Do you buy new clothes/bathing suit before vacation?

[LuluLovesDisney]

Ever since I was little, we always bought some new clothes and bathing suits, etc. before vacations.

This is the first year that I haven't bought new clothes for a trip! I'm trying to be budget conscious. I do have a $50 gc to NY and Co. but I'm thinking of saving that until the fall for clothes for work.

All my tops pretty much fit me fine. I haven't lost that much (32 lbs) plus I uprooted a couple things that used to be too tight but fit now. However, I have absolutely no shorts (I almost never wore shorts bc of my weight) and I only have a few pairs of capris- two denim, one denim with crystals, two black plus the worn out-terry cloth kind for working out/the beach. I also keep thinking of getting a nice dress for one of my signature dinners.

I keep vacillating between "wear what you have/save $" and "get *something* new for your trip- don't you want cute pictures?"

Do you guys usually get a couple new things or is that just my family?

 

[maxiesmom]

It is not just you. I always get something new before vacation. It might be only a couple of tank tops, but it makes the trip seem more special for some reason. I always feel pretty the first time I wear something. And sometimes it is hard to feel pretty at Disney, what with little makeup on, my hair back in a pony-tail, and that lovely accessory the fannypack!

 

[bbangel]

I ususally only get things new if there is something that I am missing. When I went to Cuba I bought a couple of bikinis, because I didn't have any bathing suits that fit. I've bought a couple of Disney shirts for my upcoming trip (mostly so my mom and I could match).
You have to weigh what will make you feel the best. It is great to save money, especially if you have another way you want to spend it. It is also great to feel you are looking good. If you can get the "looking good" feeling without spending money that's great. Also, look at how long are you going to feel good about new clothes and how long are you going to feel good about saving money.
I don't know if I helped or made it worse.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I ususally only get things new if there is something that I am missing. When I went to Cuba I bought a couple of bikinis, because I didn't have any bathing suits that fit. I've bought a couple of Disney shirts for my upcoming trip (mostly so my mom and I could match).
You have to weigh what will make you feel the best. It is great to save money, especially if you have another way you want to spend it. It is also great to feel you are looking good. If you can get the "looking good" feeling without spending money that's great. Also, look at how long are you going to feel good about new clothes and how long are you going to feel good about saving money.
I don't know if I helped or made it worse.

lol you go back and forth like I do.

I think I might drop by NY and Co. and see what they have on sale. If I see something I really like that I could really use on the trip, I might use that $50 gc. Otherwise, I'll save it. I think one pair of denim shorts and a dress might be the best "happy medium".

 

[disneysnowflake]

I do.

Since we usually go in early December I get new clothes on clearance when all the summer stuff is marked down. It's still cute and new.
We usually wear shoes we've already broken in.

 

[dnoyes]

Lulu, Good job on the 32 pounds I think that alone should have you running out the door with that gift card. Get yourself a new dress and have a great time.

 

[englishteacha]

Summer clothes are on clearance most places now, so perhaps you can buy a couple pairs of shorts and a sundress, and save the gift card for new work clothes. Maybe if you get a couple things you LOVE, you can do laundry partway through your vacation and wear them again? A load of wash is certainly less expensive than 5-7 all new outfits!

 

[shortbun]

I got DS a new bathing suit at Target today for $2.48!

 

[aubriee]

How about looking around for some clearance sale items? At the beginning of this week Disney Shopping had free shipping on orders over $50.00. I looked in their clearance store and ordered a pair of Bambi capris with a shirt to match, three t shirts, and a pair of shorts for $53.00. There was no tax as well as free shipping. You might also look on e bay. In the last two weeks I've won several Disney t shirts as well as some 'new with tag shorts' for much cheaper than I could buy them in the store.

 

[cinmell]

Yes, we always buy new clothes and sneakers for each WDW vacation.

 

[nbodyhome]

I don't buy a lot of clothes before a trip - last year, I bought a couple of lightweight shirts and pants before our Europe trip, and this year I got an extra set of sun protective wear (it is very light, and hand-washable, which is great as we'll be in Europe for over 2 weeks). I made the mistake last year of buying some shoes that were very heavy in my backpack (that I never needed).

