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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Wanting a new look - and budget realities

anne

Veteran

So I have just started another new job and I am back in the CBD in a job where people dress up more. And I am starting to get a little tired of my work wear. No one sees to be wearing suits much any more, and perhaps because it is summer, my charcoal one from 2004, still in great condition, seem too dark.
I have 2 dresses, one from 1999 and the other 2013,and a few tops. My skirt from Lyn D needs mending and may also be too tight. and the tube skirt I bought in 2013 is looking pilly.

I only work 4 days (and one of those is casual Friday) so I do have enough clothes, but there isn't much variety and I also feel like I'd like to update my office look.
I am open to suggestions!
I am considering
-an item with a peplum
-a pleated skirt
-maybe, just maybe, trousers
-another dress
- some sort of trendy detailed top

But there's a rub - my budget.
By my standards it is a big one this year - should be around $1000 to $1100 (that's including present money and vouchers I can get from the credit card reward program)
It is a big replacement year for me and once I take into account
new heeled black boots $200
new orthotic shoes for work $240 **
new pleather jacket $70
drycleaning and shoe repair $100
knickers/socks $40
a couple of casual jumpers (ie sweaters) $80
leggings or equivalent $25
new jeans $30 **

That leaves me with around $200 for everything else. And I can't be certain I haven't forgotten anything in the list above, either.

I am inclined to go with getting a new "bottom" for work, since I have put on more weight there and also find shopping for it more difficult.

the ** items above are those I am wondering about not getting. I have a good pair of shoes but they are marred by scuffing on the patent leather. Also might get by without new jeans.

I guess I am rambling a bit, so I've gone back and bolded the main question. But the rest of the post is background - and you can comment on that too.

Dressing

43 replies

Latest reply was from Suz

trekkiegirl

Veteran

Are you willing to thrift at all, or look in consignment stores? You could save quite a chunk of money there...

rachylou

Veteran

Oh, I say get the orthotic shoes and a sleeveless peplum top and a bottom. I feel you should be able to get a well-made peplum top for cheap.

gradfashionista

(website)

Veteran

Hmm, I would say avoid the peplum because of budget considerations and it being on the way out, as far as trends go...or am I wrong?

Summer

Veteran

Can you lose a few more items from your list of needs/wants, and free up a little more cash for your work wardrobe? It sounds as if work clothes are your priority for now.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Anne...I have been thinking of your situation.

I am going to be a bit blunt here. Please know that what I am saying comes from a place of compassion.

If I were in your position, I would beg, borrow, or take a second job (temporarily) in order to double the clothing budget this year.

You have been scrounging along with what amounts to almost nothing to wear for too many years.

it is one thing to do it when you are working from home and only really seen by your family. But if you are working outside the home, even for short weeks, you need and DESERVE a decent capsule of clothing that is not ten years old, scuffed, worn out.

As it is, you are always playing catch up with yourself. No sooner do you replace one item than another wears out.

I did this for many years, so I get it.

If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't. Something else would have to go.

I do think you can get by with a very lean wardrobe. You are good at that. One of Angie's small business capsules would be enough for your 4 day work week. But you will do it much more easily if most of the items are new (or at least new to you and made to go together, from approximately the same season).

anne

Veteran

Thank you all so much!! I have just woken up ( it is morning here in Aus) and read your replies. Suz I am going to have to think a bit more before replying. Still processing.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Agreeing 100% with Suz. With a new job in the CBD this is not a time to scrimp on yourself. Is there any way you can use some money from a different part of your budget?
I would be wary of peplums or anything else that may be difficult to mix with the rest of your work wardrobe. I would also forgo at home things for better work clothes.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I would consider getting items that can do dual duty--i.e, that you can wear to work and at home, too. So I might forgo the casual jumpers, leggings, and jeans, for jumpers than can dress up or down and pants that you could wear on casual Friday to work. What about a trouser suit, with a jacket and trousers that you could mix with other parts of your career wardrobe? You might not actually wear it as a suit very often, given that you're not seeing a lot of suits, but might it come in handy for conferences or interviews and the like?
I like your idea of a peplum top of some sort; the right one can be a classic with staying power, and it can be worn on its own or under a jacket. I'm thinking of one that has more of a slim profile (not too flouncy.)

