Counting the Cost

Creatively Frugal
Business Attire
How do you dress for success without spending your entire salary to do it?

"SHOP AT VALUE VILLAGE! Only buy items that are the 50% off color tag of the day!" ~ Ann

"I recently lost a lot of weight, and found that I
couldn't even take in my clothes to fit! This is
good, but hard on the budget.

My key hints fall in three areas:
1) Frugality in buying (prices and selection)
2) Classics and swapping
3) Maintaining your clothes
4) Wearing them out and staying organized

1) Frugality in buying
I checked out the thrift stores in wealthier areas
(not my neighborhood). The Junior League Shop, one other thrift store, and the Goodwill near the
expensive suburb, carry very high quality clothing at an amazingly low price. I also have a sort of price book mentality. I won't pay $4 for a used t-shirt at Goodwill or the thrift store, when I know I can buy a brand new comparable one on sale at Target or Walmart. But for work clothing, I will shop carefully and buy a classic pair of lined Talbot dress pants for $8 at the Junior League store. (They were over $78 new - I've
checked the Talbots outlet). I also watch for the
sales. Goodwill periodically has a half-price tag
sale, and twice a year here, a $2 an item sale. I
focus on getting such items as classic blazers (I got
10 of them for $2 each, most of them from Nordstroms or subtle, lovely tweeds/heathers I can wear with several basic colors), very interesting hand-knit sweaters, and pretty blouses with unusual buttons or asymmetrical lines.

I find that summer is the time to find a half-price
tag Christmas or fall sweater, and a good deal on a
fall jacket at Goodwill. (Just got a Jones New York navy pea coat).

2) Wear Classics and Swap...
With three or four well-cut pairs of pants, a basic
black skirt and basic navy skirt, a white blouse (from Target), and the variety of blazers, I made it through most of a season. I have now supplemented with additional fine gauge knit sweaters to go under the blazers, in a broader range of colors.

I have also traded with my sister for scarves and
necklaces... We each get tired of the accessories, and we give back when we get tired of them. I have also out-right swapped with friends from other areas... scarves and necklaces and some dresses.

I did not add anything extremely colorful, or in a
trendy color, unless it was from Target / Walmart, and then limited myself to one piece per season. That way, in my 'notice everything' office, I'm seen as wearing tasteful classics, not trendy items that are out of style before the credit card is paid off. (like cargo pants - already out of style).

By letting myself have one colorful, fun piece or outfit, I'm not breaking the bank but still having
fun.

And... best of all? I have actually a nicer wardrobe than the woman in my office who spends a LOT more money but buys trendy items continually on-line. Even at Chadwicks or Speigels, it adds up...

I do sew. I have moved buttons up when I find
something that is missing one... I have mended a split seam and fixed a run in a sweater. I've added trim to the bottom of a pair of inexpensive cropped pants, and made them coordinate with the colorful shirt I found at WalMart. I've cut off the interesting buttons from an ugly blouse from Goodwill, and added them to a new one from Target. These items give me a sense of fun
and creativity on a limited budget when I have very
little time.

3) Maintaining
Also, I keep up with my mending and ironing. That way, I never go shopping thinking, 'I don't have a thing to wear.' Rather, I keep a list in my little notebook of something I'd like to have (black jumper, white pants) and when I find it, I get it... but I try not to buy something I haven't already decided I need (much like a grocery list). That doesn't mean if I see a wonderful Christmas sweater for $4 at Goodwill, that I won't get it, but I don't come home to find that I have 3 pairs of khaki pants already because I forgot that 1 pair needed a button and another pair needed ironing.

4) Organizing
I also keep the closet pared down, so I can easily see what I do have. I have a friend that comes and does 'what not to wear' with me quarterly. For example, I found that perfect fitting pair of the black Talbot pants, which replaced the older, mostly poly 'basics' one from Goodwill (they were K-mart brand first) that don't fit as well. I love the Talbot ones, never wear the old 'basics' pair. So... out go the basics pair. I did buy a plaid blouse for $2 at Goodwill. I wore it several times, but have decided that the horizontal stripe on the plaid is not as flattering as I originally thought. Best to move it on out to a better home now. The black cardigan that I wore day and night through the cool spring (and bought used) is now pilled and has 2 pulls... I either have to mend it, or toss it (the replacement item request went on my list for things to look for, and I found one).

I hang things in groups - all the blouses together,
all the pants together, etc. and make myself cycle
through all the outfits. Seasonally, I hang each item
as soon as worn, to the far right. Then the previous items are automatically moved back as I slide the most recent one in to the right. I take from the left, hang to the right so I am wearing all my clothes, not just a favored few. I do look ahead for the week, and consider if there is a special day I want to wear an outfit on, but otherwise, I make myself wear them all. If I don't like one well enough to wear it, why own it? Find it a new home, don't waste closet space on it.

