THE average Australian woman spends only $834 on clothing, according to new Roy Morgan Research. IT is no surprise to me that looking good comes at a cost.
You don't need to be a fashionista to care about the clothes you wear. National data shows the average household spends $44 to $66 a week on clothing and footwear. These weekly figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Statista amount to about $2200 to $3500 a year.
Australians spent, on average, $141 on clothing every month. Not quite enough for a shopping spree on Rodeo Drive. The cost of groceries claimed 12.1 per cent of monthly salaries at $531.
The researchers found that a “sufficient” wardrobe consists of 74 garments and 20 outfits in total. As an example, they've suggested six outfits for work, three outfits for home wear, three outfits for sports, two outfits for festive occasions, plus four outdoor jackets and trousers or skirts.
According to Dunn, you should spend 5% of your monthly income on clothing. To find the exact dollar amount you should be spending per month, multiply your take-home pay by 0.05. For example, if your monthly take-home pay is $3000, you should spend around $150 per month on clothing.
In the US, women and girls spend an average of $545 per year on clothing, while men and boys spend just $326. Footwear costs the average household $314, while clothes for children under two comes in at $68. That comes to a total of $1,434 each year on clothes – or about $120 a month.
People own an average of 148 pieces
Most survey respondents seem to have between 77 to 155 pieces in their wardrobe with a few outliers in the 300+ range.
If your wardrobe is so full that you can't see what you have or if clothes fall off the hangers each time you open a door or drawer, then chances are you have too many clothes.
And you won't need that many in your closet, saving you time, space, and money. Depending on your laundry schedule, you might need more than 5 pairs of jeans. But for most people, 4 to 5 pairs of casual pants, including denim jeans, are all that is needed to look stylish and well dressed.
The five outfit rule is pretty simple. When you see an item that you just have to have you can only buy it if you can think of five different outfits that you can wear it with.
On average, every Australian buys 56 items of clothing yearly, most of which are made from non-sustainable, non-durable materials. Year on year, the price of clothing continues to drastically decrease, while the negative impacts to the environment as a result of the fashion industry continues to increase.
Now that you're aware that housing, food and transport are generally the biggest expenses for Aussie households, you may be looking at ways you could cut back and save in these areas. We've written a number of articles that may provide some food for thought. Check out: 9 ways to stop wasting food and start saving money.
The average household spent $108,291 in 2021, equivalent to $2,083 per week. Rent and dwelling costs are the largest expense by far, costing the average household $445 per week. Food comes in second place ($215), followed by spending on recreation and culture ($211) and insurance and other financial services ($176).
Australians each buy an average of almost 15kg of new garments a year - 56 items per person. It's estimated more than 90 per cent of those new clothes are thrown out within 12 months.
ALMOST $900 ON LUNCHES PER YEAR
The average Australian employee spends $18.52 on lunches, snacks, and beverages during their workday every week.
The average household now spends $185 per week on groceries, up from $148 in February 2022. Finder money expert Sarah Megginson says the increase adds up to an additional $1924 per year per household, or $18.8bn nationally.
T-shirts, tank tops and camisoles should be washed after each wearing. Outer clothes like dress shirts and khakis can be worn a few times before washing unless it is hot out and you are sweating or they are visibly dirty or stained. Jeans can typically be worn 3 times before washing.
A woman who is a stay at home mom should have 6 long-sleeve shirts and 6 T-shirts. A woman who is physically active should have 6 long-sleeve shirts and 6 T-shirts. A woman living in a colder climate should have 5 long-sleeve shirts, 5 sweaters, and 3 T-shirts.
How many clothes should be in a capsule wardrobe? A capsule wardrobe can have as many or as few clothes that work for you, but commonly they have anywhere from 30-50 pieces. The capsule checklist I've put together has room for 44 items, including shoes and accessories, but you can always have more or fewer than that.
If you are wondering if you have too many PJs or if you need more, you've come to the right place. Follow these simple tips to have an easier time with your wardrobe, save money, and protect the planet. The number of pajamas you only really need and wear is 3 to 4 pairs or sets.
With the increasing popularity of minimalism and capsule wardrobes, many influencers suggest that a woman should not have more than 50 pieces of clothing (including shoes and accessories) in her closet.
Consumers in our modern society don't keep clothes for long. They wear a high-street garment on average only 7 times. Under normal wear and tear, the average life expectancy of clothing would be more than 2 years.
Sweaters: 4
A strong wardrobe is comprised of at least 4 different sweaters. Two of these should be business casual and work appropriate so you can wear them to the office or meetings. Think crew neck sweaters, v-necks that can be layered under button downs, and cardigans.