Deborah

Veteran

Anne I would stay clear of anything too trend focused as it may not have the lifespan you require. As a mum of young kids and with your ministry commitments a second job is probably not a workable solution, but I do hear Suz, as struggling to maintain a suitable wardrobe can be soul destroying sometimes, but there are other ways to obtain what you need.

Your list looks like you are focusing on Autumn / Winter? is that right? If so time is on your side.

One thing! Do you have Aldi in your area? They have just released a small range of office clothing. I checked it out yesterday and was pleasantly surprised. They have a range of Ponti garments which are very nice quality. Certainly as good as the Ponti items in Target (which are my fave leggings).
They have pants, blazer, skirt, they also had some nice little round neck blouses. Pants were $16.00, blazer $20 and skirt 12.99. I know they are cheap and as such you would expect cheap but I wouldn't mention it if I didn't think they were reasonable quality. I bought the pants and they are fantastic. The blazer is lovely too and I would have kept but it just hit me at the widest part which was not flattering. I know you don't necessarily need a "suit" but these pieces could be mixed and matched so easily. Just a thought.

Another suggestion is to peruse some of the online stores. ASOS and The Iconic have sale sections where you can often pick up prev. season clothing. So there is a chance you could find, for example, nice black boots at a heavily reduced price. I bought my tall, flat heeled leather boots for $100.00 on sale last year.

Are orthotic shoes covered through your health insurance?

I know thrifting has been mentioned and that can be a great avenue. Are there any really good thrift stores near you.

I need to think on this more and get back to you.

Sharon

Veteran

Ok, so you have to put together a business casual outfit 4 days a week. So you probably need to be able to put together 8 outfits in order to avoid excessive wear/laundry bottlenecks/terminal boredom.
You have: 1 suit (can be worn as separates)
2 dresses
3? tops
1 skirt
That really does not look like enough clothes to do what you need to do!

What silhouette do you favour for work? Is your suit bottom a skirt or pant? Apart from the charcoal suit, what colour are your other pieces. It seems to me that the most economical way to proceed is to assess what silhouettes you already have, then add a few more pieces from one of Angie's capsule series specific to that silhouette, which will allow you to mix and match with what you already have. I think a dress is probably a mistake if you are looking for more variety as you will get more band for your buck with separates.

AM

Veteran

I might suggest simple medium gray, charcoal and black items: pant, cardigan, crew neck lightweight sweater/shirt for under cardigan, and dress. Very, very basic. Then try using scarves and jewelry to add freshness. And thrift. And thrift. And put the word out with friends/family that you are looking to build your wardrobe and before they discard/donate -- to give you a ring!

annabelle

Veteran

I love this thread! and especially Sharon's constructive plan with the work items you have, and Firecracker's ideas of dual duty. I can't wait to see how this plays out and how your personal style, existing items, imagination and budget work together for you. And I agree with tr3kkie9rl on the thrifting. I get some of my favorite tops or shoes at the Goodwill, at the same time not sacrificing fit or quality. You need abundant time for buying at thrifts though, if you want to stay PPP. This is an exciting time, with the new job!

shipskitty

Veteran

Speaking as someone who loves dresses for workwear - I agree with Sharon - dresses are not your friend if you are looking to create options for more variety in your wardrobe.

Also it really is amazing how much a new scarf (or statement necklace) in seasonal colours/patterns can lift your outfits (and spirits) when your budget is tight. It can really help 'freshen up' the feel of your wardrobe.

While I also think you would probably benefit from stretching your budget in other areas to give you a better work-wear platform there is some great advice here from the YLF'ers above on how else you might approach this which I would summarise as:

stick to separates, ideally ones that can mix and match with what you have now
more basic rather than trendy items in neutral colours and add colour/flair/seasonal interest with scarves or necklaces
try to find items that will do double-duty in both your casual and work wardrobes so you are filling gaps in both at the same time
put the word out amongst friends and family about wardrobe building items if they are purging their wardrobes (this was a huge help to me both when I fell pregnant and when I returned to work afterwards when my budget was really tight from a year out of the workforce)
thrifting - both for basics and for accessories to add interest

I would also add to think about how you can stretch the seasonality of your wardrobe items. For example can you layer them over each other or wear a cami under them etc to make them functional for longer than you would otherwise have thought them to be.

anne

Veteran

Thanks so much everyone. I am thinking over your suggestions deeply and will respond in a little while. I just thought before I do that I'd put up some pictures of my current work wardrobe. So I'll just pop over to my phone and see if I can pull some out.

