Wardrobe reduction

[bbbamI]

Since DH and I are both retired, we donated most of our 'fancy' clothes and shoes. Now like others, we wear tees, jeans and shorts.

Since I've lost a lot of weight in the past year, I've donated all my fat clothes...didn't keep one thing that no longer fits. So....all my clothing (summer and winter) are in one closet.

DH on the other hand has one closet full and another closet half full.

Heh.....

[Moemg]

Like bbbami I also lost weight in retirement so I had to buy a whole new wardrobe . I spent a good chunk at JJill , Talbots & Chico's .I also had to buy new gym wear & luckily that I find at TJMAX.

[H2ODude]

First 20-25 year it was a suit every day (well maybe not first 3-5, field engineering more). Then last 15 enjoyed the move to more casual, at the end was pushing the envelope wearing jeans on days other than Friday (gasp!). Usually dockers and button down shirt, keep a tie handy. Since retirement it's a rare day not shorts or jeans. Have to brush off the dockers, meeting friends in Charleston this weekend and am guessing they're not the slob I am.

Buy very few clothes now. New pair of jeans or two a year, splurge at LL Bean once in a while for flannel or wool shirts. Haven't bought a non-athletic pair of shoes since retirement. Where would I wear them?

[Tailgate]

Today's local newspaper carried story of a local independent dry cleaner shutting the doors on his 2 locations because the economy and business casual trend is driving him out. He's been in business since 1980 and was regarded as 'the' dry cleaner in town. DW and I used to spend $150 a month with another independent cleaner... since Re'd for 16 months I've spent less than $100 total with him.

Garage sale tomorrow will see quite a few of my dress slacks and shirts move out the door (hopefully).

[Nodak]

I was very lucky and worked at a USAF site where I could go to work in T-shirt and jeans. I we had a bigwig visitor I would wear a regular shirt with a tie but still jeans.

[RunningBum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailor I'm an engineer, so I don't dress up for work. I might be in minority here, but I don't anticipate any wardrobe reduction in retirement. It's even possible, that my wardrobe would expand slightly with more decent "dancing" clothes, as I would have more time to go dancing with DW.

Pretty much my case. I only dressed up if going onsite to a customer where that was expected, and that was pretty rare. Nearly every day it was jeans or shorts and quite often t-shirts at work. Now where I golf a collared shirt is required, and jeans are not allowed. I had to upgrade a bit. I also retired to a ski resort so I spend a decent amount on cold weather gear. Then there's the technical running gear. Heck, now that I think about it I was spending a lot less on clothes when my time was taken up at a job where I could dress down and didn't have so much time for these hobbies. I laugh at those finance gurus who say you can budget less for clothing in retirement as if it's a given for everyone.

[EastWest Gal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bamaman When I retired, I went to Walmart and bought 2 pairs of blue jean shorts and a couple of nice T shirts. That's my everyday wardrobe. I now have 2 pairs of khaki pants, a bunch of golf shirts and about 4 nice pairs of shorts. For winter, I have 3 pairs of jeans. For those "formal" nights, I have 2 sport coats and a few pairs of wool pants (from the working years.) I probably don't spend $200 a year on clothes. If I died tomorrow, my wife would have to go out and buy a suit coat (separates) and a current width tie to bury me in.

Some funeral directors keep used or donated suitcoats for just that situation, actually. So your wife won't need to burdened with that task.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Due to spending more time on fitness activities, I buy shoes a little more frequently than I did while working.

DW has really noticed that and is still getting used to it. Since she changed from couch potato to doing a half marathon every month (walking, not running), she has been amazed at how quickly a pair of athletic shoes can wear out and need replacement.

For me, I got rid of all my suits. I have two nice sport coats, a couple of dress shirts, two pair of nice slacks and one pair of good shoes. That's it, and it still seems like overkill since I so rarely wear any of it.

[martyp]

Basically the wardrobe issue of people our age is, for men: suit or no suit.

I was an engineer in the San Francisco Bay Area. Work was casual dress. Non-work is essentially all casual. Maybe there are a few very expensive restaurants that ask that you have a coat and tie but they won't bar you from the table if you don't have one. I haven't owned a suit in over a decade and I've found that I have no need for one in ER either.

I've not had to attend a funeral or wedding either. I think at this point, 4 yrs into ER, I would dress business casual for both a funeral or wedding.

I've occasionally felt like I should wear khaki's and an nice(ish) shirt for some restaurants and other occasions. Other than that, I am totally casual in jeans and/or shorts.

