What’s The Most You’ve Spent On Fashion

[ziggy_encaoua]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7685067.stm

Its been reported that since Sarah Palin joined the presidential race she has spent over $150,000 makeovers & fashion etc.

Which inspired me to ask what’s the most you’ve ever spent fashion wise?

Probably with me its a leopard print coat which cost £300

[crfriend]

[... W]hat’s the most you've ever spent fashion wise?

I think I spent something north of 300 bucks for a suit a good many years ago, but that's the most extravagant I've ever gotten. I like taking it in small steps these days, although I may be due for a new suit soon. I wonder if I can get a four-piece one (jacket, waistcoat, trousers and skirt?

Its been reported that since Sarah Palin joined the presidential race she has spent over $150,000 makeovers & fashion etc. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7685067.stm)

Blimey! For a hundred and fifty large I'm willing to bet even I could be made to look good!

[Since1982]

Probably the $93 I spent for 3 new prairie slips last week. I had a red and a black one, and have added a blue, white and yellow one. The new ones are shorter than the first ones too. The black and red are 32 in. and the new ones are all 26 in. long. I can wear them with my A-line skirts instead of only with my peasant skirts. They give a pleasant fullness to moving and turning that I like. Plus I like the faint rustle that i remember from when I was young and my mom dressed me all the time. Until I joined here I never thought of how I wear skirts as fashion. Things change. Thank goodness.

[sapphire]

Agggg!

Carl, while you look great in the skirts that I've purchased for myself, you fail to mention that you've co-opted nearly $1000 USD of clothing that I paid for.

[Peter v]

I think it is most likely not that one purchase, ie boots can be from 100 to 150+ euro's, ( 130 - 193 US dollars appr. ) and in our case, buying a real kilt could set you back um .... a lot.

But if you could remember what you have paid for all that which may be hanging in the wardrobe,
That may total much more than you want to know, all depending on your clothing wishes. As some may have only one skirt, and that is it, and probably with luck bought for a few dallars at a thrift store or sellout. I have bought a skirt for about 90 euro's in a bout of madness. Well I know how it felt, and don't have the wish to feel that again, unless I become more financially fortunate in the future.

Of course for people who buy a second house just to store all the sacks of dough (no bakery) like Scrouge, just put a zero or two behind the price we generally pay.

What I do wonder is how the spending compares to what it was before skirt wearing for all the men's wear. And also if there are men who are changing, if even only slowly the rest of their clothing around the basic element the skirt, now that they are actually wearing skirts and getting used to the other world of fashion and possibilitys related to them. And I am not hinting on going beyond manliness in a skirt. It may be mentioned. As I know for a fact that in my case, suddenly all my other clothing didn't seem to fit with the skirts I had bought, so I have spent much on a whole new wardrobe.

Something like: Hey that is a nice trinket, and before you know it, "hey" there are more to be had, and you're hooked on collecting them. Although wearing clothes you really like and possibly help to show who you feel you are, must be more rewarding on a practical scale.

So perhaps: "How costly is skirt wearing?" As costly as you make it.

[Inertia]

I can't comment as a man (obviously), but once I quit wearing pants, I found there was more variety in skirts, so I wanted more of them... but I also found it was easier to find skirts that fit me in thrift stores than it had been to find pants *anywhere*, so while I bought more skirts, they were much, much less expensive than the pants I'd bought before. Have any of you guys had a similar experience, or is this just me, being cheap?

Inertia

[Kilted_John]

I'm typically a cheapskate when it comes to trousered clothing. Literally visit Goodwill or Value Village and buy a pair of jeans or shorts for less than $5.00. When the inseams finally wear out, I begin the process of turning said items into skirts. When it comes to skirts, I usually buy preowned skirts, either off eBait for through the thrift stores, since, yes, it is easier to find stuff that fits used, than to bother going into a department store. The most expensive piece of clothing I've purchased was my winter-weight MacKenzie 9-yard kilt, at $500+tax. Second most, probably my Armstrong tartan kilt, at $375. Next most expensive, my hiking boots, at $225, plus tax.

-J

[SkirtDude]

Deleted.

[SportSkirt]

not sure if you'd call it fashion but I spent about £400 (at current poor exchange rate that's $12) on a dry suit. It's nice not to freeze your ***s off diving in the UK.

I've paid a couple of hundred for a good pair of shoes that have lasted years, and about the same for a clan kilt recently.

[Peter v]

I can't comment as a man (obviously), but once I quit wearing pants, I found there was more variety in skirts, so I wanted more of them... but I also found it was easier to find skirts that fit me in thrift stores than it had been to find pants *anywhere*, so while I bought more skirts, they were much, much less expensive than the pants I'd bought before. Have any of you guys had a similar experience, or is this just me, being cheap?