Most of what I bring is what I normally wear. I am not at all a clothehorse anyway, but I have lost 70 pounds (over 3 1/2 years time), and am working on the last 20 or so - I do buy something occasionally on clearance (I got a great deal on workout pants recently), but I try not to buy too much as the clothes might not be worn for long - especially since I revamped my workouts lately. Then I might splurge and buy a few outfits - but again, I don't buy a lot, for vacations or any other reason.

I did just stock up on underwear, socks and such - but because Florida was tax free (though it will be nice to have those for vacation too)

 

[stacy347]

Well, I didn't want to spend a lot right before our trip next week so I took the kids up to the local resale shop (I know resale shops gross some people out but I own a washing machine and know how to use bleach, so they don't bother me, lol) ~ anyway, I found some awesome deals there this time
I only spent $26 and got:
Union Bay shorts for me (like new!) ~ $4
Old Navy shorts (also great condition) ~ $2
Fuschia tank with lacy trim for me ~ $2
Khaki skort (Gap, I think) for me ~ $3
Tommy Hilfiger halter type top for DD9 (like new and so cute) ~ $3
Boutique button up tank for DD7 (looks brand new!) ~ $2
Mudd shorts for DD13 (great condition) ~ $3
Cute short sleeved top for DD13 ~ $2
Plus, I also got a couple of shirts for work and some books.
The kids didn't get as much this trip because they are pretty stocked up but they don't mind the resale shop as long it is stuff that's in style.

Now, I do not recommend just running into a resale shop and thinking you're just going to grab something off the rack and be out in a minute or two. I always spend about an hour sorting through the racks and it usually pays off as you can see ~ I get the name brands in great shape for a fraction of the mall prices ~ it just takes a little patience!


BTW, LuLu ~ congrats on your weight loss and I do think that you deserve to treat yourself to something for that!

 

[we3disneygo]

new t-shirts, socks, undies, got shorts at the beginning of summer..... only 37 days

 

[sk!mom]

Only if I really need something but then I never buy clothes for myself unless it's a need.

 

[jessica52877]

Nope, never gotten new clothes for vacation. I just wear what I own. I am not much of a clothes shopper though. Much rather put the money away for something else then get more clothes!

 

[disneysteve]

Do you guys usually get a couple new things or is that just my family?

We don't buy new clothes just for vacation. There's nothing wrong with the clothes we already have. We only buy new clothes (or new bathing suits) when the ones we have are shot (or in DD's case, outgrown).

We don't feel a vacation is an excuse for spending money on clothes unless we need the items anyway.

 

[missmun52]

yes I do.

I bought some things to wear to disney months ago and ended up wearing them my trip is Aug 27th and i figured they would be wasted in a sence since thats the end of summer. I got 2 skirts and 6 shirts. DH got 3 shorts and DS got nothing, I bought all his summer cloths last year on clearence for this year. (thats how i shop, he has his winter stuff already including a jacket with matching snow suit for $5 bucks from sears!)

I have been looking to buy shorts/tights to wear under my skirts (thats all i wear) and could not find any so i picked up two skorts (skirt with shorts attached) at sears %50 off! I also picked up some disney shirts at the disney store some cost 2.50 and some 5.00 i bought 3 for me 2 for Dh and 3 for DS. Those are also packed. Oh and i bought swim suits for all of us. We did not have any or else i would not have bought those.

Gee, i bought alot of stuff but almost everything was 50% off or more.

 

[kfeuer]

I don't have the mindset of wanting new clothes just because I'm going on vacation, but I usually realize I need a couple things because I don't have that many clothes to start with! For example, right now I only have 2 pairs of shorts and that's not going to be enough for a week-long cruise--I need to hit the clearance racks! I also had to get a formal dress, but I found a great one when Dillard's had an extra 30% off their clearance and only paid $30 for a dress that retailed for $180 (and I can resell it when the cruise is over). Luckily my kids and DH's wardrobes are in better shape then mine so our expenses will be pretty minimal.

 

[deekaypee]

Nope, I'm too cheap/broke from spending my $$$ paying for the vacation! If I buy anything, like sneakers, it's because I'm replacing what I already own.

