Fashion

[wilma]

2021 Data from consumer spending on clothing in the U.S.

Apparel industry worth $2.4 trillion 

Women Age 16+ Spend on avg. $571 per year on clothes 

Women Age 45 - 54 Spend $793 per year 

Interestingly, they released no data for women over 54. 🤔

Average Woman's Wardrobe Value: $1000 - $2500

9% have more than $10,000 value

Men Age 16+ Spend $323 per year on clothing with men ages 45 - 54 spending the most. 

Women pay 8% more than men for clothing. Jeans for women cost on average 10% more & shirts 5% more than what men pay. 👎🏻

Shoes: 

More shoe purchases by 35 - 44 year olds in both genders.

Men's designer shoes cost on average $190 more than women's designer shoes. 

Sources: Credit Donkey, BLS, McKinsey & Co., North Dakota University, Alliance Data, NYC Consumer Affairs, Datafiniti, American Apparel & Footwear Association

My Comments:

I found these statistics interesting. I'm actually a bit surprised at the dollar amounts. I would have guessed the amount spent would be higher. I know I've spent more than that in one year, especially when buying nicer shoes, clothing, & outerwear.

What do you think about women paying more for their clothing? Seems a bit unjust considering a lot of our pieces are not as tailored and detailed as items for men. 

Any other comments? 

[ECBG]

I totally understand why women pay more for some of their clothing looking at some of the buttons, darts, ruffles, inset lace and similar elements.

Men's basic clothing is a shirt with a basic design and pants which have some variety in style but not much.  Men's big labor intensive piece is a suit jacket or blazer.

Their shoes use more leather than ours because of size.

[kaydee50]

I would be more interested in how much women 54+ spend each year on clothing.

[wilma]

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@kaydee50 wrote:

I would be more interested in how much women 54+ spend each year on clothing.

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@kaydee50 

Me too. It wasn't in the data.

I have heard & read that a lot of companies don't track spending after a certain age, because they are more interested in what younger more impressionable consumers are buying with their money. They adjust their marketing and advertising campaigns with those younger buyers in mind. 

[wilma]

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@ECBG wrote:

I totally understand why women pay more for some of their clothing looking at some of the buttons, darts, ruffles, inset lace and similar elements.

Men's basic clothing is a shirt with a basic design and pants which have some variety in style but not much.  Men's big labor intensive piece is a suit jacket or blazer.

Their shoes use more leather than ours because of size.

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@ECBG 

Thanks for your insights. Makes sense. 

[chrystaltree]

I buy a lot of clothing and accessories, no retailer or online store has ever asked me for proof of age.  So I just wonder where these numbers come from.  

[wilma]

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@chrystaltree wrote:

I buy a lot of clothing and accessories, no retailer or online store has ever asked me for proof of age.  So I just wonder where these numbers come from.  

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@chrystaltree 

I'm assuming some of that info comes from purchases with credit cards companies who definitely have personal info on us. Actually, it's rather scary to think about how we are "tracked" these days. We get emails & coupons from stores based on our shopping and spending habits.

[haddon9]

Interesting!  I have to admit that I spent way more than the typical middle aged woman (though I'm older).  My excuse is that I lost some weight so I needed new things.  I also spent a lot of the dress to wear for DD's wedding.

[ECBG]

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@wilma wrote:

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@chrystaltree wrote:

I buy a lot of clothing and accessories, no retailer or online store has ever asked me for proof of age.  So I just wonder where these numbers come from.  

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@chrystaltree 

I'm assuming some of that info comes from purchases with credit cards companies who definitely have personal info on us. Actually, it's rather scary to think about how we are "tracked" these days. We get emails & coupons from stores based on our shopping and spending habits.

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@wilma @chrystaltree 

When we go to any site, they read our hardware's "IP address", which is how Paypal recognises you when you make more than one purchase on the same hardware.

Have you looked at items on a site and they come up on the side margins of your email for instance?

Sites can send information to your computer's IP address.

[FancyPhillyshopper]

My DH can buy a suit that will last for a few decades!  He can wear the suit with different shirts and ties a few days in a row and it is hard to tell it is the same suit.

However, everybody would certainly know if I wore the same dress every day!

Women need a lot more variety.

I also think pricing depends on if one buys high quality (material, work) or designer items versus trendy cheap polyester or denim items.

I remember when Bob Mackie sold silk blouses on QVC for under $50.00.  Now silk blouses cost hundreds of dollars and are hard to find!

I have a great wardrobe collected over my lifetime, and it is priceless to me!!