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Hello all, I'm feeling a little stressed over my wardrobe, was hoping you frugal savy posters might have a few tips for me.
I have a closet full of clothes, probably ranging back to the 2001 timeframe, "in case I might need it" . Most everything has slowely been "worn to death". Or is cheap and shoddy / ill fitting etc.
I work in a semi-professional office place, it's obvious people have a clothing budget. I'm starting to feel weird wearing the same black tights and skirt everyday, and rotating through my shirts.
Yeah....I may need clothes . How can I figure out if it's worth it to buy clothes or if I just "want" them because I see everyone else in the office place looking polished. I would like to escape my frumpy ways but would have a fairly limited budget to do so. My shopping time is also limited as I have a baby, so is it better to spend the time picking through a thrift store and trying to cobble together a few outfits, or would it be worth it just to pick up a few new pieces at a deparment store, even though I'd pay a bit more, at least they'd be new and easy to locate on the floor.
How important is it to look "good" at an office? What about a pilled sweater? Or short pants? Or shirts getting threadbare at the elbows? Just how much wear can you get out of an item before you need to retire it?
Last edited by TimeMachine; 01-08-2013 at 05:57 AM..
Sorry this is long but I'm addressing several points...
Some of these questions -- some of which are financial, others style oriented -- only you can answer and it sounds like you're in the process of working that through.
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How can I figure out if it's worth it to buy clothes or if I just "want" them because I see everyone else in the office place looking polished.
Unless you're so poor you're skipping meals so your baby can eat, what's wrong with WANTING new clothes. It's not like your talking about an Hermes bag, Jimmy Choo shoes, or an haute couture original that would take a house payment to pay for. If you want new clothes GET THEM.
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I would like to escape my frumpy ways but would have a fairly limited budget to do so. My shopping time is also limited as I have a baby, so is it better to spend the time picking through a thrift store and trying to cobble together a few outfits, or would it be worth it just to pick up a few new pieces at a deparment store, even though I'd pay a bit more, at least they'd be new and easy to locate on the floor.
It SOUNDS like you'd rather try to find some nice gently used things for a bargain at a thrift shop, but are concerned it would take more time. IF -- IF, your time is SOOOO tight, that you think shopping at a couple of thrift shops would stress you out because you'd be thinking and stressing out about, "I'm taking too much time, I'm taking too much time, this is taking too long."...then perhaps, perhaps going for new clothes MIGHT be less stressful. BUT, as someone who shops thrift shops I know -- it's NOT so much an extra time issue...it's whether if at that particular time that you go...there's anything you like. Are you finding enough to choose from? or are you frustrated because you can't find enough selections for what you're looking for at the time. BUT, that can also happen shopping for NEW clothes. I can't tell you how many time friends and myself have gone to DEPARTMENT stores with several women's departments and not really found what we were looking for. So TIME is not necessarily a thrift shop versus new store issue.
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How important is it to look "good" at an office? What about a pilled sweater? Or short pants? Or shirts getting threadbare at the elbows? Just how much wear can you get out of an item before you need to retire it?
Personally I wear clothes beyond the time some of my friends would. I wear my clothes out more than anyone I know.
-- Pilled sweather...is it in a place wear others can SEE, or under the arm, or along the bottom side band. My thinking is if a blouse has a stain, but I'm wearing a sweater over it who cares? no one will see it. Some people I know think that's horrible.
-- You say others at the office dress nice....then you mention short pants. My 'days off' clothes are strictly overly worn. I don't care how I look when I go to the grocery store, nor am I married and have to care about how a spouse thinks of my wardrobe.
At work I wear the most basic biz, cheapest casual office appropriate clothing I can. In my job -- that's slacks and a top.
The slacks can be as basic as elastic waist, the top can be a nice basic shell -- or T-shirt STYLE top. (not your basic T, but that style with flowers or prints or some kind of interesting flair, detail or design around the neckline for example.) I get mine at Walmart. Some people at work wear NICE suit pants...and their top could be a business button front blouse with a collar.
Only YOU know what's appropriate for your office. Are you meeting the public? Do you have to dress so your seen as professionally (and not a slob) Do you have do "dress for your next promotion?"
Personally I don't wear anything frayed..at WORK that people can see. Weekends, however, all bets are off.
FINALLY (I think)...what's your budget? and how much new clothing do you want to buy? Do you want a couple of peices -- or do you really need a new wardrobe. Also, since you feel your clothing has served you well...but it's just time for something new..WHEREVER you buy...don't feel like you don't deserve to spend the money on yourself and your clothing. I'm all for being frugal, and not spending Bloomingdale's or Nordstrom, or Ann Taylor money when I can find something I love at a thrift shop or Walmart or Dress Barn or Gap or Marshalls, TJ Maxx or Ross. Payless shoes may work for you. Or I also like Easy Spirit, Aerosoles, Parade Shoes, DSW, Rack Room....and Walmart, too for shoes. Don't forget shoes they're important too. (Go for comfort!)
