $300. 3x shoes @ $100 per pair is $300. Total expense = $1,000 or 0.5% of your gross income per year and you don't need new clothes every year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're making 500K/year and we're both inheriting over 10MM. The grandparents pay for college for our kids. We moved from the DC area because we can WFH so our mortgage is low. We don't spend a ton of $ on travel because our families have vacation houses in a ski resort, on the beach, and in Europe so all we pay for is airline tickets. We're not into cars and we drive regular cars, like Toyota. I'm a fed so we have cheap health insurance.

Lol-you've taken every DC stereotype and put it in one post. Love it!

They moved to the magical place where the mortgage is low but people are still liberal and schools are 8 plus on Great Schools! Also to be peak dcum the fed is a former biglaw attorney.