Part of living on a clothing budget is having the
self-discipline to not only make good choices in the
buying, but in the maintaining, and wearing.

Last hint...I use Dryel for the dry cleaning unless there is a spot I can't get out." ~ Nikki

"We are pretty good at finding bargains. One thing we do is look for things on sale or on the clearance rack (even better). A couple of years ago my husband had to go to Europe for a business trip. Since he was leaving in January we went to JCPenney's winter clearance sale. He got a huge pile of new clothes (shirts, sweaters and pants) for a very good deal. If I remember right we saved about 80% off the regular prices." ~ Heather

"Buy Classic items. They don't go out of style and they can be bought at any time of the year. Mix and match items can make two suits look like a lot more by wearing the jackets with different colored blouses, pants or skirts. On Casual Friday go without a jacket for a completely different look.

I have bought name brand suits from Thrift Stores for $20.00 and worth over $200.00 apiece. Once this lady donated more then twenty outfits to a local Thrift Store where I worked. They were from the designer (we thought) who lived in California. A women who was from California walked in and bought about six or so of them. (Those were only the ones left in her size.) She said they were worth about $300.00 apiece and she paid $300.00 for all of them. Some were half price because they were put out different weeks. I bought two of the suits for 25 cents each, in my size, because they were going to be ragged bagged (sold to rag manufactures) and now wear them in my new job. Or go to the fancier neighborhood yard sales. I have seen name brand clothes go for $5.00-$10.00 because you can't try them on and they want to clear space in their closets." ~ CSINBAD

"I save a ton of money on my nursing scrubs simply by sewing my own. To buy a ready-made top and bottom can easily run $50 while an outfit can be made for a third of that (or less). And the pattern is so simple even a beginner could do it." ~ Mary

"I work at a professional office and must dress up for work. One thing I would suggest is to think in terms of separates. For example, I have a black skirt that I wear all year long, matching it up with different tops, sweaters, jackets, etc. depending on the season. Solid color pieces can be paired with many different colors and designs and will look like a whole new outfit. I also keep my eyes open at yard sales, Goodwill, etc. for office attire -- I have found suits (jacket and skirt) for just a dollar or two! Again, mix and match -- a suit doesn't always have to be worn as a suit -- that skirt can go with a different top, that jacket might go well with a pair of pants you already have!" ~ Becki

"The answer is simple - yard sale, yard sale, yard sale! I cannot tell you how many business- appropriate items I have bought at yard sales - from dresses, to pants to jackets to suits to jewelry. I have such a kick going to work and my colleagues will say, 'Oh, I LOVE your outfit,' and I will smile and say, 'Thanks, the whole thing from head to toe cost me $3.00!' They are always extremely jealous!" ~ Sue

"The best way that I've found to buy good quality clothes at reasonable prices is to visit selected Thrift Stores. Here in Australia, certain thrift store chains have second hand stores solely for business and formal wear. These clothes, although not necessarily this year's fashion trend, are in excellent condition and are mostly clothes by expensive brand names. They are sold at a fraction of the price and many are quality, classics." ~ Jennelle

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"First of all, decide what you need. Several blazers, several skirts, and five or so blouses will get you through the week. So many times we think we need a huge wardrobe, but mixing and matching will increase the number of outfits you have. If you choose a work color scheme for your work clothes, you will be able to build a mix and match wardrobe easier. Color can be added with scarves and jewelry, which are really secondary items." ~ Terri

"I work in the medical field and wear scrubs each day, but prior to that I worked as a receptionist and had to dress nicely each day. I have found that the e-mail site for Blair Fashions offers some great deals like 75% off. Garage sales and thrift stores are good too, but I find very little in my size at these places. Also, we have a local store in the mall that has a clearance store which is just like a thrift store. All of their clearance items go to this special store and nothing is arranged or sized, so it is very much like a garage sale or thrift
store, but I have found some great buys there." ~ Angel

"I made an investment on a conservative black wool jacket (blazer) and two pairs of matching trousers. When the matching skirt came on sale, I also picked that up. I have been mixing and matching the components for the last 5 years. I got these pieces from Land's End, who makes quality clothing for fair prices. The clothes still look good today, and I update the look with accessories, such as a scarf.

If you can't afford the initial outlay of cash, I suggest going to a thrift store in a well-to-do neighborhood or town. My sister snatched up a black wool Ann Taylor dress for $20." ~ Sandra

"I was hired for a new job last week, so this subject is very timely. In my previous job, it was ok to wear black jeans and a sweater. My new job requires me to be a bit more dressed up, though not extremely so.

With less than a week to build a wardrobe, and being a large woman, I knew I didn't have time to scour the thrift shops, garage sales, and Ebay. Instead, I went to Just My Size (www.justmysize.com) and ordered two skirts and four simple, coordinating tops. I already had one great skirt and a coordinating top in my closet.

