Do you buy your spouse's clothes?

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I guess this will have to be my first post. I couldn't resist commenting.

My opinion is, if it matters to you how he looks, or if his threadbare clothes at work threaten your income, then you need to step in and force him to go clothes shopping while he tries on clothes. Then when you know what size he is you can just shop for him from now on and avoid the whole MIL thing, which is not conducive to building a partnership in your marriage.

However, if you don't care how he presents himself, or his salary is not affected, then let him fend for himself. You've got enough of your plate.

 

Wow, aaplank! I can't believe you are commenting! Since you know exactly whom and what I am talking about, I guess I'll have to take your advice! :D

[gardenmom5]

I do some shopping for dh. He's clueless. I'd do more, but he is pretty resistant to my attempts to improve his wardrobe. at least he only wears his white t-shirts and sweats at home - except he now works from home. (thunk). he always changes when meeting with a client. He drags me along when he tries on pants. (he's very happy to no longer be in a position he must wear a suit everyday, so he hasn't bought one for a few years.) we have a cleaner who does pick ups and drop offs. so stick in a bag on the porch and dh is in charge of his own dry clean items.

Edited July 20, 2012 by gardenmom5

[Lovedtodeath]

 

Wow, aaplank! I can't believe you are commenting! Since you know exactly whom and what I am talking about, I guess I'll have to take your advice! :D

Love your blog! :)

[AngieC]

Yeah, I wouldn't want to interrupt his hours and hours of hammock time on the weekend by forcing him to go buy some jeans for himself. :D When my husband is "around", he's either watching TV or lying in his hammock, unless I've specifically told him to do something. He's kind of like a giant slug when he's at home. Meanwhile, I'm mowing the lawn, painting woodwork, and getting all those errands done that I don't want to do with a 3 mo. old, a 7 mo. old, two 8 yr. olds and 9 yr. old. This is primarily the reason that I think he can spare an afternoon to buy himself some jeans.

 

In that case I would definitely make him do his own shopping!

[prairiewindmomma]

Dh asked me to be his fashion consultant early in our marriage. (And, frankly, he needed the help. ;)

 

For several years we shopped together, now he just gives me his sizes and I pick them up. He wears dress shirts & Dockers 80% of the time, and I just pick them up from Costco while I'm there buying groceries. For the other stuff, and for shoes, we shop together....usually while we're out shopping for the kids or for me as well.

 

He's capable of buying his own stuff, but he has problems distinguishing colors and is grateful for the help.... He helps me pick out tires for my vehicle and parts for my computer and other stuff where I have less of a knowledge base. That sounds sexist, but it's really a matter of where our natural interests and talents lie.

[bluemongoose]

Yes I do buy most of DH's clothes. He is already busy, so I do not feel the need to add more things to his plate and consequently have him spend less time with us. Now he will buy some things online for himself such as socks and pants as he always gets the same brand and style. As far as underwear and shirts, I pick them us as needed or as I find them on sale. My DH always wears one of two outfits: staying in- khaki shorts and white t-shirt; going out- khaki pants and a button down short sleeve shirt. He doesnt wear suits or polos or any other type thing. This makes it easy for us to shop.

[TranquilMind]

thescrappyhomeschooler: What sayeth the hive? Should I bring some pants home for him to try on, then take them back if/when they don't fit? Or should I bully him into going to the store to buy some jeans? (If you're hesitating, you might want to take into consideration that I watch two infants full time, as well as my 8 yr. old niece 2 days a week, along with my own two kids. I also do all the yard work, pay all the bills, do all the shopping, cleaning, cooking, laundry- you get the picture.)

 

Wow. Let HIM do the yard work or hire it out. And my husband does the grocery shopping and most of the cooking.

 

I do the cleaning, bill paying, run a small business and yes, I buy him clothes. He has neither time, nor inclination to do this, and he is easy to fit. I just pick stuff up here and there if I see it on sale.

 

No way would I be shopping with young children, however, especially infants! Even when my own were young, I'd leave them with him to go shop if someone needed something.

 

So either punt a task that you have now, if you are better at shopping, or give him some clear parameters of what he should buy and let him go.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Wow. Let HIM do the yard work or hire it out.

 

That was one of our deals when we got married. He owned a condo so that he wouldn't have to do any yardwork. I said I wanted to live in a real house. The deal was we could live in a real house if I did all the yard work. In our 10 years of marriage, he's mowed the lawn a total of 4-5 times, maybe, when I've been physically incapacitated. I've made a scrapbook page out of him mowing the lawn one time.

