What amount do you budget for clothing each year? Trying to get a sense for what is realistic - esp relative to income if you’re willing to share.

$200 spent on clothes and you’re a partner and your husband freaked out? Girl, please. Tell your husband to settle down. You deserve to spend money on yourself and feel good about yourself.

At this point I don’t set a very high budget. I have a lot of solid pieces that I work around now. I’m not above going for a good deal, but trying to put in perspective just how much I really need too. Also leaning more towards quality, and things that will last. Which is harder now than ever to find it feels like!

What does he think an appropriate percentage is?

Also what you spent is nothing on a partner salary.

I just do a monthly rental service. It’s about $200 per month and I never have to deal with dry cleaning. And I was using it when I was pregnant and borrowed different sizes as my body changed.

I'm gonna be honest OP I am clothing obsessed so I don't really have a budget and just kind of buy things when I want and as I see them. I will say though I did start doing Nuuly which is a subsription that costs less than $100 a month for 6 pieces of clothing to rent and that has helped me save money on clothing tremendously.

For context: I’m a newer partner, during pandemic I had a baby and my size changed dramatically (from solid 6 to 10/12). The world changed, my body changed, and my role changed. I’m desperately trying to get back down to a smaller size, but also trying to take care of my toddler and crush it at work and get pregnant with #2 - and my husband is livid with clothing purchases. I don’t think it’s anything crazy (and it’s a small fraction of what I spent before I was married), but I don’t know how to give him objective data. He just keeps saying we’re not on the same page financially.

I spent $200 on clothes today (we’re on a trip and I had to go to NYC for 4 days prior, so I packed 10 days ahead of time and the weather changed. I’ve been wearing the same tank top every day because it is HOT) and he lost his mind. Won’t speak to me. I don’t know how to reason with him

I budget 5% of my take home income roughly. Which works out to be ~$8K

I have found men do not understand how women dress professionally because all they need are a couple suits, pants, shirts that are all interchangeable. They can keep things for decades without worrying about weight fluctuations, bloating, and all the other stuff women have to contend with. On top of that we keep clothes in every size we've ever worn hoping we will eventually fit in them and all they see is a closet full and clothes and no understanding that only a small amount actually fit well and make us feel confident. So when we buy something new they see it as extravagant, because we already have a closet full of clothes. A few weekends ago I just got fed up with what could be and cleaned my closet, five bags full and donated it all. I kept what made me feel good about myself and spent about $200 on new pieces to bolster what I kept. My mornings are so much easier now because I know what I have and that it fits me well. I had a heart to heart with my husband about my weight goals and how the closet was working against my progress and that I was going to buy new clothes. I didn't ask permission and all he cared about was me feeling good about myself in the body I have. This doesn't mean you don't keep striving to be healthy and fit but that your no longer striving to fit in an outfit you wore pre-kids. Mentally its a different lift. If you can't have this conversation with your husband where he supports you I think you have larger problems. Don't make it about the money with him, make him understand its for your well being.

Had a similar time after my second child and becoming a partner; in hindsight I did get back closer to my pre-pregnancy size and perhaps bought more than needed in the “in between” size but you need to be able to have a professional outfit when you need it, that fits. Also when I got back to my pre-pregnancy size, many of those clothes were out of style or too ‘junior’ since they were several years old. Agree with now investing in better, fewer pieces and often get high quality brands from The Real Real. On the money front, I probably spend $500 a month on average. One thing I do is put most shopping on a single credit card that I had before I was married, not to hide it but so I can see it in one place. I still pay that card out of joint checking with my husband but lets me see it all as one line item at the end of the month.