clothes shopping help

[regentrude]

Any websites/brands you can recommend for a 20-something young lady who needs to build a work wardrobe for an office job without spending a fortune?

Dress code is the more formal end of business casual. Regular sizing, no special requirements. Suit is covered; looking for tops and pants.

Thanks!

 

[SJ.]

Many years ago I shopped at Express for work clothes. They often have 40% off the entire store sales.  You can also find nice dress clothes at Gap and they have a lot of sales, too. 

[Jen500]

Banana Republic, the website always has some kind of sale too.

[Rachel]

Ann Taylor, Loft, White/Black Market but shop clearance and sales because the regular prices aren’t cheap. They are well made clothes that last a long time though. 

[LarlaB]

Old Navy, Gap and JcPenney were my go to but I"m 5'11" and need tall.  Still they have lots of inexpensive blouses and separates.  

 

[plansrme]

A fashion blog I read, sheaffertoldmeto.com, has occasional workwear posts from the author's sister, Conner, that might be helpful.  She doesn't feature anything terribly expensive--a lot of it is from Loft.  There is a "work wear" tab that will take you directly to her posts, which feature a lot of dresses and pencil skirt/blouse combos that would be appropriate for a not-quite-suit-every-day workplace.

[Bootsie]

Talbot's Outlet for dressier items; LL Bean, Land's End, or Eddie Bauer for khakis and wrinkle-free shirts

My niece in that age range buys much of work wardrobe at Dress Barn 

[prairiewindmomma]

I love the blog Capitol Hill style. A lot of her picks are from Loft, Express, and other  fairly reasonably priced places.

[mmasc]

I’m going to second (third?) Loft. They regularly have 40% off sales, so wait for one. Or, go in and try on a ton of stuff and make note of what styles/sizes, then wait for the sale and order online. :)

[MysteryJen]

If she is putting together a wardrobe from scratch and is not a person who loves shopping, I would call the personal shopper/stylist at Nordstrom, give them her price range and work requirements and set up an appointment.

I have a friend who did that on getting a more formal job after grad school and it was amazing. One day, a new wardrobe of quality things, and guidelines to fill it out with accessories, extra tops, etc. She said it was the best decision she ever made-everything fit/was altered, everything went together and she felt, ultimately cheaper than spending days doing it herself.

[regentrude]

42 minutes ago, MysteryJen said:

If she is putting together a wardrobe from scratch and is not a person who loves shopping, I would call the personal shopper/stylist at Nordstrom, give them her price range and work requirements and set up an appointment.

I have a friend who did that on getting a more formal job after grad school and it was amazing. One day, a new wardrobe of quality things, and guidelines to fill it out with accessories, extra tops, etc. She said it was the best decision she ever made-everything fit/was altered, everything went together and she felt, ultimately cheaper than spending days doing it herself.

That sounds like a very expensive option to me.

[sassenach]

Ann Taylor Loft online. They almost always are running 40-50% off codes. Ditto Nordstrom’s Rack. 

[hshibley]

JC Penney Worthington line.

[FairProspects]

It depends on your definition of expensive. The personal shopper option at Nordstrom will probably run her $1500-2000. Not bad IMHE for a jump start on a workwear wardrobe, but I live in a HCOLA and as we all know from the other current thread that it's all relative ;) Loft is great for tops and often has sales and Express definitely has the best workwear slacks. I went back to full time work in the last 2 years and had to replace everything, so these are the stores that have been the most helpful to me in the process. She might even be able to find a few items at Marshalls or T.J. Maxx if she has those in her area.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Target

[TechWife]

2 hours ago, regentrude said:

That sounds like a very expensive option to me.

It’s a matter of perspective. For many people, the services they provide are worth the price. Nordstrom does have some less expensive brands as well. Honestly, being able to get a suit, blouses and shoes all in one place, along with having on site alterations with a quick turn around, saves quite a bit of time, and time is money for a lot of people. Higher quality items also really do last longer, and classic pieces never go out of style. I was wearing pencil skirts 20 years ago and they are still a staple of business wear today. If someone sticks with the classics for staples and then fills in with trendier, less expensive items, it does even out somewhat in the long run. A well constructed, well fitted  suit will last much longer and look better than a poorly constructed or ill fitting suit. 

[regentrude]

56 minutes ago, FairProspects said:

It depends on your definition of expensive. The personal shopper option at Nordstrom will probably run her $1500-2000. Not bad IMHE for a jump start on a workwear wardrobe, but I live in a HCOLA and as we all know from the other current thread that it's all relative ;)

whoa! Very relative. I think that's as much as I spent in the last decade on clothes (not counting hiking gear)

No way a fresh college grad can afford that.