Because ALL of these pieces can be mixed and matched, with just three skirts and five tops, I can make over 12 different outfits--so that means I can go to work for at least two weeks at a time without having to wear the exact same outfit twice!

My total came to just about $100. for the skirts and tops I ordered, and everything is very comfortable.

As I earn more money, I'll be able to add pieces to my wardrobe for the different seasons, if necessary.

I am pleased that I was able to start my new job, confident that I was properly attired, for very little money." ~ Becky

"Where I work and a lot of companies in my area the business dress code is Business Casual which means pretty much anything except for jeans and
tennis shoes with a conservative flair. So for me I wear mostly dress pants and have a lot of interchangeable tops and a couple of blazers. With just 5 pairs of pants and a dozen tops and a couple of blazers, you'll get dozens of different looks. When the company I worked for was more Business Professional dress code, I worked for a department store seasonal part-time and utilized the employee discounts and the pay I received to build my wardrobe. I still have those clothes to this day. Don't fit in them anymore, but I have them!" ~ Lisa

"I often shop at thrift and consignment stores and at department stores during end-of- season sales. Sometimes you'll find a great suit jacket but no matching skirt for a woman's business suit. It doesn't matter! Go ahead and buy it if it's a good price. Usually, most items can be paired with a black (or other solid color) straight skirt for a very business-like look. The skirt can be whatever length flatters you the most. I've also paired stuff with pleated solid white or pastel skirts in springtime.

(This is also a great tip if you travel on business, as you can take the matching blazer and skirt and then later pair the blazer with a black skirt or slacks...and the black skirt or pants can be paired with several jacket tops during a week-long conference.....saves suitcase space....)

Another tip: put a nice blazer over a matching pair of slacks and blouse, or matching skirt and blouse. The blazer can be a print or contrasting color and it will be played up if the other garments are solid color and plain. (This tip I got at a seminar featuring the lady who did Hillary Clinton's image makeover...no matter what you think of Hillary or her politics, you've got to admit she really went glam -- from long hair pulled back with a hairband and plaid "preppy" skirts and little makeup, to the short hairdo and black pantsuit look she now has!)" ~ Lynn

"I use a method that I gleaned from my children wearing uniforms to school. I buy bottoms (skirts, pants and capris) in basic colors -- beige, black, navy, Khaki -- and then buy a variety of tops. I never buy a top that does not match with at least 3 things. All of my pieces are always bought on sale from 50-75% off and some items I will buy used (thrift, garage sales or consignment). I can wear most of the pieces all year long by layering the top. Instead of buying suit coats (my job does not really demand it), I substitute shirts with buttons or zippers over a t-shirt or tank. I sometimes will buy a two piece dress or pant suit and then wear them with solid tops or bottoms to expand my wardrobe. I also buy myself shoes to match the basic color slacks. I add some dash with accessories, a few pieces of fun jewelry, scarves and sometimes funky shoes when a bargain. I do not buy much costume jewelry, as I wear a few good pieces that have been gifts almost daily.

Let me give an example:

Khaki pants:
* wear with red t-shirt casual with red sandals

* wear with white blouse tan shoe

* wear with black sweater set and black shoes

Black sweater set:
* wear with black & red print skirt with black shoes

* wear with khaki pants

* sweater only with white t-shirt and khaki pants, etc.

I hope it helps." ~ Anonymous

"YARD SALES! THRIFT SHOPS! Since working in a thrift shop during high school, I have always bought very nice clothes at thrift shops. I've even gotten fabulous business clothes at yard sales for literally pennies. You
do have to be careful to check for stains, make sure buttons are all there and that zippers work. Another option is to check online for clearance items at your favorite stores. Buy at the end of the season for next year." ~ Anggie

"I work in the business world and have recently discovered consignment stores. I have purchased some great skirts, tops and pants in the $10-$40 range that would cost $50- $200+ if purchased new. Items at these stores also tend to be less worn and more modern in style than items found at thrift stores. Find out when the store receives their merchandise (if a specific day) and visit the day after that. This
allows you to get some of the best pickings.

Whether you're in a fairly casual office setting or in a more professional environment, you should invest in the following basic
wardrobe items: For fall/winter: black pants, black skirt (short or long), navy pants
or skirt. For spring/summer: beige pants, light colored skirt (short or long). These basic items can be paired with many different tops, plain
colored or with design. My winter wardrobe also includes a number of long skirts (thrift stores) with a background color of either black or navy with added colors of beige or white that can be paired with a number of different plain colored blouses.

Be creative and never buy an item that can't be worn with more than one item you already own!" ~ Sarah

Editor's Note: Thanks to everyone who took the time to share his or her ideas!