Inertia

That is pretty much my experience too, but it does depend very much on the turnover of the thrift shops visited, and the skirts may be last year's fashion or older, although most skirts can be worn for many seasons. You must of course have the time to constantly be visiting the thrift shops as you never know when something to your taste and size has come in. That is one of the drawbacks, for working people. Then again, people with normal reasonable wages do not need to buy in thrift shops but can do so for the fun.

Not only thrift shops, but stores where the quality may be a little less than the bigger brand names, but good just the same, can deliver fine skirts for half or less of a comparable brand example. Why pay much when you can get a comparable article for half or less? That is only good reasoning. If you do have the finances, you can always buy full price if the need is high. But finding what you want ( never enough ) in thrift shops is I find very pleasurable, giving satisfaction in expanding your clothing choices for only small investments. If you are not alone, keeps the partner happy too.

[Inertia]

I have to admit, I have a tendency to (a) ignore fashion, and (b) buy skirts in bulk from thrift shops, when I find a bunch of them that fit me. Of course I sometimes buy them new, when I see them and can afford them, as well. But sometimes one can get quite good ones second-hand for less money, and alter the length if necessary (I'm short).

As for the ignoring fashion part, I prefer to wear items that are stylish, without being fashionable. Fashion changes too fast for me to bother keeping up with it, so I don't; I try for just clothes that suit me, and aren't too extreme, so they won't be cast-offs a few months after I buy them. Much the same as the styles I've seen in your photographs, Peter v, stylish and classic without being trendy.

Cheers,

Jill

[Ray]

Probably a suit; I paid £425 back in 1997 for a lovely Hugo Boss suit. Kilts were £250 and £300 respectively. My full black tie kilt rig is c.£1,000 all-in, but as I have worn this more than 30 times, I view it as money well spent (the kilt alone I must have worn 80+ times).

[Peter v]

I have to admit, I have a tendency to (a) ignore fashion, and (b) buy skirts in bulk from thrift shops, when I find a bunch of them that fit me. Of course I sometimes buy them new, when I see them and can afford them, as well. But sometimes one can get quite good ones second-hand for less money, and alter the length if necessary (I'm short).

As for the ignoring fashion part, I prefer to wear items that are stylish, without being fashionable. Fashion changes too fast for me to bother keeping up with it, so I don't; I try for just clothes that suit me, and aren't too extreme, so they won't be cast-offs a few months after I buy them. Much the same as the styles I've seen in your photographs, Peter v, stylish and classic without being trendy.

Cheers,

Jill

Thank you Jill, compliment taken.
I do agree with the wisdom above fully.
You are correct in that keeping up with fashion, it going as fast as it generally does, is very difficult, at least if you are not financially well off.

[Milfmog]

not sure if you'd call it fashion but I spent about £400 (at current poor exchange rate that's $12) on a dry suit. It's nice not to freeze your ***s off diving in the UK.

I've paid a couple of hundred for a good pair of shoes that have lasted years, and about the same for a clan kilt recently.

You got off cheaply with the drysuit; my made to measure DUI cost £1400 (approx USD 2400 at today's rates) with customisation and undersuit... But after eight years of heavy use it is still as good as new even the wrist seals are original, so money well spent.

Back on topic:

Most expensive single purchase was a business suit at £499 (say USD850) again I've had several years wear out of it and it still looks good so I was happy with the deal.

My most expensive skirt / kilt purchase was a Utilikilt Survival in their scratch and dent sale last summer. By the time they had shortened it from 27" to 24" and shipped it transatlantic it cost me around £150 (USD250). Most of my skirts have come from charity shops, Ebay and cheap fashion stores. After the Utilikilt and a black denim Union Kilt the most expensive skirt I own is a Fat Face wrap skirt bought for £40 (USD70) which I love wearing.

Have fun,


Ian.

[Skirt Chaser]

Writing this I realize buying technology comes easily to me while money on clothes doesn't have the same appeal. There are so few things that catch my eye enough to spend significant amounts of money on but a long desired custom made pair of colorful boots from the renaissance festival was a rare indulgence. Most of the money I have spent on fashion goes to hair jewelry (from the renaissance festival again, seems to be a theme) or sparkly glasses frames.

Agggg!

Carl, while you look great in the skirts that I've purchased for myself, you fail to mention that you've co-opted nearly $1000 USD of clothing that I paid for.

Can you borrow some of his? I keep finding treasures in Quiet Man's cast off pile. Our styles are so different that he never takes mine though.