Sal

Veteran

I have been in this space and really had about six outfits for five days of work. Tops and sweaters need the most frequent laundering so this is the area where you need the most.

I think in a minimalist way you could have two classic pairs of trousers and wear them both twice a week with different tops and be just fine.

It almost was easier in the age of suits - because they were expensive people did not have many, so repeats were more frequent.

Good luck with your challenge

anne

Veteran

Here they are

1. The scuffed shoes - do they need replacing?

2 The dress from 1999

3 suit skirt

4 top

5 suit jacket

6 blouse (probably too hot for the moment) and skirt (I had forgotten about this skirt!)

7.Dress from 2013 (it is sleeveless)

8 Another jacket (I had forgotten about this one as well!)

9 a work top

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anne

Veteran

tr3kkie9rl - (I just looked at your profile and you're a Mum!! I thought you were way younger!) I have to admit to something of an aversion to thrift shops, as I get tired out by shopping, was a bit burnt out by 8 years living in a regional town where the pickings weren't great, and a general feeling that they aren't great for finding specific items. I should check out consignment shops though, now I am back in the city.

Rachylou - there are lots of peplum tops around at reasonable prices and I am seeing them a lot on people still Gradfashionista. It may be hard to find one long enough for my long waist though - in fact I was thinking it would be easier to find it in a skirt

anne

Veteran

Summer - I guess that is the issue isn't it - priorities! I do have a couple of pairs of bootcuts jeans, but they won't do in the rain, and my current maroon skinnies are nearly worn out - though they may last out another year, thus the ** . Also. I have some lovely pants from Lyn D which may work as a replacement skinny jean, though I am a little self conscious of my thighs in them.
I guess I don't know if NEED more work clothes - after all if one goes minimalist, I can wear 1 dress one day, one the other and one skirt and top the third. It is more a case of feeling a bit bored and wanting to be more up to date

anne

Veteran

Suz (and Caro)
I do appreciate your bluntness - and compassion. Of course your post was the one that made me have to think the most. And then I went over to the budget app and added another 1000 to the "clothing- "and took it out of savings! So yes we could do it. (not sure if I'll keep it there, of course) After about 15 months of us living just off my wages DH is planning to get paid for at least 6 months this year so the pressure is off a bit - which is why I had already increased my clothing budget by 50%! I shall have to think through whether I feel I can justify a further increase!

Sal

Veteran

I think all the pieces you show are fine to wear but I think the shoes probably look too scuffed - and I am thinking hard/impossible to repair.

Given that the shoes probably have to take priority I would look with your $200 budget for two great additions to liven up your existing pieces, maybe some fab trousers (or a skirt) and possibly a long sleeved lightweight modern trendy top that go together and that you can mix in with the other pieces. A couple of cheap shells or tees to wear under the white and black jacket would also be useful. Trousers can be pricey but not always - I like Jacqui E which is an Australian brand and not too badly priced and in regular sale.

I think new jeans are important that you feel great wearing in the weekend and possibly on casual Fridays in the cooler months. These would go with your fab pink top, the white jacket and the last top shown. If you are self conscious about your legs then having new ones that you love is even more important.

Feel free to ignore all this advice as well!

anne

Veteran

Firecracker
Thanks for such a long post. I think my charcoal suit is fine for interview etc. I don't really think I need a new jacket. Office wear in my new place doesn't seem to need jackets much, at least at this point in the year.
Trousers are a sore point with me. I find them so very hard to fit. I do have one pair, bought about 5 years ago, but they weren't the right length (despite my hemming them myself) and when I undid them to fix it I discovered they were worn about the hem. Then I thought I'd turn them into ankle pants and then my sewing machine stopped working so they have stayed in the mending pile since them!

