Cutting Way Back on Clothing Purchases

When we were sorting through my parents' belongings , I discovered they had much more clothing than they would ever need. We donated many new items that were never worn. Well, the acorn doesn't fall too far from the tree. As I've done an inventory of my belongings, I realized that I have way too many clothes. In some areas, I may have enough garments for the rest of my life :-)

How did it get this way? Like my parents, I am prone to purchase a good deal in clothing, even if I don't need it at the moment. So I have quite a large stock of jeans, casual pants, shorts, polo shirts and dress shirts. In addition, I have a large number of t-shirts due to various promotions that give them to people.

Here's what I plan to do about it:

1. Wear what I already own. Even though I haven't purchased much clothing this year, I still have many items that have never been worn. Since my weight only varies by +/- 5%, I still fit into most of my clothes. For now, I plan to wear most of my clothing until they wear out.



2. Don't buy more unless I own less than seven. Seven is the most times I would need any type of garment in a week. So unless I have fewer than seven, I won't purchase the garment.



3. Stop buying specialized clothing. For just about every sport, there are special garments that can be purchased. No more for me. I'll wear the same clothes for tennis, soccer, yoga, weight training and other sports.

Except for athletic socks, I think I can avoid buying any clothes for about ten or twenty years. Since I am a conservative dresser, most of the garments I own will be in style for at least ten more years. After that, I'll probably look like the old guy who wears the outdated wardrobe:-)

For more on Crossing Generations, check back every Thursday for a new segment.

This is not financial or fashion advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

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