I got this friend who works at the fashion clothing store Theory. She told me that she will write off a bunch of clothes she bought because they are "work clothes". And she said she'd done that before.

That's several thousands of dollars worth of everyday wearable clothes she's going to write off. Can you really do this? Maybe I should go buy a bunch of clothes and say I wear them to work...

I got this friend who works at the fashion clothing store Theory. She told me that she will write off a bunch of clothes she bought because they are "work clothes". And she said she'd done that before.

That's several thousands of dollars worth of everyday wearable clothes she's going to write off. Can you really do this? Maybe I should go buy a bunch of clothes and say I wear them to work...


http://ns.cuyahoga.lib.oh.us/taxform/taxmap/pub17/p17-153.htm


You can deduct the cost and upkeep of work clothes if the following two requirements are met.
You must wear them as a condition of your employment.
The clothes are not suitable for everyday wear.
http://ns.cuyahoga.lib.oh.us/taxform/taxmap/graphics/caution.gifIt is not enough that you wear distinctive clothing. The clothing must be specifically required by your employer. Nor is it enough that you do not, in fact, wear your work clothes away from work. The clothing must not be suitable for taking the place of your regular clothing.

Examples of workers who may be able to deduct the cost and upkeep of work clothes are: delivery workers, firefighters, health care workers, law enforcement officers, letter carriers, professional athletes, and transportation workers (air, rail, bus, etc.).
Musicians and entertainers can deduct the cost of theatrical clothing and accessories if they are not suitable for everyday wear.
However, work clothing consisting of white cap, white shirt or white jacket, white bib overalls, and standard work shoes, which a painter is required by his union to wear on the job, is not distinctive in character or in the nature of a uniform. Similarly, the costs of buying and maintaining blue work clothes worn by a welder at the request of a foreman are not deductible.

[/URL]taxmap/pub17/p17-153.htm#TXMP0251b36a
Protective clothing.


http://ns.cuyahoga.lib.oh.us/taxform/taxmap/graphics/grayrl.gifhttp://ns.cuyahoga.lib.oh.us/taxform/taxmap/graphics/white1px.gifProtective clothing. (http://www.allforums.net/)

You can deduct the cost of protective clothing required in your work, such as safety shoes or boots, safety glasses, hard hats, and work gloves.
Examples of workers who may be required to wear safety items are: carpenters, cement workers, chemical workers, electricians, fishing boat crew members, machinists, oil field workers, pipe fitters, steamfitters, and truck drivers.

taxmap/pub17/p17-153.htm#TXMP49a2d17a
Military uniforms.


http://ns.cuyahoga.lib.oh.us/taxform/taxmap/graphics/grayrl.gifhttp://ns.cuyahoga.lib.oh.us/taxform/taxmap/graphics/white1px.gif[URL="http://ns.cuyahoga.lib.oh.us/taxform/taxmap/ts0/tp5788.htm"]Military uniforms. (http://www.allforums.net/)

You generally cannot deduct the cost of your uniforms if you are on full-time active duty in the armed forces. However, if you are an armed forces reservist, you can deduct the unreimbursed cost of your uniform if military regulations restrict you from wearing it except while on duty as a reservist. In figuring the deduction, you must reduce the cost by any nontaxable allowance you receive for these expenses.
If local military rules do not allow you to wear fatigue uniforms when you are off duty, you can deduct the amount by which the cost of buying and keeping up these uniforms is more than the uniform allowance you receive.
You can deduct the cost of your uniforms if you are a civilian faculty or staff member of a military school.

Oh wow that's very detailed and useful.

I don't think my friend meets the second requirement, although the first one is true. All of her Theory clothes are perfectly suitable for everyday wear.

How's the government gonna tell?

Active Duty military get a uniform allowance that isn't taxed.

and you can deduct company logo apparel.

Active Duty military get a uniform allowance that isn't taxed.

Just got that last paycheck actually.

Taking a deduction means being able to itemize your tax return rather than filing a short form. Many people have found (myself included) that the parameters set up for itemization just do not include them. The percentages of adjusted gross income called for to qualify for itemizing one's tax return are rather high.