Not sure how many things can do double duty - of course the casual friday stuff can.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Anne, the clothes you posted are a great base to work with--all pieces that look beautiful on you, and a good color palette for mixing. I love that gray skirt--it's good you remembered it. Yes, I'd say you need to replace the shoes, since polish won't do the trick.

I wonder if you might consider a pencil skirt or tube skirt--more slim or tapered than your suit skirt, so a different profile, and also more casual. I'm thinking it would be great with that gorgeous pink drapey top for casual days at work. And what about a shrug or short cardigan that could stand in for a jacket, again on casual days, over your dresses, the pink drapey top, or maybe your blouses? It could also work as a casual at-home piece. I think your plan is do-able, and it sounds like Deborah has you sorted with a potential source!

Dimity

I can relate to what a dilemma this is. I've had really tight budgets and a job that had very smart dress code, and it's tricky. I managed by getting a few different tops that worked with my bottoms, as that changed my look the most for the least money. I had a black suit and a navy suit and wore the pieces separately a lot with different tops. The other thing that I do is use two great (after years of tweaking and adjusting) skirt patterns that I can make up in lots of different fabrics and so I can make a skirt for just a few dollars if I find the fabric on sale (half price sale at Lincraft currently!). I just made six skirts for autumn/winter and I spent $36 for them. Half a metre of ponte is $5 at Spotlight at the moment and that's a pretty cheap, handy skirt.

The scuff on those shoes seems a little too noticeable for work when you want to make a good impression, unfortunately. They will bring down your outfit, sadly. Shoes make such a difference - I've learned this here.

I shop clearance racks to stretch my budget when I can't get something from an op shop or make it. I got a great Country Road shirt for $20 recently, and another one from Target for $8. If you can't put more money in your budget, then the other alternative is to take some time to go through clearance racks, especially if you don't want to thrift. It's pretty hard to dress well if you don't spend either money or time, I've found. The time is for looking at a LOT of stuff and trying it on (and rejecting the vast majority) at all sorts of clothing places. I know you said you get tired by shopping, but maybe you can choose one shop on your lunchtime and look for 20 mins every second day or so? Or, if you put an extra $250 in the budget, instead of the $1000, it would give you a chance to get several new pieces that will make a big difference to how easily you can get dressed. Sometimes you really do have to invest in yourself.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Anne, you've received lots of wise suggestions. I think Dimity's idea about investing time if money is impossible is another way to go. Decide in advance you will do some sewing and get that pattern and/or make time for the sales or online shopping you will need to do to find the true bargains. And go from there.

I didn't mean to imply that none of your current pieces are usable, and I'm sorry if I did so.

My thought was more that while I think you take pleasure in some individual pieces, I have noticed you struggle time and again to create OUTFITS that make you happy and work for your environment (especially your work environment) -- and one reason for this is the way that circumstances have prevented you from buying much at any one time.

I am all for a lean closet and responsible purchasing, mindful of pocketbook, environment, and ethical issues. At the same time, I've also learned that it is an almost impossible task to try to keep purchases to "replacements of essentials" if your capsule is bare-bones minimum to begin with. There's always something not-quite-working. Always a frustration, always a niggling sense that you don't look the way you envision. It's very difficult to feel or perform your best under circumstances like that.

Your clothes wear out much faster if you have no alternates. This is especially true for footwear, which unfortunately is a particularly big expense for anyone and especially you, given the need for orthotics and shoes that work with those.

Also, bargain and thrift shopping and subsisting on other people's donated clothing can end up creating more problems than it solves. (I did it for years before YLF, so I know.)

As a temporary solution, it may be the only one possible. It was for me. Or that's how I saw things, anyway. Like you, I worked outside the home four days a week. My setting was (fortunately) very casual. So I could wear my (single) pair of jeans. But even with those, I had essentially two work outfits, and I almost never felt good about myself, even in those, because they only really worked for specific weather conditions. Don't even ask me what I did when something dressier was called for. Sometimes I sat in front of my closet and cried.

The difficulty is that it's much harder to stick to a plan and much easier to end up with orphans that only make you feel guilty and frustrated. You see them hanging there and wonder why they are not working for you. In fact, they seem to work AGAINST you. And that can be very disheartening.