I tend to over buy but I also think I'm worth it. So IF, IF you go shopping and find 10 blouses/tops...and 10 pants you like....so what? BUY THEM. GET WHAT YOU LIKE, and AS MANY OF THEM as you like. You only live once. I totally restock, and then I'm done for YEARS. It sounds like that's what's going on with you. You've had the clothes, worn them well...it's just time for the new.
Why not take time (MAKE the time if you have to) -- for you ane a girlfriend to make a day of shopping. IF you hit several stores I'm sure you'll find what you like. You may even find enough at the first place you go. Where I live we have a Ross and TJ Maxx literally next door to each other, and a VERY NICE Goodwill Superstore 2 miles away...and a Marshall's and Walmart 3 miles away.
Please let us know what you buy after you're done.
Decide on a simple "uniform" look for yourself, then build on it. For me, it was very simple dresses like-Wearever Wrapstyle Dress at jjill.com (right now some sizes are on sale for $39.), plain black, brown and navy slacks with good shoes and a sweater set or simple taylored blouses (wrinkle free when possible, but you still need to iron them). Since you don't want to take much time to shop, I would go online.
Stores where I found affordable work clothing online are Land's End, Dillard's, and Macy's, J Jill. If you want to buy a few suits, the big department stores have sales where you can get decent ones for $59.99 or so, but watch out for the fabrics on cheap suits, sometimes they feel scratchy and uncomfortable.
If you are a large sized girl, then I would just take myself to those stores which specialize like Lane Bryant, Avenue, etc.
Lastly, buy the best quality you can and take care of it.
Hi There! Thanks for hashing out a few points SelHars! I suppose my opening post was limited. One thing you said strikes me, that I shouldn't feel bad about "wanting" new clothes. That's the first hurdle. I feel bad to be spending money on myself when I have a new baby and feel pressures from bills all around, and trying to contribute to our retirement accounts. I keep putting every spare penny into Roth accounts and dept reduction and have left nothing in my budget to maintenance myself (clothes / shoes / body care). So when I think about buying a new shirt (or even a thrift store one) I feel guilty like I'm stealing from our other needs or whiling our money away on something silly like clothing.
I keep thinking "I don't NEED new clothes to survive" and I start to feel miserable.
My wardrobe has been through heck as I went through a pregnancy trying NOT to buy maternity clothes, so much of shirts / skirts have been stretched out and kind of ruined. On top of that I'm still about one/two sizes larger than pre baby and I feel guilty having to by clothes just because I'm still a bit bigger. Of course when I / if I finish losing weight I'll just be left with a closet full of old stretched out clothes any way, so I really do need to force myself to freshen up the wardrobe.
There aren't many thrift shops in my area, and the ones that are always seem so overly full of worn down merchandise, but that's part of the "hunt" I suppose.
The time thing must sound crazy . It has been hard to find time to go clothes shopping. Before work would be impossible, after work is exhausting as I still have the house to take care of so that leaves the weekends. Those are difficult because I've found it VERY hard to try clothing on with my baby. The stroller doesn't fit in the changing room and I hate to keep laying her on the ground. It's difficult to have my husband watch her so I can sneak out as he gets irritated that I want to "stick him" with the baby. I think he sees it as me trying to go out and have some sort of rip roaring good time while gets stuck at home? When I mention wanting to pick up a few items for work he asks if I really "NEEEEEEEED" them. So I try to convince myself I don't need new stuff, though it can get hard at work as I feel like I stick out like a frumpy soar thumb. I've got the misfitting, pilling outfit, the puffy unstyled hair, the old pair of shoes I wear day after day. Maybe it's just me but I feel like it could impact my work relations if I don't spiff it up a bit.
Thanks for your advise Gentlearse. I'm wearing M tops at this point, pants skirts seem to be around 10s and 12s. Pre prgnancy I as in still a S/M in tops and around 8 on the bottom. Just enough of a difference to still squeeze into some things, but look a bit silly.
I like the uniform "look", that's what I've tried to do with all black skirts and a set of tops, I guess they just really need to be refreshed.
Last edited by TimeMachine; 01-08-2013 at 07:50 AM..
Honestly the way you dress at work does impact how people perceive you. If you look unkempt and frumpy, elbows showing through shirts, it just shows you don't care how you look (or don't care enough to change it at least). And if a job above you has any chance of being client facing it will be hard to get that promotion.
Check out TJMaxx/Marshall's/Ross or even Old Navy for basic button downs and basic slacks. Wrap dresses with a nice pair of flats are a great way to look very polished and be comfortable if you prefer that. Plus wrap dresses are very flattering. All you need to look professional is well fitted, classic clothes.
Also, your husband might not let you go shopping because you're "sticking him with the baby"? Off topic but it's his baby as well so maybe he should be a little accommodating. Or you two need to sit down and discuss how each of you get time off from the baby. I'm sure you love your baby but it's beneficial for each of you to get a few hours to yourself each week. Maybe 4 hours for each of you to do whatever you want - shop, read a book, sit at Starbucks, etc.
Get on email lists for Old Navy, Gap, and Ann Taylor. All have near constant sales so you should never pay full price.
