Ladies and clothing.

blondie42107 · December 2014

Most of us are on budgets and obviously our incomes vary, but where do you shop for clothes - work and casual?

I work in an office (non-profit) but also out in the "field" a lot so I don't wear suits, skirts, etc. Designer bags, shoes and most clothing have never been my thing. Just looking for ideas.

formerlyGDaisy09 · December 2014

most my stuff comes from Kohls, TJMaxx, and sometimes Banana Republic.

brij2006 · December 2014

Most of my clothes are from Kohls, Target, New York and Company, and Maurices. However, the last 2 stores are because I ask for gift cards to those for Christmas and my birthday and that is when I get new clothes. Otherwise I just pick up a few items as needed. We budget $75/month for clothing. Some months we use it all, and other months we only pick up a package of socks for $10.

ETA: I work in a casual office. I can wear jeans and a nice top or dress pants and a cardi. So it's pretty flexible, but I mostly wear what I already have.

Xstatic3333 · December 2014

I'm in your exact situation-nonprofit with some field work. My everyday office clothes are jeans and tops, mostly from Target. I have two pairs of dress pants from Kohls that I pair with cardigans for big meetings and school visits. I have a few pairs of flats for both office and meeting days. My "field" clothes are probably most expensive since the cheap stuff won't hold up. I get field clothes on sale at REI or from the Patagonia outlet. I have Keene lace-up shoes that can do double duty between the office and light field work. I usually get old styles on sale at REI.

hoffse · December 2014

It varies. We have a pretty great outlet mall nearby with a Brooks Brothers, Gap, Banana Republic, Coach, etc. I mostly shop there during sales. Thankfully I'm not at a silk stocking firm, and I do corporate/tax work, so I don't have to go to court - that means I don't have to wear a suit all that often. If we're having a big meeting with clients or we're going in front of a judge then we wear suits. Believe it or not, Brooks Brothers outlets have some great bargains. I buy my suits there for less than $200 - that's an amazing price for their quality. I also buy casual polo shirts there for under $20 - and those last me twice as long as the ones I buy from other places like Old Navy. I think a lot of people avoid BB because they assume it's going to be $$$$$, but if you are patient you can really build a wardrobe with their stuff for decent prices. The outlets regularly have 70% off racks, and that's where I shop.

For shoes, I'm extremely lucky to be a size 8, pretty much regardless of style or manufacturer. So I actually buy shoes online without trying them on first. I have some favorite pumps from nine west that go on sale on Amazon now and then - whenever they drop below $25 I buy another pair. I go through maybe 3-4 pairs of black heels per year now. Sounds crazy, but I wear them 14 hours per day, probably 4 days per week. They get dinged up pretty fast, and I have to replace them regularly if I want them to look professional.

I buy jeans from gap or old navy - they're the only ones that fit right

hoffse · December 2014

I should add: we don't have a great way of budgeting for clothes. Clothes are part of our "slush" so any given month we might spend $0 or $500. Honestly, it depends largely on the BB sales. My H does have to wear a suit each day, and we buy his suits and shirts from there. Once or twice a year we drop a lot at once on clothes for him - BB's sales tend to be store-wide, so the couple times a year we buy stuff from there tend to be VERY expensive shopping trips because we might be getting a suit, a couple shirts, and a couple casual tops for me, etc. all at once. I'm actually not sure that we've ever made it out of BB for less than $300 - but we only buy stuff from there when the sales are really spectacular. Most of our visits do not result in a purchase.

formerlyGDaisy09 · December 2014

We also lump our clothes in with our "slush money" we know what we both generally need and when we find a good deal we take advantage. I can wear pretty casual clothes for work, most days I go into the mdical center and don't leave my office all day, jeans and a nice top are fine for those days. days I may meet with patients I generally make it a point to wear a skirt, dress, or dress pants, I have a white coat I can wear over whatever I'm wearing to keep it clean in the clinic. I go a little nicer that what I wear to meet with patients when we go to conferences.

I always shop sales, and stock up on separates (cardis, stockings, etc.) when there's a good sale.

Winter is hardest on shoes here, I generally carry in to make them last longer.

als1982 · December 2014

I work for a large nonprofit, but the expected attire is business professional. I do a majority of my shopping online at Nordstrom.com and keep a rotation of about 5 suits plus mix and match options. I use the wish list feature to capture what I like, and them watch for things to go on sale that way. (For example, I saw a blouse I liked a few weeks ago for $60 so I added it to my wish list immediately. Last night, I noticed it was marked down to $35, so I quickly snagged it!) I like Nordstrom because they have free shipping and can easily return purchases bought online in the physical store. For shoes, I typically stick with Cole Haan. I always have one tan pair and one black pair in the same height (I like 2-3"). I then have all my pants tailored for those shoes. They're expensive but go with everything and last a long time (I get them re-heeled every six months or so for about $10).

als1982 · December 2014

Oh and since I have a dress up for work, home and weekend is usually Old Navy jeans, a hoodie and a college alumni t-shirt.

