Finding affordable clothing…
My job with ‘Company X’ is great. I love the people. I love the location. I love the building. And…
I hate my clothes.
It’s not that I hate them as much as I struggle with the difficulty of making 3 dress shirts and 2 nice pairs of slacks stretch an entire work week.
I’ve never worked in a nice office building before and my clothing staples have always been t-shirts and faded, ripped jeans (it’s called construction and that’s how we roll folks). Mysteriously, I can’t seem to find a way to make those appropriate.
Company X has a fabulous ‘Casual Friday’. *Snicker*. When HR described the expectations of Casual Friday apparel, I giggled… until I realized that to some, ‘Khakis with a button up shirt paired with a neckerchief or a twinset sweater’ is casual.
I feel like their picture is missing a riding cap, a champion horse, and a gentleman caller.
Thanks to ingenuity fueled by rampant desperation, I’ve found a way to buy clothes on the cheap.
And no, I don’t think trying clothes on in trendy stores then ordering the identical item off Ebay is a good idea. Somehow my body, which is shaped like a trapezoid/raspberry/zebra, finds ways to make clothes I haven’t tried on in person un-wearable. Trust me. I have $60 worth of useless clothes in my closet thanks to that ‘helpful’ suggestion from Cosmo.
Instead, I sign up for the mailing lists of stores that fit my look and my budget. They send generous coupons several times a year. I save the coupons and pair them with a sale. I can usually get 50 – 75% off.
I also buy shoes and purses at discount stores like Marshalls and Ross. Business clothing can be difficult to find but I’ve found sturdy business shoes for $19.
I haven’t bought much, because in the end, the best way to save money is to work with what you have.
I have two pairs of work shoes, two purses, and a few tops and pants. For now, this will do. In the meantime, I’m clipping my coupons and watching for sales.
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Posted: January 9th, 2009 under Debt Reduction, Life in General, Saving Money, Work, company x.
Comments: 7
Comments
Comment from leslie
Time: January 9, 2009, 5:25 am
Check out consignement stores. I have found some really great deals there. Most of them will only take stuff from name brand stores and styles that have been out in the past two years. I went to one yesterday and bought some khakis and jeans. I happened to be looking for casual clothes but there were TONS of dress pants, nice sweaters and blouses etc. In fact, the casual clothes were definately in the minority. They also had purses and accessories galore.
Comment from Michelle
Time: January 9, 2009, 9:07 am
I’m chiming in with Leslie – consignment shops are awesome and for your casual Friday’s don’t discount what you can find at the Goodwill or Salvation Army. I found an awesome Eddie Bauer skirt there for $2. Retail was probably $50.
Comment from Christine
Time: January 9, 2009, 11:21 am
Check out your local thrift stores every other week until you find what you need. It shouldn’t set you back very much.
Comment from Brian
Time: January 9, 2009, 11:43 am
When my dad needed a new suit, he headed to the Goodwill near the three million dollar homes. He found a brand new, 3-piece pinstripe suit for $20.
Millionaires donate some good stuff.
Comment from Nicole
Time: January 9, 2009, 1:26 pm
I wear a size 10 pant and a medium shirt. Maybe you could find some good deals for me too:)
Comment from Chrissy
Time: January 9, 2009, 3:37 pm
I love reading your blog – you have a great writing style and wonderful sense of humor!!
I have to speak up on the consignment stores, too – when I was losing weight I could find name brand clothes in great shape for a good price. It was important that I look professional for work, but I couldn’t afford to invest a lot in a new size every 2 months.
Sometimes I would tell myself to buy 1 item per week for under $20 with my weekly allowance (not sure if you plan for this in your budget). Time flies, and soon I had a few extra staple pieces to count on that I picked up on clearance.
Keep up the great blog!
Comment from Jay Gatsby
Time: January 9, 2009, 6:37 pm
I’d also check out the outlets if there are any nearby. My body type is athletic, so buying dress shirts and suits is a nightmare. However, I found that the Van Huesen and Geoffrey Beane outlet stores carry men’s fitted shirts for $14 and slacks for $20-$30 (depending on whether they are khaki’s or gabardine). Also, check out Target for khaki’s (Legendary Gold, Target’s house brand). Very inexpensive but good quality.
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