[Wheres Toto]

Business casual I would just go to Target.  They have dress pants and blouses, dressier t-shirts, cardigans, jackets, and skirts.   Simple, basics, easy to mix and match, and not that expensive.

[aggieamy]

13 hours ago, Arctic Mama said:

I’d consider finding some pieces on ThredUp.  For more business wear the selection is really good.

 

https://www.thredup.com/products/women?department_tags=women&listed_days=7&price=50%2C150&sort=Newest First&condition=q1_only

 

This is what I was going to recommend. Lots of different brands. Lots of selection. Order a bunch of things and return what doesn't work. 

[ThisIsTheDay]

The more business side of business casual:The Loft (which, as others have said, often has 40% off sales, so wait for that); New York & Co.-- I don't know how often they have sales, but my dd bought a business wardrobe at 50% off last year.

I find dresses are a great option. You can get dressed faster, and a one piece outfit is less expensive than buying several pieces. My go to places for work dresses are Belk, Steinmart & Macys.

[Guest2]

I would try Kohls.  Search for coupons, and she could get some great deals.  Also, some of the above mentioned stores not only have the 40-50 percent off sales but have outlet stores that have those same sales.   Both Loft and Express have outlet stores.

 If she knows someone over 50 who could purchase them for her, Banana Republic has a 10 percent discount off any item including sale items( you need to ask for it). Consignment and thrift stores in wealthier areas sometimes carry some great things, but the best finds often take some time and patience.

[TrulySusan]

Consider this website: https://classyyettrendy.com/the-workwear-capsule-wardrobe-spring-2018-collection/

 

Every season, she releases an ebook with a few items that will build a complete work wardrobe. All the pieces work together and subsequent seasons will re use many of the items she already has.

Also, if she says to buy a black top, she will give options of specific ones to buy in various price categories and they will all be from national chain stores.

I haven't used the work wear capsule, but I love the regular outfits.

[crazyforlatin]

I try never to go to a mall to shop for clothes, so I look for places that have free return shipping (though it's not the most important factor) and lower prices or good sales. So Gap and its sister stores, Athleta (no business attire though) and recently rediscovered Macy's which has some good sales with a current one of 30% and free return shipping. Here's a sample (especially like the DKNY ruched top) https://www.macys.com/shop/womens-clothing/womens-suits?id=67592&edge=hybrid

Uniqlo has cheaper business attire. Here are their suggestions, https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/women/wear-to-work 

[Wildcat]

My Dd is in the same boat. New grad and needs business dressy for office. We are bargain-hunters so anything over $30 rarely gets tried on.
She has had luck with Dress Barn for tops and dresses ($10 for dresses on clearance). She's petite so has less luck with pants but she has found some there. They also have plenty of blazers that she just loves.
For slacks, she has had lots of luck with Style Encore. It's a sister store to Plato's Closet. Whereas Plato's Closet is more teen-oriented, Style Encore is for career women. It is second-hand, name-brand clothing. Dd had found everything from Loft, to super expensive brands for around $5-10. They also have nice shoes. They have high-end bags, as well, but we think they are too pricey (D&B, MK, etc).
Oh--- H&M is good, too. Slacks, skirts, button-down tops, etc.
Steinmart has a wonderful selection of pants and Dd found several that she liked. They were more than what we/she wanted to spend, but when we mentally averaged out the bargains we found, we went ahead and got them. I think they were around $29 on sale.
 

 

 

 

 

[ktgrok]

My sister gets most of her stuff at the Loft, on clearance. Kohls and Target are other options. And resale stores for SURE. 

[regentrude]

42 minutes ago, Wildcat said:

For slacks, she has had lots of luck with Style Encore.

They only have b&m stores, it seems - or do you know of an online presence?

[Kareni]

We are fortunate to have a good number of thrift stores in our area.  My daughter has purchased a variety of business casual clothes there at very affordable prices.  Would that be an option where you live?

Regards,
Kareni

 

[regentrude]

Just now, Kareni said:

We are fortunate to have a good number of thrift stores in our area.  My daughter has purchased a variety of business casual clothes there at very affordable prices.  Would that be an option where you live?

Our thrift stores here are pathetic (rural small town with zero sense of style), and she does not have any near where she lives. But I'll keep an eye out in the local thrift stores, just in case.

[Kareni]

1 minute ago, regentrude said:

Our thrift stores here are pathetic (rural small town with zero sense of style), and she does not have any near where she lives. But I'll keep an eye out in the local thrift stores, just in case.

I hope something good will materialize!