KatieCutie05 · December 2014

I really don't buy a lot of clothes. like ever. I can wear pretty much w/e i want to work and past that i'm a simple jeans and tshirt type of girl. I pretty much only shop at maurices though and i'll go with a coupon after my birthday or christmas and just use all my gift money because if i step foot in that store i'll spend 200 which is okay really becuase i never go clothes shopping so i usually need the clothes bad. American Eagle is good for jeans and Aerie is another favorite. I've second guessed ever getting a new job because i can't stand the thought of needing to buy a different wardrobe just for work. lol

Shoes i just live in sneakers or cowboy boots everyday. Flip flops in the summer. I don't even own nice shoes for winter because they get worn like once a year and half the time i hate spending the money when i know i wont wear it. so i just return them. lol

Pregnancy and then later nursing has made me need to spend money on clothes. it stinks. lol

blondie42107 · December 2014

Thanks ladies! I have to look professional but the only people that wear suits in my office are the executive director, director of finance. HR and the office manager are hit or miss.

With two young kiddos (age 4 and 2), 2 out of the last 4.5 years I was in maternity clothes or on leave. I really didn't buy much new in between. So now that my youngest is 2 and I'm not currently pregnant... I figured I should really work on my wardrobe!

Black Friday I found a great deal at JCPenny. Their Worthington work apparel was on sale 50% off however the petite pants, regularly $40, were on-sale for $14.99. They also gave us a coupon for shopping after 2pm that gave me an extra 15% off. Yup, I paid $12.75/pair!

I need to find some new, inexpensive jeans so I'm going to try Old Navy. My friend gave me some pointers on their various fits so hopefully I won't get terribly frustrated!

juliebeannn · December 2014

most my work clothes are from ann taylor LOFT. they have a 40-50% off sale, what seems like every other week! i've never purchased an item there at full-price!

it helps (or it might be a curse hehe) that it's across the street from my office in times square.

vlagrl29 · December 2014

I don't work in an office so it's nice not to have to buy those types of clothes. when I play gigs all I have to wear is black and I love the express editor pant.

Casual - I love american eagle jeans. I get my tops at AE, express, maurices, and high end consignment stores.

I never shop stores without it being on sale or with a coupon. I find what a like and then I wait for the deal.

Eta - AE jeans I usually buy for around $25 and Express pants I get for about $38 - I never buy those things full price

Shoes I get at DSW when I get either a $5 or $10 coupon in the mail or email.

bnunn03 · December 2014

I dress business casual at my office. Most of my clothes are either from Express, NY&CO, The Limited or Banana, I try to buy clothes I can both wear to work and outside of work on the weekends...

hoffse · December 2014

als1982 said:

I work for a large nonprofit, but the expected attire is business professional. I do a majority of my shopping online at Nordstrom.com and keep a rotation of about 5 suits plus mix and match options. I use the wish list feature to capture what I like, and them watch for things to go on sale that way. (For example, I saw a blouse I liked a few weeks ago for $60 so I added it to my wish list immediately. Last night, I noticed it was marked down to $35, so I quickly snagged it!) I like Nordstrom because they have free shipping and can easily return purchases bought online in the physical store. For shoes, I typically stick with Cole Haan. I always have one tan pair and one black pair in the same height (I like 2-3"). I then have all my pants tailored for those shoes. They're expensive but go with everything and last a long time (I get them re-heeled every six months or so for about $10).

Do you mind if I ask how you pay for the shoes? Do the heels get scuffed up easily? I don't spend much on shoes, but I would be willing to spend more if they lasted longer. I have to keep black, navy, tan, and brown all in good shape. The black is the most challenging, because that's what I wear the most.

brij2006 · December 2014

I feel like I should add that we've budgeted $75/month for the past year, but I've easily spent that most months with buying maternity clothes. That crap is expensive! However, I've been shopping on the local Facebook exchanges to find some used ones, borrowed from friends for the short period of time they're needed, and have only had to buy a few staples like jeans and cami's.

dragonstarjk · December 2014

I work in banking, so our dress code is business-casual (no jeans except on special Fridays, no shorts, capris, sleevless shirts, etc.). The higher in rank you are, the more you are typically expected to dress nicer. Since I'm aspiring to be an officer, I try to dress for that position so I wear a lot of blazers and slacks.

I love JC Penney; most of my work clothes are from there. They did go through that period last year and the year before when they had the new CEO and weren't doing sales, but now they are back to sales so you can find a good deal. I am especially fond of their Worthington brand for work. Sometimes, I will even peruse a rack at Walmart/Kmart (those are the only places we have to shop in town) and find a cute sweater for more casual days.

I usually splurge on one or two outfits when we go somewhere on vacation since that's the only time I have the chance to shop at places such as Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, White House Black Market, etc. I'm not a brand-name shopper at all but it's fun to just get a really nice, quality blazer once in awhile.