But your situation is similar to where I was a little over a year ago. You've lost 32 pounds-- --which I do think of as a lot! (Isn't 10lbs. roughly = 1 dress size, depending on height, bone structure, etc.) So you need to decide whether you want to mark that substantial accomplishment with a new pair of shorts/a dress/pictures. It IS worth celebrating and noting. You've worked hard and you might be inspired by the reward.

But then there's the other side of the not-yet-spent coin. Assuming you're not at your end goal yet (one of your siggys says "32 lbs. down so far") you might choose to hold off on the new wardrobe until you've reached your goal or until you have to replace clothes in order to be able to go out in polite society. This might be the practical choice given your budget, how much more weight you want to lose, or what kind of clothes you wear on a regular basis.

When I was losing weight I took the second approach. I knew I'd have to replace most of my wardrobe when I was finished, but I didn't want to pay for it twice. I bought as little as I could at the halfway point, just kept notching my belt tighter. When I reached my goal, I started with work clothes before casual clothes. I'm still wearing tops that are too big for me! But that decision was based on a number of factors...when I was losing most of the weight, when I could anticipate reaching my goal, that I had no special events/photo opportunities during that period, and that I don't like having my picture taken in the first place. Your situation, then, if significantly different than mine.

I think you need to ask yourself how important is it to document not only your vacation, but to document your vacation and the "new you." That decision might be very important to maintaining your motivation to lose weight. And then compare that need with your budget and need for fall work clothes. As long as you don't go into debt to buy them, I'd say either choice is reasonable. Good luck and let us know what you decide! Again, congratulations on your accomplisment.

(Btw, I love resale shops too, Stacy347! Guess how I began to initially replace my wardrobe??? And I still try to visit them every month or so!)

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Thank you deekaypee and everyone else who sent their congrats. 10 lbs=a dress size when you're on the small side, I think. For me, it's a little more. I am completely out of my 18's and 20's, but I had some 16's from a couple years ago that fit now. I'm a pear shape so my tops fit okay for the most part, but I don't have many bottoms at all. I want to get to a size 12, so I figure I have about 28-38 more lbs to go and don't want to get a lot of stuff. I really appreciate all the advice.

I think I'm going to go through all the clothes I have and plan outfits based on what I have, but I am going to run to Target today. If I can pick up a pair of capris and shorts, I think It will do a lot for making me feel good, esp. since I haven't worn shorts in years (except in the pool) If I see a dress I really love . . .

It's not the time to get a whole bunch of clothes, but I think it's a great time to celebrate my first pair of shorts!

Nope, I'm too cheap/broke from spending my $$$ paying for the vacation! If I buy anything, like sneakers, it's because I'm replacing what I already own.

But your situation is similar to where I was a little over a year ago. You've lost 32 pounds-- --which I do think of as a lot! (Isn't 10lbs. roughly = 1 dress size, depending on height, bone structure, etc.) So you need to decide whether you want to mark that substantial accomplishment with a new pair of shorts/a dress/pictures. It IS worth celebrating and noting. You've worked hard and you might be inspired by the reward.

But then there's the other side of the not-yet-spent coin. Assuming you're not at your end goal yet (one of your siggys says "32 lbs. down so far") you might choose to hold off on the new wardrobe until you've reached your goal or until you have to replace clothes in order to be able to go out in polite society. This might be the practical choice given your budget, how much more weight you want to lose, or what kind of clothes you wear on a regular basis.

When I was losing weight I took the second approach. I knew I'd have to replace most of my wardrobe when I was finished, but I didn't want to pay for it twice. I bought as little as I could at the halfway point, just kept notching my belt tighter. When I reached my goal, I started with work clothes before casual clothes. I'm still wearing tops that are too big for me! But that decision was based on a number of factors...when I was losing most of the weight, when I could anticipate reaching my goal, that I had no special events/photo opportunities during that period, and that I don't like having my picture taken in the first place. Your situation, then, if significantly different than mine.

I think you need to ask yourself how important is it to document not only your vacation, but to document your vacation and the "new you." That decision might be very important to maintaining your motivation to lose weight. And then compare that need with your budget and need for fall work clothes. As long as you don't go into debt to buy them, I'd say either choice is reasonable. Good luck and let us know what you decide! Again, congratulations on your accomplisment.

(Btw, I love resale shops too, Stacy347! Guess how I began to initially replace my wardrobe??? And I still try to visit them every month or so!)