51 + 2 = 53... and Clothes

Take that, holidays! I lost 2 lbs. last week and weighed in this morning at 141. It's been awhile since I tried setting a mini-goal for myself, but I'm going to try one now. I want to weigh in at 139 by Friday, January 22. Boy, would it be swell to see a 3 on that scale!!!

Clothes - 15 per cent of income

At first glance, the authors of The Manual appear to be mighty generous in the allowance allotted for clothing in the "pattern" household budget. When I added up my spending on clothes for the last 90 days ($420) and divided it by three, I find that I'm spending on average $140 per month on new clothing and shoes. That's 4% of my gross monthly income of $3666.67.

Wait a minute, though. I bet that 15% figure applies to the amount ideally spend on clothing for an entire family. And the average family in 1945 was a family of six. If you split 15% six ways --- well, I probably ought only to be spending about 2.5% of my income on clothes - or $91.67 per month. If I wasn't dropping clothes sizes at the rate I've been dropping 'em, 2.5% would probably be just right. These are unusual times, however, and I have to take into account the fact that during the last nine months I've dropped from a size 18W to an almost-maybe-super snug size 8. I've had to replace my wardrobe four times!

The authors of The Manual also acknowledge that various members of the family would ideally spend differing amounts on clothes. The figures in the passage below are annual expenditures. I've included its equivalent in 2008 dollars in brackets after each figure:

In a wage-earner's family, the wife's clothing may cost about $70 [$829]; the husband's nearer $100 [$1184], and the children's from $25 to $60 each [$296-$711]; but older-teen and working young people's more of course than their parents'. On a $2400 [$28419] family income the mother's and the father's clothing may each be about $100 [$1184], hers perhaps a little more than his; on a $3600 [$42629] income they will each have $150 [$1776] or more and hers will be definitely the larger. Yet every wife knows the importance of her husband's appearance being suitable to his vocational position; and every mother knows that children involve sacrifice of parental outlays in dress or other items.

My income is closer to the $3600 figure (in 1945 dollars) than either of the others, so I guess I might reasonably allot myself $1776 or more per year (in 2008 dollars) for clothes - or $148 per month. That's just about what I've been spending. I don't have a husband whose vocational position relies on his appearance being "suitable," but my own vocational position sure does! The lines they draw in that last passage are interesting. Older teenagers and "working young people" are expected to spend more for clothing than either their parents or younger siblings. I guess the authors of The Manual recognize that a polished appearance is vital when you're of marriageable age. Wives of wage-earners are expected to sacrifice what they'd like to spend on new clothing (or fabric and other supplies to fashion new clothing at home) so their husbands and children will have all the clothes they need. Wives in the middle class have a little more leeway and are expected to spend as much or more than their husbands spend on clothing. After all, they've got a social ladder to climb.

However, many factors affect the amount that must be spent for clothing - climate, activities, interests and social or business obligations, all are involved. A list of the year's needs should be made for each member of the family, and the items on hand checked off. It is often necessary to look ahead two or three years in order to plan wisely for a major purchase such as a winter coat. An estimate of the cost of items to be purchased can then be made. Actual expenditures depend upon your ability to compare quality and price, to watch for sales at reliable stores, to read labels and to follow directions for care. If you know the best methods for laundering, mending and pressing, you can prolong the useful life of clothes.

Some very sensible tips, these. Planning far ahead of major purchases would come in particularly handy for mothers of several children. (Especially when they're at that age where they're in a new shoe size and new dress size every year!) The last two tips remind me that the budget worksheet in The Manual includes a category under clothes for "clothing upkeep." They don't seem to count laundry costs in this category - these fall under "operating expenses" - but I imagine this would include things like tailor's bills, sending clothes out for special care, supplies used at home for mending, the purchase of new ironing or pressing equipment, shoe polish, and so forth. Can you think of anything else that might apply? I haven't made any purchases yet this year that seem to fall into this category, but I'll keep my eyes open. Next up: Operating Expenses.