Desperately need a wardrobe overhaul! Advice please.

LittlePeachBlossom

I've come to the realization that my wardrobe is pretty pathetic. Like really. Most of my work clothes are 5yrs old and ill-fitting due to a bit of weight gain, never mind that they're no longer age appropriate for a woman now in her mid-30s. Seriously, when did I get here? (Some Express and Juniors section from Department Stores. Please don't judge me!) I have two full suits that are classic and good quality. The other stuff was only meant to be for a season or two but between moving and going to grad school, their shelf life was extended. My company is business casual but leaning more on the casual side, which is what allowed me to push the limits of these clothes. At this point, I'm just so embarrassed to be walking around like that. 

I need help with putting together a quality (but decently affordable) professional wardrobe. I like slacks, button down shirts, blouses, cardigans, full skirts, and blazers. Dresses don't work for me. (Or maybe I feel they're too much for my current work environment.) Please help me! I'd like advise on styles, brands, material, and anything else really. As you can see, I'm sort of lost.

lurkergirl

Other people will have much better and more detailed advice than me, but for stores I would highly recommend Ann Taylor and Loft (which is the more casual, less expensive brand under Ann Taylor).  I even have some good things from Target and Old Navy.  Their quality can be hit or miss, but I take really good care of my clothes (gentle or hand wash, line dry--especially for dark colors) so I think that helps them last a bit longer.

I like to buy lots of neutrals so I can mix and match most of my clothes.  I do have some bright tops and scarves and cardigans to add color.

sarawifenow

Ann Taylor Loft always has sales going on! I also shop at New York and Company. Sometimes they have buy one get one on dress pants!

cupcait927

I swear by The Limited and NY&Co. They have stuff that is nice and office appropriate. Most of my work wardrobe is from The Limited. Both stores have pretty consistent sales so you don't have to spend a fortune. I would invest in quality pieces, more heavy on the neutral side to begin, so that you can start to vamp up your wardrobe plus mix and match without spending a fortune right off the bat. After that you can add in colors and patterns in fun blouses or scarves. I usually look at the mannequins in the stores for inspiration and go from there.

ETA - forgot about The Loft. They have amazing sales!

climbingsingle

I think this is a time when Pinterest really comes in handy. Go on there and look for work outfits. Pin the ones you like, and then go out shopping. AT Loft, NY & Co, Banana, J Crew, The Limited all should have some good options. 

wandajune6

I now work in a super-casual office but dress up a few days a week. My last job was business casual but, before that, I came from an environment where I lived in suits.

I have a fleet of basic black slacks, cardigans and blouses. I have a horrible time finding pants (on the low end of plus size, all gut, no ass) so I end up with the Nordstrom brand Caslon. I buy them when they're on sale (not clearanced) so I can get discounted tailoring (full price if the item is on clearance). I have a few pairs of black, 2 shades of gray, and a nice khaki-ish color.

2 approaches to cardigans: replace annually or invest. I beat them to hell so I buy them cheap at Target or Old Navy. Otherwise, invest in nicer ones that can last forever. I tend to stick to solid colors but will occasionally get a pattern.

The approach above aside, I love cashmere. Just don't buy the cheap crap- it doesn't feel like cashmere should. I've bought cashmere at places like Kohls and it always lets me down. I've been known to splurge on the gorgeous patterned cashmere cardigans at Talbots around the holidays. It looks luxe and gorgeous. If you go for cashmere, the more you can spend, the better.

I buy blouses at places like Nordstrom Rack because they have cute things for cheap. Places like Ann Taylor Loft, Banana Republic, etc. also have great options. Macy's has good options too.

Once you start expanding, go for great shoes. I mostly wear flats because I walk a lot of stairs. Cheap flats tend to look pretty cheap. I love Cole Haan and will buy them at places like Off 5th and Nordstrom Rack. I also have a bunch of Miz Mooz, Clarks, and random other brands that I love.

Finally, have a couple of killer pieces that you can pull out when you want to impress. For instance, my wardrobe tends to be pretty bland but I'll pull out something unique when I want to make an impression. I have a 4 year old Talbots cashmere cardigan in a funky pattern that always gets comments. In the summers I carry a hot pink patent leather purse that holds my tablet and portfolio. Dooney & Bourke outlet from 5 years ago and I get asked about it every time I pull it out. At the same time, I often wear this crazy cuff bracelet I bought at Charming Charlie's a few years back that looks polished and fun.

Focus on items that fit you well and make you comfortable. I'd also focus on quality fabrics. That's frequently the difference between Juniors and more professional clothing.

Have fun!

lizz0915

I second New York and Company, especially when they have sales. Another good option is The Limited, can be a little pricey if they are not running a sale. The one thing I really like about my Limited is going when it's not busy, because the girls there are so helpful with picking things out and bring things to you in the dressing room.

cupcait927

I agree with @lizz0915 The Limited sales associates are awesome at helping you pick things out and giving opinions. And if you sign up for their email, you'll get alerts when they have sales and coupons in the mail. I never, ever pay full price there. They are having sales more and more frequently too. Their clearance section is usually pretty awesome as well. I have a fantastic dress for fall/winter that I got on clearance from there - originally $100 and with markdowns plus a sale on clearance, I got it for $20.

