Urban Outfitting
Posted on November 17, 2007 12 Comments
As a young professional, I feel pressure to dress well for work, accessorize properly and put together ensembles that reflect who I am and where I want to be. The higher up the office ladder I go, the more expensive clothing gets. The more meetings I attend with clients and other agencies, the less comfortable I am wearing the same clothes over and over again. While I’m not buying $100 pants regularly, the average cost of my work pants have gone from $40 a few years ago to $60 – $70 now. My work clothes have shifted from Gap and Old Navy to Ann Taylor Loft and Banana Republic. And with each new season, with each new crop of interns, the familiar panic of “being outdated” sets in, inevitably followed by a trip to the nearest business clothing outfitter.
With four distinctive seasons in Chicago, and ever-present demands for work and social outfits, a girl like me can get stuck in frenzy mode, constantly wanting to shop in preparation for the next new office purchase. Clothes, shoes, purses, jewelry, sunglasses … you name it, I’ve already got my next outfits earmarked.
So how can you keep the fashionista side balanced with your more sensible saver side? Is it possible to look updated when you’re pinching pennies?
The simple answer is yes. You can look updated without breaking the bank. But it takes some commitment, and lots of store time. Here are a few tips:
For Office Newbies
1) When you’re starting out your business wardrobe, look for pieces that you’ll wear for more than one season. I used to make the mistake of buying a bunch of trendy crap that I only wore for one season, and then I’d bring it all to goodwill and buy everything new the following season. It’s exhausting and deflating and I don’t recommend it. Now that I know better, I buy pieces that will last.
Examples of long-lasting pieces would be:
- Solid black and/or brown wool trousers. They’ll be your wardrobe staple and will last years if the cut is right. Make sure they fit well. I like a herringbone pant, too.
- Button down shirts. You can wear these under sweaters, under suits or by themselves. They’re nice to have because they work for any season. I like the cut of J.Crew’s Kathryn shirts, though I don’t buy them unless they’re on sale. (PS. They look MUCH better on a real person than they do on that stick-figure model. There’s something you don’t hear everyday.)
- Knee-length straight-fit or pencil skirts. I personally have a thing for patterned skirts, but everybody needs at least one of these in a solid color.
- A black jacket. Have someone who works at the store tell you what fits. You’ll wear this with anything. To get a bargain, The Limited usually has good sales on jackets.
- Cardigans. Brr… offices get chilly. Here’s one I like.
- A good suit. I get good deals at Carson’s annual suiting sale, but again, The Limited usually has nice suits.
Think I’m wrong? Well, have a look at this.
In style then:
In style now:
2) Once you have the staples, you’ll only have to buy one or two new wardrobe pieces each season to stay current. That could be a new sweater to add to your fall rotation, or some crazy trendy new shirt, like a cheaper version of this one, to spice things up.
3) Accessorize with trends, but don’t go over the top. I have to clean out my jewelry drawer this week; it’s fraught with cheap stuff that I wore once. Classic pieces look so much better, and you get more use out of them. A better way to do accessories is to find your look, and stick with it for each season. For instance, I love detailed silver arm cuffs, and I have two of them that I wear all the time.
Purses and shoes are another story. There are a ton of articles out there that say accessories are the quickest way to update a look, but it’s really easy get out of control. And I definitely think a great shoe can make any outfit look more upscale. But given my particular weakness in this category, all I can say is this: buy stuff that will last, and if you’re buying trendy stuff, make sure you have your basics covered first. My rule about purses and shoes is that if I buy new ones, I have to throw out or give away old ones. Limit your trips to the store for this stuff!
I’ve Put Some Time In (and These Interns Look Cuter than Me)
OK, so you’ve got the staples, and you’ve had them for 5 years or so. Things are starting to look kind of blah, and now you feel you need new stuff. Lots of it.
Yes, we all need to refresh our wardrobes. In my opinion, the key is to make sure you’re sticking with the staples. I just bought some new button down shirts because after four or 5 years, the cuts of my old ones looked outdated. I also bought some new wool pants, because my body has changed over the years and my old ones didn’t fit me the same way.
Despite the fact that I basically bought the same kind of clothes I already owned, I feel new! So don’t think you need tons of new sassy stuff or that you need to change your look entirely. Odds are, what you have is fine, it just needs a refresh. (If the fabric looks OK on your clothes, consider taking pants and skirts to a tailor to see if they can refresh some of what you have. That might help save some money. I tend to really wear mine out, so this has never worked for me.)
If you absolutely think you need a new look for work, start studying. Pick up this month’s Vogue and pay attention to what looks current. Go window shopping and take note of new styles. Don’t just go to the store and pick up whatever catches your eye. That’s the surest way to make sure you’ll be back at the same store in three months for another makeover.
Setting Limits
Once you have all the staples, it’s important to know when you have enough. Weekly shopping trips to the store to buy new clothes are not OK if you’re on a budget. For that matter, even monthly trips to shop for clothes and accessories are off limits if you’re on a budget. You only really need to update seasonally, unless you have a specific occasion to buy for. If you’re buying occasion-specific clothing, use the sales racks.
If you can’t go into a mall or clothing store without purchasing something for yourself, stay away for the time being. As I’ve said before, hobbies like exercising, cooking or knitting can be great tools for avoiding the mall. I find that for me, as long as I keep myself occupied, I don’t even think about going shopping anymore.
