According to an article by the Associated Press, clothing prices are most likely going up by 10%. The second half of the year will see the biggest price jumps. The price increases are attributed to cotton prices – as they have more than doubled in the past year and labor prices are surging. In an effort, to create the most wanted items, many retailers may offer less color choices.

So how will this effect tall clothing? I’m speculating that “special” sizes will be hit the hardest. Tall sizes and plus size often already cost more than the “regular” sized clothes. Special patterns have to made for tall sizes adding extra cost to the retailers. When shoe companies make bigger sizes, they have to create individual molds for each size of shoes and those can cost thousands of dollars. If they aren’t able to market the “special” sizes , they end up with extra inventory and many companies aren’t willing to take the risk of offering these products. That is why we may see less styles being made outside of the “average” sizes.

There is still a market for tall sizes, so I don’t think we’ll see a huge amount of companies going out of business. However, I do think we’ll see less inventory in tall sizes. That means if you see something you love, you may have to pay full price as it may sell out before it hits the clearance section.

If you haven’t been a bargain shopper before, perhaps now is the time to start watching for coupons and special shipping offers. We keep our sale section at Tall Clothing Mall up to date with the latest coupons and offers. So be sure and check there often.

Other ways to save money include to buy things at the end of the season and save them for the following year. I shop this way for my kids all of the time. For instance, a few months ago, I found Old Navy kids jeans on sale for $2.50 a pair. I have 5 kids, so I tried to purchase as many pairs of jeans that I could in larger sizes. Jeans can be worn year round and my boys are especially hard on them. At $2.50 a pair, you can’t go wrong. As I was checking out, items were flying out of my cart. I ended up with 16 pairs of jeans in various sizes. That deal only lasted an hour. Some people may call it hoarding, but I call it being smart! If you have kids, you may want to check out my girls clothing blog – as I try and post great deals there too.

Now may be the time to rethink how you go about shopping for your clothing. With rising prices, perhaps you become a savvy bargain shopper and watch for discounts more than ever. Or, perhaps you decide to create a timeless wardrobe forgoing the latest fads and purchase quality pieces that will last for years. My suggestion is you do a little bit of each. I suggest you buy quality pieces especially in suits, dresses, wrinkle-free shirts and trousers. These items never go out of style and can easily be matched with inexpensive items. Then watch out for sales on trendy items.

I’d love to hear your ideas on how to combat rising clothing prices!