Clothes shopping - how often is "normal"?

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So I've been wondering how often a mentally healthy NT might buy clothes, and the minimum number of acceptable outfits to have to wear. (Left to me, I would wear the same thing every single day of my life until it fell apart, although I will say I do have more than 5 outfits. )

I don't really have anybody to imitate, because my mother hated shopping also. And seems like a weird thing to ask anyone in person. Plus I can't be sure if they are "normal" in terms of how much money they spend on clothes -- I don't want to model after someone who uses shopping to self-medicate.

Please nothing mean - this is a serious question.

I get what you mean. It is stereotyped that "manly" guys ( ) shop only when they need something, and then go in and come out with that item within seconds. Well, minutes, actually. "Metro" guys shop for latest items whenever. If there is something new they want to imitate, they might buy it. Like, special shoes, or accessories. In the same way, I think girls shop. They, as well as men, will shop when they feel they need to add something to their wardrobe. I only shop if I really want something, or if I feel I need something... or, sometimes I just like to. I really like flannel shirts, and I saw one on sale, so I bought it. My mom helps me out with this, still, as I too have trouble. It's good to have a few selections that all coordinate, so you don't have to worry about it.

The minimum number of outfits.... You can go far with two or three pants and several shirts. Try layers. 2 or 3 layering shirts (for the weather. They can be functional and nice) and several random items. There are many articles online about this.

I have this problem too, my wardrobe is tiny, and my clothes-washing schedule is inconsistent at best! But I don't like clothes shopping, so I try to put it off as much as possible. ><

A lot more often than you.

you seem fairly close to the guy standard. I wear clothes because I have to.

After that, people dress for reasons, some have more reasons than others.

For many clothing is group identity, If I have a group they are strange people.

Some dress for camoflauge, projecting an image that by the time they figure it out you are gone.

Five outfits seem ample, if they are all black. I got by that way for years.

Then I started dressing for the office, but I do not go to the office.

It was mostly not to be identified by my clothing, to be vauge.

I found it was not clothes, it was shopping, and buying on the web is better.

Better quality, choice, fit, price, and I now dress as an outdoors man.

Part of it is the, I shoot things, look, but most is the durable clothing made.

All of my favorite jeans fell into rags, so now I buy the tough ones.

Sometimes it can be fun, watching the reaction to a suit.

I would say it is what you want out of the deal.

On a personal level, I like new socks and underwear.

Every now and then I just go wild and throw things away.

It forces a restart, and sometimes change is good.

this is why shopping on line and catalogues are the BOMB!

really, really really really.

Merle

I wear... 3 outfits... well, I only have 3 pairs of pants I wear. I have about 10 t-shirts, but all of them I've made images to iron on myself, and the shirts themselves are all the same, lol.

It's hard to say what is normal... My mom picks up things that she likes if they are on sale, usually, but she has to really really like it. My boyfriend's mom shops compulsively. I have met a lot of people who just like to window shop and look at the latest fashions, but I was never really with them enough to figure out when they'd actually buy things. It was like, I'd see them one week or go with them while they window-shopped, and a few weeks later, they would have something new.

I'd say maybe... once a month, my neighbor gets new clothes, but I don't really see the point if everything she has fits just fine, lol. Either she is getting rid of a lot of stuff and changes her wardrobe that often, or she has a massively large closet to keep all of the additions in.

I've never really spent a ton of time with anyone enough to see what normal shopping routine is like. I've watched people keep buying when they have no money, and some that just keep wearing the same things over and over until they do have the money. I've seen people just not buy new things because the brand or style they like is no longer around, unless they absolutely have to... and I've seen those that go out and keep up with trends a lot...

Considering everyone's situations are different, I think it would be rather hard to figure it out.

I hate clothes shopping. I find it a very upsetting experience at the best of times. Therefore my wardrobe is very limited and working in an office this really shows. Fortunately, I'm able to wear jeans and t-shirts - the advantages of being an IT geek. Still I know I really do need to buy more shirts than the 5 I have currently have and I do need some new long sleeve shirts for the upcoming cold weather and some new sweaters. *sigh*

I have no idea how many clothes normal people have. The women in my office barely seem to wear the same outfit twice.

I only buy when absolutely necessary, but when I do go out, I tend to buy alot.

I own a lot of clothes - I could go about a month and a half without doing laundry if I had to, but I don't go shopping too often, only when I have free time, which is rare.

My grandmother tends to think it's necessary to shop for new outfits every season. She quite often invities me out to go shopping with her, she even gives me fashion advice because she thinks that what I wear isn't in style (and it probably isn't), lol. My mum however is also NT and hardly ever shops for clothes...maybe once a year, if that. Like me she is usually convinced by my grandma to buy clothing. I think it's because she doesn't want to spend lots of money on clothes where as my reason is that I don't like shopping malls.

I'm not sure how many acceptable outfits is the norm. I don't even have an 'outfit' as such, I just wear whatever happens to be suitable for where I'm going - long pants if it's cold, shorts if it's warm, a dark shirt if I'm going somewhere to eat (so food stains wont be so obvious!) & pants with a stretchy waist if I'm going to be sitting down for a long time, such as when travelling or at the cinema.

You don't have to mimic anyones shopping habits. Just buy what you need and when you need it. It's the simplest way to shop in my opinion.

I usually only get new shirts and stuff if my mom hits a sale or something. I usually don't even expect it when she tells me she got new clothes for me. The most recent purchase was a motorcycle jacket that looks like the one the Honda Repsol team wears. That was only because it was on sale and I needed a lightweight jacket, my grandfather;s old leather jackets shoulders were too narrow for me.

I am reasonably capable of shopping, but I like clothing that is unique. My style is very scifi... not like the scantily clad women of ST, but more like the ancients or replicators from Stargate. Wraith have some nice coats, too.

I've inherited my mum's bad trait of buying clothes that are on sale. I would say maybe two items every 3-4 weeks, which isn't that bad. I often buy impulsively though. I get home and wonder why I bought something.
I also buy clothes closer to when the seasons change. I'm getting ready for colder days and freezing nights as winter approaches in about 3 months. Like my sister says, I was born ready. I like to get everything organised a bit early.
Then there's those clothes I buy when I run out or they get old and dirty (shoes) or start getting holes in them (socks). Or if I lose or gain weight.

I hate clothes shopping. The last time I bought clothes, it was because I was attending an improv show after work without planning and I don't like my uniform. I stopped by the clearance section of old navy and bought what was in my size.

I remember reading somewhere that the average American buys one new article of clothing per month. I personally buy a whole new outfit--shirt, pants or skirt, shoes, and jacket or sweater--once per season, and socks and underwear as needed.

I don't do much clothes shopping, unless I see a really cool shirt that I like and that I simply must have. I hate shopping for pants because it's difficult for me to find a pair of decent-fitting pants. Probably because I have such a small waist.