I also am on a budget. My wardrobe is made up of lots of dresses (black, office-appropriate patterns, etc) that I get on sale or from places like TJ Maxx and Marshalls. In the spring and summer, I can just wear the dress and be done with it. As it gets colder, I wear lots of cardigans and tights to extend my wardrobe to all year use. You can find cheap, but decent black and colored tights at Marshalls. I often wear navy blue or dark green tights to liven my look as well.
Hello all, I'm feeling a little stressed over my wardrobe, was hoping you frugal savy posters might have a few tips for me.
I have a closet full of clothes, probably ranging back to the 2001 timeframe, "in case I might need it" . Most everything has slowely been "worn to death". Or is cheap and shoddy / ill fitting etc.
I work in a semi-professional office place, it's obvious people have a clothing budget. I'm starting to feel weird wearing the same black tights and skirt everyday, and rotating through my shirts.
Yeah....I may need clothes . How can I figure out if it's worth it to buy clothes or if I just "want" them because I see everyone else in the office place looking polished. I would like to escape my frumpy ways but would have a fairly limited budget to do so. My shopping time is also limited as I have a baby, so is it better to spend the time picking through a thrift store and trying to cobble together a few outfits, or would it be worth it just to pick up a few new pieces at a deparment store, even though I'd pay a bit more, at least they'd be new and easy to locate on the floor.
How important is it to look "good" at an office? What about a pilled sweater? Or short pants? Or shirts getting threadbare at the elbows? Just how much wear can you get out of an item before you need to retire it?
I have three books to suggest for you. You can probably get them at your local library.
First you need the colors that look best on you. "Color Me a Season" has forty questions you can answer that will tell you what color code to use. "Color Me Beautiful" was a very popular book, but "Color Me a Season" has the questions that will help you color code yourself without spending any money. "Color Me A Season" book is included in the following page. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_analysis_(art)
J. T. Molloy does studies about what your clothes say about you. "Dress for Success" is well worth a read. He does one for women as well as men. He actually has a list of what the well dressed person has in her closet. http://www.amazon.com/Womens-Dress-S.../dp/B001Q3M6BQ
Check them out instead of buying them unless you can find them in a book store for pennies. These books are old and you may have to use Interlibrary loan. Hope your library has that for free as most libraries do. Order them one at a time because you have to have Interlibrary loan books back on time so your library will not be blacklisted. Take your notes and then return the book.
There are just about as many books on dress as there are people. What I like about these three is they are scientific instead of someone's opinion. Your opinion is just as good as anyone else. Science is a combination of many opinions. Dressing for success in an office will help your career.
Buy a few quality basics at a good store. A $100 pair of Calista or Naturalizer shoes will look good for 1 to 2 years. A crappy pair of $15 flats at Walmart look bad from day 2. Good brand slacks, 2 or 3 in neutral colors along with the same for skirts and a jacket or 2 that goes with almost everything. Then build on that with blouses, sweaters and a few colorful accessories including a decent looking purse. Little details add up.
Your appearance is important and whether anyone likes this little reality or not is beyond the point. It is what it is.
Pilled sweaters? Frayed shirts? Too short pants? Those things belong in the trash, not in your closet.
there is nothing wrong with looking nice and having nice clothes. Lose that attitude. It doesn't mean you are a self centered clothes-horse!
- limit the number of colors. I have mostly black items, some white shirts, several dresses and skirts, and a few tops in other, bright colors. This means that all of my items can be combined, meaning I need less items to create more outfits. Sort of like a uniform.
-These days, you can find many new items that are not much more expensive than thrift shops. I have many items from Target, Gap, Old Navy. Basics like turtlenecks, skirts, blouses, etc. I look for items that don't look cheap.
- buy items in classic styles vs. super trendy. I have skirts and pants that I've worn for years and they don't look out of date.
- only wash items when necessary, hand wash, wash in cold water, use garment bags - all of these things will prolong the life and quality of many clothing
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. Most everything has slowely been "worn to death". Or is cheap and shoddy / ill fitting etc.
. How can I figure out if it's worth it to buy clothes or if I just "want" them because I see everyone else in the office place looking polished. I would like to escape my frumpy ways but would have a fairly limited budget to do so. My shopping time is also limited as I have a baby, so is it better to spend the time picking through a thrift store and trying to cobble together a few outfits, or would it be worth it just to pick up a few new pieces at a deparment store, even though I'd pay a bit more, at least they'd be new and easy to locate on the floor.
)...what's your budget? and how much new clothing do you want to buy? Do you want a couple of peices -- or do you really need a new wardrobe. Also, since you feel your clothing has served you well...but it's just time for something new..WHEREVER you buy...don't feel like you don't deserve to spend the money on yourself and your clothing. I'm all for being frugal, and not spending Bloomingdale's or Nordstrom, or Ann Taylor money when I can find something I love at a thrift shop or Walmart or Dress Barn or Gap or Marshalls, TJ Maxx or Ross. Payless shoes may work for you. Or I also like Easy Spirit, Aerosoles, Parade Shoes, DSW, Rack Room....and Walmart, too for shoes. Don't forget shoes they're important too. (Go for comfort!