For shoes, I have to wear really good shoes to eliminate foot pain, so I buy shoes exclusively from The Walking Company. They are really expensive, so I don't own very many shoes any more .

blondie42107 · December 2014

dragonstarjk said:
I work in banking, so our dress code is business-casual (no jeans except on special Fridays, no shorts, capris, sleevless shirts, etc.). The higher in rank you are, the more you are typically expected to dress nicer. Since I'm aspiring to be an officer, I try to dress for that position so I wear a lot of blazers and slacks.
I love JC Penney; most of my work clothes are from there. They did go through that period last year and the year before when they had the new CEO and weren't doing sales, but now they are back to sales so you can find a good deal. I am especially fond of their Worthington brand for work. Sometimes, I will even peruse a rack at Walmart/Kmart (those are the only places we have to shop in town) and find a cute sweater for more casual days.
I usually splurge on one or two outfits when we go somewhere on vacation since that's the only time I have the chance to shop at places such as Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, White House Black Market, etc. I'm not a brand-name shopper at all but it's fun to just get a really nice, quality blazer once in awhile.
For shoes, I have to wear really good shoes to eliminate foot pain, so I buy shoes exclusively from The Walking Company. They are really expensive, so I don't own very many shoes any more .

I love the Worthington trouser pants!

vlagrl29 · December 2014

brij2006 said:

I feel like I should add that we've budgeted $75/month for the past year, but I've easily spent that most months with buying maternity clothes. That crap is expensive! However, I've been shopping on the local Facebook exchanges to find some used ones, borrowed from friends for the short period of time they're needed, and have only had to buy a few staples like jeans and cami's.

I always hated maternity clothes. My best bet was going to gordmans because they carried motherhood maternity which I thought carried some decent stuff for not too expensive. I've saved it all for next time, but I'm hoping with my wardrobe now I won't have to wear much of it. Though I will splurge on Gap maternity jeans - they were the best.

als1982 · December 2014

hoffse said:

als1982 said:

I work for a large nonprofit, but the expected attire is business professional. I do a majority of my shopping online at Nordstrom.com and keep a rotation of about 5 suits plus mix and match options. I use the wish list feature to capture what I like, and them watch for things to go on sale that way. (For example, I saw a blouse I liked a few weeks ago for $60 so I added it to my wish list immediately. Last night, I noticed it was marked down to $35, so I quickly snagged it!) I like Nordstrom because they have free shipping and can easily return purchases bought online in the physical store. For shoes, I typically stick with Cole Haan. I always have one tan pair and one black pair in the same height (I like 2-3"). I then have all my pants tailored for those shoes. They're expensive but go with everything and last a long time (I get them re-heeled every six months or so for about $10).

Do you mind if I ask how you pay for the shoes? Do the heels get scuffed up easily? I don't spend much on shoes, but I would be willing to spend more if they lasted longer. I have to keep black, navy, tan, and brown all in good shape. The black is the most challenging, because that's what I wear the most.

In looking back, I bought their "Chelsea low pump" in black patent for $199.90 (which I'm guessing was 25-30% off) in March. In that time, I haven't had any scuffs, but the heel has worn down. They included a replacement for that little black cap at the bottom of the heel, but I just took them to a professional instead. They still look great, and I would imagine they'll last another six months or more.

I did also get their "Bethany low" in tan patent, which hasn't held up as well, but it's more to do with some slight creasing of the leather and not the heel.

Erikan73 · December 2014

I'm a fan of Old Navy, you can take a simple t-shirt style shirt & dress it up with a cardigan, necklace or scarf. I'm plus size so I have to order my stuff from them online. It's not the highest quality, but for the price I'm happy. Plus I wait to get stuff until they have a great sale going on.

HoneyBee973 · December 2014

Work clothes I usually buy from Kohl's or Ny & Co.

Casual things I buy from Target, Old Navy, TJMax, etc the only jeans that fit me well, are the jeans from Old Navy. Couple times a year they have a jean sale, and most jeans are $19. Can't beat that price.

DSW is my go to store for shoes.

cbee817 · December 2014

My work is business casual, but we can wear jeans every day. I usually shop at Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic. I have a BR Luxe credit card, so I get points, free shipping, and discounts all of the time. Occasionally, we shop at JCrew- but it's usually in the sale section or at the factory store. I pretty much buy shoes at Zappos exclusively- free shipping and returns up to 1 year.. it's the best!

Sisugal · December 2014

It is not so much where you shop, but what you buy.
Stick with classic styles for your basicsand go with quality (on sale/clearance/consignment)
Choose 3 colors and then plan your wardrobe around them - mix and match - when everything goes together you have more outfits with fewer items..
Buy inexpensive trendy accessories (scarves, jewelry etc) to keep the basics up to date.

Buy classic shoes (pumps, flats) that offer good support - especially if you are on your feet a lot.
A good quality shoe will last much longer than a cheap, inexpensive flat.

Ladies and clothing.

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