My closet has two sides to it - professional Modern Femme, and private life Modern Femme, and the twain shall never meet. I can remember the outfit I wore to my first job interview - a chocolate sheath dress with a matching jacket from Ann Taylor, and a large-gauge black pearl necklace with matching studs. All of 22 at the time, I probably looked like I was playing dress-up, but hey - guess who was hired on the spot?
I get teased by colleagues every now and again, because I'm that person who refuses to indulge in blue-jean Fridays. My coworkers are genuinely perplexed that I "dress up" every day.
Maybe it's because my parents both wore suits every day of their lives to work. Maybe it's because I believe in the old adage "dress for the job you want, not the job you have." Maybe it's because I'm lazy and like having my closet divided into Monday - Friday on one side and Saturday-Sunday on the other.
It's probably a combination of all those things. In any case, I like to look polished and professional at work. No blue jeans (not even "dressy" blue jeans), no overtly flashy accessories, no outrageous colors, no sexy anything, no cleavage. No skirts that end more than two inches above the knee, no pants that sit on your hips. No loud makeup - leave the blue eyeshadow at home. No wet hair!!!!
Yes to black foundational pieces - pants, skirts, suits, sweater. Yes to ballet flats to wear to the office, and then black heels under your desk to change into. Yes to printed scarves, chunky statement jewelry (a la Madeline Albright and not Lady Gaga) and sophisticated perfume. Yes to classic jackets that can be mixed with black pants and skirts for a touch of color with a polished finish.
Whereas my work wardrobe budget used to be large enough to allow me to shop unhindered, being a parent and a homeowner has put a serious dent in my wardrobe's wallet. But you can still find classic pieces at reduced price points, it just takes a little more legwork. Here are the vendors that I frequent nowadays on my tight budget:
1. Zara. Even if all I can afford is their sales rack, this clothing store has awesome jackets, and fun accent pieces. The sizing is definitely European, so just be (emotionally) prepared to take whatever size you are and multiply it times two.
2. White House, Black Market. I have to dig through their racks, because they are a little flashy (despite the name), but I have gotten good foundational pieces here - like the black pencil skirt I wore to work today!
3. The Limited. This store has really changed in the last five years. I can remember when it was incredibly frumpy, and then it got a little too edgy, but now it has settled in a nice classic space that I quite like. I get a lot of work tops from here. They also have really cute work-appropriate jewelry.
4. Banana Republic. It's hard to go wrong in this store, though lately the only place I'm looking in is the sales rack. That being said, I still own a summer weight shirt and sweater combo that is three years old, so it's a good return on investment.
5. Lands End - Shoes. Their selection is getting better and better, and they have sales and discounts all the time - which, when you combine it with their all ready low prices, is hard to beat.
6. Target. I tend to get things like tights (black, gray, navy blue) here. They also have a cute selection of scarves and some jewelry - though most of it will only last a season. You can also get snag seasonal trends in button downs and sweaters here - though most cute things are snapped up as soon as they hit the floor.
Where do you do your work wardrobe shopping?
xoxo,
MF
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