It really is a personal choice; depends on your age and social/business status/experience as to what you feel comfortable in. The good news is that you don't have to prepare for retirement. You just go into it and see what works. I think most people's experience is that there is bunch of clothes that don't get used and they get rid of them within a few years.

[ampeep]

My workplace was pretty casual, golf or aloha shirts & long pants. A few years back, I needed a suit jacket for meetings in D.C. - found a nice one @ Goodwill for $5. Since retiring almost a month ago, the only time I wore shoes was to play golf.

[freebird5825]

I donated all my dress slacks, skirts, and blazers to a group of young women completing their LPN program. Most were in a lower income or "just starting out in life" status. My former housecleaner was one of the students. We loaded up her car with the whole lot. She told me afterwards that the ladies went crazy, picking out what they needed for upcoming j*b interviews. Lots of smiles and no tug o' war incidents.

I have a few dress coats that I have not worn since I FIREd. They might go away too.

Post FIRE, I invested in a lot of stretch leggings, spandex/cotton blend jeans and pretty summer dresses. I never wore tight fitting slacks or feminine dresses to w*rk. My business casual tops were kept. I had to invest in a few pairs of summer wedge sandals to go with the dresses.

[Jackanory]

I always found it too cold to wear shorts to work, so that's changed.


But I'm feeling inspired; my his'n'her's closet has devolved into a his'n'his closet ... I still have one of my old school ties! I shall do some winnowing -- after the weekend.

[Bestwifeever]

I just weeded out all the high heels of any height except the two pairs I wore for my kids' weddings, which are exceedingly comfortable. My toes are never going to suffer those foot vises again.

Kudos to our ladies who need smaller (both in number of items and more importantly, sizewise!) wardrobes in retirement!

DD works at home so anything goes, but DS works for "clients" so he must dress up a little. Even in a suit, he rarely wears a tie, though. That's a nice development in the world o' work.

Clothes that have to drycleaned are like cars with engines that require premium gas.

[redduck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bestwifeever ...Clothes that have to drycleaned are like cars with engines that require premium gas.

Great analogy.

But, that's not why we are here today, although, maybe it is. Sometimes these bigger questions overwhelm me. (duck, is there a question here?). Maybe, maybe not, but let's get started:

After reading about wardrobe reductions and then wrestling the majority of the night (and most of the next morning) wondering whether dress socks can be considered as "wardrobe" I decided take a risk and present this:

It seems that over many years I've accumulated 42 pairs of dark dress socks (black, brown, dark olive, grey, navy). They all fit (sort of tightly) in one dresser drawer and they seem to get along well. They are all in good shape (the bad shaped ones would get tossed along the way). I used to wear them to work (one pair at a time). I am no longer working, so I only wear dark socks very occasionally. The question is (so, here's where you put the question, duck) do I keep them all because I have a place for them or do I toss some (how many?) because I don't have a need for 42 pairs of dress socks?

[Birdie Num Nums]

I had the same questions a year ago, when I was downsizing and decluttering in preparation for my move to this smaller home.

[mickeyd]

Quote:

asked that women be allowed to sunbathe nude on the beach

Just women?

[athena53]

Quote:

Originally Posted by redduck The question is (so, here's where you put the question, duck) do I keep them all because I have a place for them or do I toss some (how many?) because I don't have a need for 42 pairs of dress socks?

I think I'd use as many as I might use in my lifetime and donate/pitch the rest. Ah, Craigslist. Put the excess out at the end of your driveway, list it under Free Stuff and it will be gone.

I have at least 3 dozen T-shirts with logos- athletic events, company promotions, all sorts of advertising. I can't bear to throw them out and I wear at least one T-shirt a day (sometimes a second if I work out and get the first sweaty). I may, however, give away those with the logo of my last employer and hope that it ends up clearly visible in the security camera when someone robs a bank.

[redduck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by athena53 ... I wear at least one T-shirt a day (sometimes a second if I work out and get the first sweaty).

Athena53...
I'd be willing to trade you half my sock collection (all from Nordstrom) for a couple of your sweaty T-shirts (don't bother washing them before you ship them out to me).

[Throwdownmyaceinthehole]

I'm wearing just a couple of tshirts and shorts, and Tom's shoes. I'm starting to look like I'm homeless. The other day when I was out and about, I noticed my shorts were on inside out....and I didn't care....

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Throwdownmyaceinthehole The other day when I was out and about, I noticed my shorts were on inside out....and I didn't care....

Yup, you're definitely retired.