If you do have to go to the store, try to pay in cash. That way, at least you have to go through the pain of parting with your purchases. Also, if you know you can only spend $40 going in, it becomes much easier to budget than paying with a credit card and figuring out the damage on the back end.
Final Thoughts
This turned out to be a longer post than I imagined, and I have no idea if any of it will be new information for you. I originally wanted to write a bit about social wardrobes as well, but it’s getting crazy long. I’ll save that for another day.
In general, it’s totally natural to feel outdated. Simple, easy ways to update your wardrobe exist, but you have to be careful not to get crazy with them. Sometimes, all it takes is one or two pieces to feel refreshed. If you’re buying an entirely new closet every season or every year, you’re overspending on your clothes. Be thoughtful, be patient and be smart about your business wardrobe. If you do that, you’ll always be in style.
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12 Responses to “Urban Outfitting”
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November 17th, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
Great article, some good tips. I’m still in the old navy and gap phase because my company tends to be casual, but I’m looking to build. Thanks
November 17th, 2007 @ 11:16 pm
I’m in the gap phase right now because my office is really casual but i want to update/upgrade, but hold off since i don’t want to look ‘dressier’ than anyone else, and have cattiness ensue
November 18th, 2007 @ 9:30 pm
Oh no! I’m 29 and still in Old Scary (Navy). I go twice a year and spend about $150. This replaces my fun, casual t-shirts with prints and patterns for off-work time, plain t-shirts and polos for work, non-jean pants for work, and shorts in the summer.
My work is VERY casual–even my boss wears shorts to work in the summer, and jeans and t-shirts the rest of the time. We can be called to go out in the field (and get dirty) at any time, so I tend to not buy expensive things since they get ruined so easily and with no warning. there’s also the issue of looking nicer than everyone else–you definitely hear about it. I did it once, because I had a picture with the CEO of the company for an award I got, and everyone said I must have an interview for a different job somewhere else that day.
I want to dress for the job I want, though…and I LIKE looking nice, but since it’s not required and I’m on a budget and it seems to imply that I’m looking for a different job, I don’t buy or wear nice things…I’m kind of jealous you get to dress up!
November 18th, 2007 @ 11:20 pm
Great column, not just for the young ones, also for the in the work place for a while people. You covered all the topics that the TV stylists cover.
November 19th, 2007 @ 4:44 pm
When adding shoes to your wordrobe, to strech the dollar make sure they look good with both slacks and skirts.
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Cardigans are supre wardrobe strechers and are comfy too.
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Knee high boots look sharp and change the look of an outfit in an instant. You can get at least two seasons of wear here in the Midwest.
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Consider taking up sewing as a hobby and add tons of well made, fun looks to your wardrobe.
Start with easy items like a long wool skirt and work your way up to more difficult items.
I wonder why more people don’t think about sewing anymore. It’s a great budget stretcher for yourself and gifts (pj’s, robes, houshold itmes, etc.)
-CJ
November 20th, 2007 @ 6:36 pm
I’ve been in a similar situation with my work wardrobe… I’m 2 1/2 years into my career and am starting to feel the need to dress more ‘professional’ (it’s the whole dress for the job you want, not the one you have). But i’ll admit while I LOVE clothes I still find it hard to spend $50 on a shirt and $100 on pants (why, when I can go to old navy..right?!?). What I find myself doing now is just shopping the sale racks, just recently I got 2 pairs of pants at the Limited for $30 each… stick with a store that you know what styles fit you and just keep watching those sales racks, don’t buy just to buy. (I think that’s been my biggest lesson)
December 3rd, 2007 @ 3:40 am
This is a great article. I have to admit that I am few years past 30 and I just shopped in Old Navy yesterday. I couldn’t imagine anyone else was doing the same. I see I am in good company. In reading the other comments I can truly say that I have learned the same lessons of not just buying anything because it is on sale. But making sure to buy staple clothing items you need, when they are on sale. In addition, I have heard the mantra of dressing for where you want to go. I just haven’t quite made the transition yet; but I am working on it.
February 10th, 2008 @ 6:38 pm
I wanted to advocate for adding this article to the “helpful posts” column. I’ve come back to it a number of time – very helpful! thanks!
July 13th, 2008 @ 10:29 pm
Great post! Guys are so much luckier because they don’t have as much accessories/clothing/upkeep.
I agree with your “staples” list, and also, I’d check out Lucky Mag and also this is a piece of advice that my mom always taught me: Know what looks good on your body because as we all know, when you’re confident with how you present yourself, its evidenced in your work. Love your blog.
August 5th, 2008 @ 9:24 am
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August 25th, 2008 @ 8:37 am
With tuition, rent, and school books, college can be a financial roller coaster. It takes money to stay in college. Payday loans can help you stop the ride and take control. Whether you need some breathing room till your financial aid comes in, or you need a little extra for living expenses, a payday loan is an excellent option. Don’t let money take control of your future. Consider payday loans. http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2008/08/07/loose-change-smart-tips-for-your-college-student-fort-worth-star-telegram/
September 15th, 2008 @ 8:30 am
great article!…it inspires me more to set up my office clothes, accessorize and look my best during my working hours. thanks a lot!