Regards,
Kareni

[SparklyUnicorn]

Actually yeah Kohl's isn't too bad either.

Our thrift stores are lousy.

 

[The Governess]

I second Nordstrom Rack.  I was just there a couple weeks ago and found several nice tops that would be suitable for business casual for around $25 each. They also have a great selection of marked down shoes. Their website is pretty good too and they have a good return policy. 

One thing I would have her watch out for is to make sure as many items as possible can be washed rather than dry cleaned, especially tops.

[regentrude]

2 minutes ago, lovelearnandlive said:

One thing I would have her watch out for is to make sure as many items as possible can be washed rather than dry cleaned, especially tops.

Thanks, yes, I already emphasized this point. 

[elegantlion]

For classic but updated, try JCPenney. Everything is on sale at one point or another and they like to lure you with $10 off coupons. As noted above, the Worthington brand is workwear and LIZ is a bit more trendy. 

They definitely are more budget friendly. 

 

[Wildcat]

36 minutes ago, regentrude said:

They only have b&m stores, it seems - or do you know of an online presence?

Unfortunately, I don't know. I would guess they are only B&M due to the different stock at each location and how fast said stock changes. They are packed to the gills with clothes.

34 minutes ago, regentrude said:

Our thrift stores here are pathetic (rural small town with zero sense of style), and she does not have any near where she lives. But I'll keep an eye out in the local thrift stores, just in case.

I feel your/your dd's pain on this. We have one thrift store where formal dresses can be found for a song and a dance, but that's it. For the most part, all of our thrift stores are horrid for clothes. I suspect those with the 'nicer' clothing sell to stores that either consign them or buy them outright, like Style Encore.

If she has to rely on online shipping, I wonder if eBay might be of any value?

We know several people that shop at Marshall's, TJ Maxx, and Ross and find all sorts of things. We never find anything at those stores but have lots of friends who swear by them.

[Wildcat]

3 minutes ago, elegantlion said:

For classic but updated, try JCPenney. Everything is on sale at one point or another and they like to lure you with $10 off coupons. As noted above, the Worthington brand is workwear and LIZ is a bit more trendy. 

They definitely are more budget friendly. 

 

I really miss our JCP. They closed and now the nearest one is about two hours away and is 1/3 the size of the one that closed.

[plansrme]

Once she finds a style she likes (say, the "Ryan" pants from Banana Republic), Poshmark is a great site for finding more of the same item.  Most of the items are very gently used or NWT (new with tags), and they run about half the price of the same item in the store.  It is a morass if you're not looking for something specific, but if you know the brand you want, you can select for it and then sort by size, color and description.  I usually receive my items in two days, although sellers have about five days to ship.

[Jenny in Florida]

6 hours ago, regentrude said:

whoa! Very relative. I think that's as much as I spent in the last decade on clothes (not counting hiking gear)

No way a fresh college grad can afford that.

 

I'm glad you said it! I was trying to figure out how to phrase a similar response.

[Bootsie]

8 hours ago, TechWife said:

It’s a matter of perspective. For many people, the services they provide are worth the price. Nordstrom does have some less expensive brands as well. Honestly, being able to get a suit, blouses and shoes all in one place, along with having on site alterations with a quick turn around, saves quite a bit of time, and time is money for a lot of people. Higher quality items also really do last longer, and classic pieces never go out of style. I was wearing pencil skirts 20 years ago and they are still a staple of business wear today. If someone sticks with the classics for staples and then fills in with trendier, less expensive items, it does even out somewhat in the long run. A well constructed, well fitted  suit will last much longer and look better than a poorly constructed or ill fitting suit. 

I agree that having some well-constructed items made out of quality fabric does pay off in the long run.  However, I leave in a fairly low COL area and I have found Nordstrom's to be relatively expensive and trendy.  I have a colleague who uses Nordstrom's personal shopping service and spends a FORTUNE--one outfit would easily run over $1000 (especially if you are including shoes).  

[TechWife]

1 hour ago, jdahlquist said:

I agree that having some well-constructed items made out of quality fabric does pay off in the long run.  However, I leave in a fairly low COL area and I have found Nordstrom's to be relatively expensive and trendy.  I have a colleague who uses Nordstrom's personal shopping service and spends a FORTUNE--one outfit would easily run over $1000 (especially if you are including shoes).  

 

Nordstrom can be expensive, I haven't said otherwise. But, in all fairness, your colleague chose to spend that much money. Nordstrom does have trendy clothing, but they also have classic clothing. We all have different thresholds for what we are willing and able to spend on clothes. Nordstrom sales can be good and someone who plans ahead and works carefully with a personal shopper can do well for themselves. It won't ever be as cheap as Target or Kohl's, but it can compare to other department stores on some items. Paying for quality can be worth it, that's all I'm saying.