[Mom22ns]

My immediate response was "NO, I don't shop for dh!". Then I started thinking about it. I do buy socks & underwear for him at Wal-Mart, just part of my regular weekly shopping. I have also bought, shorts, swim trunks, jeans and a few casual shirts. I guess I DO shop for DH :001_huh:.

 

I do not buy him work clothes though. If he needs nice clothes, I go with him to the store and support and encourage :lol:

 

I hate shopping as much as he does. We both have clothes that we've had our entire married lives (21 yrs) that we still wear. We only buy the bare minimum. As it turns out dd loves to shop (throwback) and is developing into an excellent fashion consultant. One of these days, he won't take me anymore, he'll just take her.

[paulasue]

I buy everything for DH. I saw what he picked bought when he was single. :lol: I usually will pick up things for him when I am out already shopping for other things. We just a have different division of labor for our house. DH handles everything outside. I help, but it's all his first responsibility. I do most of the inside stuff and he helps when I need it. Also, usually when I am shopping, he is home with DS, so I have to look like I've accomplished something.;)

[beezus]

No, I don't buy dh's clothes, except for an occasional gift item. We met when we were in our 40s, so we were both pretty used to doing those things for ourselves. Plus, he likes to wear shirts that are really too baggy for him. If I bought a shirt that would actually fit I doubt he'd wear it much, and I don't want to add to his billowy shirt collection.

[Melinda S in TX]

What sayeth the hive? Should I bring some pants home for him to try on, then take them back if/when they don't fit?

 

I have bought all of dh clothes forever, but I make it easy on myself since I have to take the children wherever I go. I go to JCPenney's and get five light blue short sleeved dress shirts, two long sleeved light blue dress shirts, and five pair of brown dockers. I go to Walmart and buy two bags of gray socks, two packs of boxers, and two packs of wife beater t-shirts. I buy a few casual shirts I like, and a couple of t-shirts and shorts for pjs. I order five Dickies overalls from Dickies.com and I'm done. Occasionally he needs shoes and I order the same exact thing in the same size from Birkenstock. I do the same for farm boots and the Lands End coat and jacket that he likes. That pretty much takes care of clothes for the year.

 

For the jeans, I would look at what your dh is wearing and guess what he might wear. Maybe measure him. Then I would pick out several different sizes/kinds at the store, bring them home for him to try on, return what he doesn't want, and get more of what he likes. If you don't want to go shopping, order from somewhere online and return what you don't want. Sometimes it's cheaper as far as time and money for me to ship something back than to go to town and shop for it.

[Katy]

I didn't read all the responses. I stock up on things like socks, boxers, and undershirts for him. For anything else I text him and announce he can't wear this anymore, he needs more ___ and to be ready to go shopping when he gets home. We go together. I veto some poor choices.

[lllll]

TMI

Edited July 21, 2012 by ksva

[Gentlemommy]

Only for gifts, when that's what he asked for. He, however, does a better job at picking mine, so he usually does that. :D

[Kari C in SC]

Yes, I buy all of my husbands clothes. He's gone all day at work and I would rather have him around when he's not at work than be out shopping. He does buy his own shoes because he needs to try them on, but I know his other sizes and it's easier for all of us if I just pick up clothes for him. That said, he's not hard to please and will wear whatever I buy so I don't mind doing it.

 

(Now, I wouldn't do it if I had to bring all of the kids you mentioned in your post, but just your own kids wouldn't be bad in my opinion.)

 

:iagree: This is me. We have been married for 22 years. I think he has gone clothes shopping like 3 times in that time. Most of the time, I buy him basic jeans or shorts that I know his size for. There is no guessing there. 33-30 makes it easy. Pretty much any t-shirt will work as long as it is basic. I buy him new socks and toss out all the old, etc. He does shop for new shoes about twice a year.

Edited July 20, 2012 by Kari C in SC

[Slartibartfast]

I wouldn't buy dh clothes for him, unless it was tshirts/socks/underwear or something like that. I certainly wouldn't buy him pants without him, my dh only wears pants for weddings, church and funerals. There is NO WAY I would buy him some without him being there. I am not kidding either, dh will wear shorts in the dead of winter rather than pants.

 

We have shopped for clothes for him together and he has shopped by himself.

 

He would not call his mom for help shopping.

Edited July 20, 2012 by Sis

[Mom-ninja.]

I buy casual clothes for him, but not his work clothes. He's too picky with his work clothes.

[Veritaserum]

No, but I will encourage him to buy some or go with him.

[BlessedMom]

Yes, I buy all my wonderful husbands clothes!