I think all the pieces in your capsule except the shoes can still be worn and look lovely on you. I especially like your newer dress. At the same time, I think starting from scratch in imagination and creating a small capsule to which these pieces might be added as "spice" or "variety" is what I'd be trying to do in your shoes. So to speak.

And for the pieces in that capsule, I'd want separates, as others have said. Separates and a choice of footwear -- at least two different types of shoe/ bootie/ boot. Taking a look at the Vivienne Files might be a great place to start or simply a look at one of Angie's capsules. You don't need the exact items, but it gives you ideas. Two- three bottoms, 4-6 tops, two toppers, one or two bags, two footwear. If Debs is right and those ponte pieces she mentions would be a good fit, maybe that's where to start?

AM

Veteran

Agree on needing to replace the shoes.
And your grays, blues, and pinks are a very nice color palette to build on.
I echo with Suz says in wanting to feel great about the way you look so really do some serious bargain shopping.

Looks like you have enough dresses.
Perhaps add gray pants (if you can do a trouser) and a black top (or two).
An I would definitely have black trousers.
And consider creating tone on tone and/or monochromatic outfits.

Go for an all tone on tone blue outfit to go with that nice ruffly blouse. Maybe two of these all blue.
Go of a wine colored pant/skirt to go with some of those pinks. Again, maybe two of these.
Then have the all black. And the all gray.
And again, scarves! Black, gray, pink, and blue.

And I would suggest gray cardigan.

shiny

Veteran

Anne, have you checked out Vivienne Files yet? Perhaps her "starting from scratch" series is just what you need?

http://www.theviviennefiles.co.....ratch.html

Take a look here for an example "map" -
http://www.theviviennefiles.co.....se-to.html

... and plug in the pieces you already have. You've already got a nice blazer, cardigan, skirt, and I count three (four?) tops. What you are desperately missing are trousers, so that is where I'd start. Find a pair of fabulous fitting trousers, and then duplicate so you have two pairs. And yes, I commiserate on how difficult it is to find trousers - that's my biggest challenge as well. Find a silhouette that works for you -- and I really love the silhouette of the trousers in the last pic.

Even if you can only find just ONE pair of perfect black dress pants, that'll give you lots of mileage, and you can wear those same black dress pants more than once a week, and nobody will notice. In my lean years -- struggling single mom getting back in the work force -- I confess I only owned one pair of black trousers for awhile, and I wore them every day. Then I duplicated them, and nobody had any clue. It was my uniform - black pants, black shoes, and 6 tops were the extent of my work wardrobe for a full time job. Boring, yes, but made getting dressed in the morning super easy. Come to think of it, this is probably why I adore blouses with patterns and color -- because for a long time it was how I was able to add interest.

Then you'll need to hunt down two pairs of work shoes. Add accessories, and you've got a work capsule. If budget allows, add a pair of dressy jeans. Pay attention to color scheme so that it all works together.

I do think you look fabulous in dresses and the two here are great. One is a neutral sheath that can be accessorized for various looks; the other is more of a statement dress, and as such, more memorable. If you were to add another dress, I suggest you stick to neutral and simple - another sheath in a different neutral like black or navy. Or a jersey dress with sleeves.

You can also check out VF's four-by-four wardrobes and take that approach:
http://www.theviviennefiles.co.....robes.html

I found VF immensely helpful for building cohesive travel work capsules. I also used her method to build a work capsule for my DD's internship. What I did was start on "paper" -- i.e., Powerpoint. I clipped photos of all the items I already owned, and put them in a PPT slide, just like VF lays things out. This helped me see the color scheme and the gaps.

anne

Veteran

Lots to respond to though am now at work so I can't yet..thanks so much.
Popping in to show another work top. It is only a month old so I hadn't taken a picture yet. This is what I'm wearing today. The top is navy

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

Anne, you look GORGEOUS in that top. Just stunning. Love it and it also works well with the skirt.

Sal

Veteran

I agree, that really suits you!!

Between this, the pink top, your patterned dress and the grey skirt you have some lovely pieces to build on.

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