 

[Carol in Cal.]

CAbI has good stuff for that age.

 

 

[Wheres Toto]

I agree that getting well made pieces and using a personal shopper can be a good thing in the long run.  But I'm going by the original post where this is a young person just starting out needing the more formal end of business casual and doesn't have a lot of money.  I've certainly been there/done that.  When I first returned to work a few years ago, I had very little that would work for a job.  I was returning to work because our finances were in the crapper and we needed the health benefits.  There was NO way I could have spent even a few hundred dollars getting ready.  My office was probably the more casual end of business casual, but I dressed nicer at first because I was coming in as a temp and wanted to get hired.  Plus I was the Executive Assistant to a EVP and needed to go a little higher for that reason, plus when we had clients in house (at least once a week), dressier was better.   I bought nice blouses/shirts, black and gray dress pants, and a couple jackets/cardigans from Target to get in the door because that was the most reasonable price-wise at that point.  I couldn't wait for sales or coupons since I started working in two days.

Once I was working for a while, and definitely once I was hired permanently and knew it was going to last, I went and bought some nicer, high-end items.

[SparklyUnicorn]

9 hours ago, TechWife said:

 

Nordstrom can be expensive, I haven't said otherwise. But, in all fairness, your colleague chose to spend that much money. Nordstrom does have trendy clothing, but they also have classic clothing. We all have different thresholds for what we are willing and able to spend on clothes. Nordstrom sales can be good and someone who plans ahead and works carefully with a personal shopper can do well for themselves. It won't ever be as cheap as Target or Kohl's, but it can compare to other department stores on some items. Paying for quality can be worth it, that's all I'm saying.

 

 I guess, but since she is younger she might actually WANT trendy and not necessarily an item that will last forever.

I dunno though.  I've spent good money on stuff and it did not last any longer than the Walmart stuff.  I'm not convinced price always matches quality.  And at that age, $1000 bucks even for an entire wardrobe would have been WAY out of the question. 

[TravelingChris]

Don't know if you have them but both Dillards and Belk have a lot of choices that my middle working daughter likes and liked when she started professional work (24) and both of my daughters use Amazon a lot or other online order sources with easy returns.  Many of the choices mentioned above including Coldwater Creek, Lands End, Modcloth, etc.

[sassenach]

Pro tip: I followed a link from the capsule wardrobe blog to j crew yesterday. This morning on my Instagram feed, a j crew coupon for 50% off plus 20% off plus free shipping popped up. This would bring their slacks and dress skirts down to about $30 each. I would suggest your daughter visit these websites and then see what kind of coupons appear in her social media. 

*I would totally share but the 50% isn’t a code, it’s imbedded in the link and I don’t know how to transfer an Instagram link. The 20% code is on the website for anyone. 

[mumto2]

We are going through this with Dd who needs to upgrade and start collecting some nicer pieces for when she launches into a career.  Dressy casual is what we are anticipating also.

 I loved to shop when I was 20 but started hating it with kids which means Dd is not a good shopper.  She grew up in cheap T-shirt’s and leggings with a couple of nicer things for church.   There is a skill  needed to go through a sales rack quickly and grab a couple of cheap items that might be perfect for your daughter.  That skill starts with knowing what looks good on your Dd.  My Dd has my coloring but is significantly smaller so beyond the leggings etc I couldn’t shop for her with much success.  We have been working on learning what looks good on her so trying on lots and are both frequently surprised.  We have the luxury of time so sales racks are fine for our dressing room adventures.

Your Dd needs to go to large department store....something with a range of quality and prices.  She needs to see how things look and feel.  She doesn’t need much to start but she will be wearing it over and over so those black trousers need to hold up to lots of wear.  There are some really great fabrics out there that are so easy to care for.  She needs to know what she is looking for before she goes online and gets frustrated because things don’t look right on her.  An afternoon in dressing rooms will show her what she is looking for.  

On a side note Dd is now fast at sales racks and pulls out an item or two that are frequently really cheap.....she has also figured my needs out so I seem to be building a new wardrobe.  Until now my dressy wardrobe has been my two dresses I bought back when I was first pregnant with Ds....quality, Lands End, they have lasted well for 18 years.    They were also on sale, maybe $20 each.

[regentrude]

1 hour ago, SparklyUnicorn said:

I dunno though.  I've spent good money on stuff and it did not last any longer than the Walmart stuff.  I'm not convinced price always matches quality.  And at that age, $1000 bucks even for an entire wardrobe would have been WAY out of the question. 

