How to Build a Work Wardrobe on a Budget

As businesses slowly start to bring employees back onsite after more than a year of working from home, getting dressed for the office can seem overwhelming. Most of us have been living in yoga pants (guilty) and sweats, so it may be time to refresh your work wardrobe before heading back into the office. It might seem like a challenging and expensive task, but it doesn’t need to be.

You don’t need to spend a ton of money to procure an arsenal of outfits you can wear to work. Instead, focus on integrating investment pieces with inexpensive additions to build a work wardrobe on a budget. If you mix and match quality items with trendy or less expensive pieces, the result will be a wardrobe that likely looks much more expensive than it actually is.

You spend 40+ hours a week at work, so creating a budget friendly work wardrobe that makes you feel good is extremely important. It will help you start off each day on a positive note. When you look good, you feel good! (Dressing well changes your demeanor and studies have shown that it influences the way we think.)

Determine what the dress code is where you’ll be working

It would be a shame to spend money on business formal attire if everyone in the office dresses business casual or casually, so determine what your office environment is like before going on a shopping spree. If you’re starting a new job, you should get a good indication of how people dress at work during your interview, but if you still aren’t completely sure, ask! You can ask your potential boss or even reach out to peers that you’ll be working with to get a better picture of the office vibe and what people wear.

If you already have a job and just want to improve your style and build a work wardrobe on a budget, look around to see what people are wearing. Do most people wear jeans? Does your boss always wear a blazer? Get a feel for what others are wearing and use that as the foundation for your wardrobe. You should be able to stand next to others in your office and look equally as professional as whoever you’re standing next to.

Invest in four key pieces

Even if you largely reside in a casual environment, you should always be prepared with an arsenal of business basics that you can wear for a big meeting, event, or conference.

For ladies, these pieces are:

• A well fitted blazer
• A nice white blouse that can be worn alone or under something else like a blazer
• A pair of slacks or pencil skirt (or both)
• Neutral pumps or flats depending on what you prefer (either black or nude colored)

For men, these pieces are:

• A well fitted suit which you can wear together or wear as separates (go for black, grey, or navy)
• A classic, white button down shirt
• A pair of nice shoes in brown or black
• A leather belt that is the same color as your shoes

You’ll want to invest in these pieces and make sure you purchase quality items because these pieces will be the basis of your work wardrobe. While it’s possible to buy inexpensive versions of these items, it’s wise to purchase items that are better quality because you’ll get more use out of them, and they will last longer. With that in mind, you don’t need to purchase anything that is crazy expensive. Try Banana Republic Factory Store and Nordstrom Rack to score quality items at budget prices. Even though you’ll be spending a little more now, you’ll spend less in the long run because you won’t have to replace low quality items.

Note** Here are five additional items of clothing that will help round out your wardrobe!

Shop for inexpensive items to change up your style

When you’re trying to build a work wardrobe on a budget, the key is mixing and matching to create new outfits out of the same base pieces. I’ve talked about how accessories can easily change up your wardrobe on a budget, but when figuring out how to build a work wardrobe on a budget, you’ll want to go for easy items like shirts that can easily be worn with different pieces to change up your look.

I also love a great jumpsuit to act as a blank canvas because it’s simple and can be worn with many different blazers, jackets, or shoes to change up the look.

If you’re in a more formal environment, purchase a few different button down shirts that fit you properly. Once you find a shirt that fits you well, get it in a couple of colors or patterns so you have them on hand for when you need them. You can style them with jeans, slacks, or skirts, so you’ll get a lot of use out of them. These items can be inexpensive to help change up your look so you’re not wearing the same thing every day, but make sure that they do fit you properly. Regardless of how expensive or inexpensive an item is, the fit determines how it looks. H&M and Zara have great items for both men and women that serve as an inexpensive way to change up your look.

If you’re in a more casual environment, find some casual clothes that still look polished. Even if the dress code is casual, you still want to appear professional. Opt for a plain t shirt, jeans, and a blazer to give you a casual yet professional vibe.

Find what you like, then hunt for the best price

Sometimes you’ll find something you love, only to find that it’s over your budget. If this happens, hunt for the best price. Search online because often different outlets will have different prices. There are also some great apps like Honey that tell you when an item has gone down in price. (Not sponsored, I just really like the app!) Also, don’t write off consignment stores or second hand purchases. Websites like ebay and poshmark have a lot of items that are “new with tags” or “like new” for sale, which drops the price a lot.

If you do purchase second hand clothing, just be sure to take the items immediately to the dry cleaner before wearing them. Once you know what you like and what your size is, hunting for the best price is relatively easy. Just remember that it’s important to keep an open mind. If you want to build a work wardrobe on a budget, you’ll probably have to explore different options to get the appearance and price you want!

_________

It may seem difficult and overwhelming to build a work wardrobe on a budget, but hopefully these simple tips and tricks help you in your journey! Remember that developing a work wardrobe takes time. Start with a few key pieces that you love, and build from there! Happy hunting!