Yes, the bolded is my experience. If a $10 shirt last me ten years, why would I spend $50? So the shirt can last me fifty years?

I cannot imagine spending $1000 on clothing, and I don't know anybody who does.

 

[regentrude]

Thank you all for your recommendations, especially for brands that can be purchased online.

Time is at an absolute premium, and any b&m shopping involves a trip into the city and has to be kept to a minimum - I guess unavoidable for pants (I hate shopping for pants and have spent several *years* without dress pants because I could not find any that fit my very average body. If the average American woman is 5'6, why on Earth are all pants made for women who are 5'10?)

She has some good starting points now, thanks.

[Bootsie]

11 hours ago, TechWife said:

 

Nordstrom can be expensive, I haven't said otherwise. But, in all fairness, your colleague chose to spend that much money. Nordstrom does have trendy clothing, but they also have classic clothing. We all have different thresholds for what we are willing and able to spend on clothes. Nordstrom sales can be good and someone who plans ahead and works carefully with a personal shopper can do well for themselves. It won't ever be as cheap as Target or Kohl's, but it can compare to other department stores on some items. Paying for quality can be worth it, that's all I'm saying.

 

Perhaps the selection at Nordstrom's varies across the country.  I had shopped at Nordstrom's in the past when traveling, but now there is one locally, I can't seem to find what I would like at any cost. I don't spend a fortune on clothing, but I do invest in a few high quality suits, dresses and shoes for when I am making business presentations.  I have found that it has become increasingly difficult to find well constructed, classic women's clothing made out of quality fabric.  I went to Nordstrom's searching for something like a wool skirt that comes at least to the knees, a jacket that doesn't look like it has shrunk two sizes and my shirt hangs out from the bottom of it, and a dress that doesn't look like I have it on inside out because the zipper is sown on the outside of the dress.  I had a special event and was willing to spend a good deal of money, but even at $500 a skirt, Nordstrom's didn't have anything that came all the way to the knees.  They did not have a single pair of mid-heel pumps in any size or any color in the entire store.

[Wildcat]

30 minutes ago, regentrude said:

Yes, the bolded is my experience. If a $10 shirt last me ten years, why would I spend $50? So the shirt can last me fifty years?

I cannot imagine spending $1000 on clothing, and I don't know anybody who does.

 

Agree. This is why things priced over $30 don't get a second look from us, and even then, we have to *really* love the item to consider paying $30.

I imagine plenty of professional people who need more of a suit wardrobe pay that much on clothing but I can't see how that's the norm. I spent $126 last week on several shirts and a pair of slacks and nearly hyperventilated.  I hate buying clothes and having to hope they last through several washings. I often wash on cold, delicate, and either hang or lay flat and I STILL can't get things to last most of the time.

26 minutes ago, regentrude said:

 If the average American woman is 5'6, why on Earth are all pants made for women who are 5'10?)

Word.

I'm  that "average" height and find slacks/pants have what I call built-in-socks because they are so long but the "average" length jeans are too short by about two inches, yet the "long" also have built in socks.

Dd is a petite 5'2" and everything needs to be hemmed. Capris go all the way to her ankles.

I despise clothes shopping.

[Wildcat]

7 minutes ago, jdahlquist said:

Perhaps the selection at Nordstrom's varies across the country.  I had shopped at Nordstrom's in the past when traveling, but now there is one locally, I can't seem to find what I would like at any cost. I don't spend a fortune on clothing, but I do invest in a few high quality suits, dresses and shoes for when I am making business presentations.  I have found that it has become increasingly difficult to find well constructed, classic women's clothing made out of quality fabric.  I went to Nordstrom's searching for something like a wool skirt that comes at least to the knees, a jacket that doesn't look like it has shrunk two sizes and my shirt hangs out from the bottom of it, and a dress that doesn't look like I have it on inside out because the zipper is sown on the outside of the dress.  I had a special event and was willing to spend a good deal of money, but even at $500 a skirt, Nordstrom's didn't have anything that came all the way to the knees.  They did not have a single pair of mid-heel pumps in any size or any color in the entire store.

I suspect this is true of all chains.

Someone upthread mentioned Belk's. Our Belk's always looks like a bargain basement store in all but the exclusive, name-brand areas. It's horrible. I refuse to even consider shopping there because it's such a nightmare. Add to that the fact that their prices are really high, it's just not a pleasant shopping experience at all. The last time I was in there, several ladies and I got to talking about how Goodwill was better organized and they (Goodwill) didn't have clothes laying on the floor in piles or slung over racks.