Wegl13

I'm a banana republic girl but mostly because they have a petite section. I can't wear most of their clothes to work because they are too nice and I can't wear dresses and skirts but I love love love their clothes. Love. Mostly because they fit. And they are classy. And they fit.

sarahufl

I like LOFT and Target. I also read this blog (http://www.puttingmetogether.com/) where the girl suggests ways to make outfits. I find it very helpful to see how other people mix and match various staples from their closets and wear them in different ways.

I find too often that I buy a top but have no bottom to wear it with or vice versa.

ElcaB

New York & Company is your friend. 

[Deleted User]

I will third NY & Company - amazing sales/deals, perfect stuff for work.  And I just started shopping at Loft... LOVE how their clothes fit me so far! And their stuff is 40% off everything right now, including sales!

I'm starting to build a closet of basics/neutrals that are very mixable.  use accessories to add color, pattern, etc!

ETA: If you find a style that you love, is flattering etc, buy it in multiple colors! Just did that with the Loft Easy Tee! Seriously the best tshirt ever - can dress up or down, comfy and flattering!

blabla89

First things first: get some pants that fit well. What style suits you best depends on your body type. I recommend The Limited, Loft, Ann Taylor, NY&C. They all have great sales and coupons so sign up for their email list. The associates at The Limited are really good at helping me pick out the best items for my body type, so that might be a good place to start.

A well-fitted cardigan with a basic blouse (or event a tee if your office allows that) always looks nice. If you have a Jcrew outlet nearby, pick up a few when they have a sale. Like the PPs, I buy lots of neutral tops to mix and match with colored cardigans and accessories.

JCbride2015

Others have made really good store suggestions.  I would add J. Crew and J. Crew Factory to that list.  The Factory often has great sales and you can still find real wool there (real silk, not so much).

I'm going through a wardrobe transition too, right now.  The only business clothes I have are summer clothes because I was a summer associate last year, and now I'm starting work in the fall.

Here's what I bought that is probably enough to get started on an overhaul:

--The same pair of pants that fits perfectly, in three colors: black, navy, and gray

--The same pencil skirt in two colors: one gray, one forest green

--Five dresses that fit great, in various colors: tweed, black, gray, forest green, navy

--One knit black blazer, a step down from a suit blazer

I didn't buy any blouses because I have a bunch, but if you added a few button-downs and a few colorful shells to that mix, you'd have a pretty good work wardrobe.  Think about buying within the same color palette so you can mix and match.

freebread03

I would suggest J Crew, J Crew Factory, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor (Loft for basics like tanks for under suit jackets but not for full suits or much work stuff since it looks so off the rack), and Norstrom's Halogen brand.  I see a lot of ladies suggesting Limited-they are just an affiliate of Express and their quality isn't that much greater (though not bad for some basics).  New York and Co. is also probably in the Express/Limited range for quality.

I haven't paid full price for most of my suits, including suits from Halogen, Ann Taylor, and J Crew Factory (typically 40-60 percent off). It sounds like your work environment is more casual though, so I'd suggest skirts with cute tops that you can add a jacket to in colder weather or for dressier work events.  I also like pairing different jackets with skirts (not different suit jackets, but maybe a pink jacket with a black skirt).

Just keep in mind that quality lasts but will cost you a bit more up front.  Buying basics (blacks, greys, suits and dress separates) and adding different color shirts, shoes, and scarfs can give you a very diverse wardrobe.

daria24

I feel you on being in your 30s with a wardrobe from your 20s. I can't go into an Express anymore without being horrified. You can definitely buy a LOT at NY &Co for cheap-seriously never, ever pay full price for an item. They have so many sales/coupons/promos, you will always be able to get an item for 40% off. But i stopped shopping there a few years ago. I just found their stuff stretched out a lot faster, and the fit wasn't as good as some other places. 

I buy a lot of stuff at the Banana Republic Outlet, as well as the J Crew outlet. Keep in mind most of their outlet products are slightly lower quality than their mall stores-something like 80% of the outlet product is created specifically for the outlets. I have really good luck with the Calvin Klein outlet-but I think their max size is 12. 

I love Nordstrom Rack-it's a bit of a pain to sift through, but the quality of clothes you can get there is higher than TJ Maxx or Marshalls. 

arrippa

I like to shop at Loft. I even got my mom to start shopping there as well. They are currently having a 40% off sale. I am already thinking about buying my winter clothes.

sarahufl

arrippa said:

I like to shop at Loft. I even got my mom to start shopping there as well. They are currently ALWAYS having a 40% off sale. I am already thinking about buying my winter clothes.

FTFY- I swear, DO NOT EVER pay full price at LOFT. Ever.

RebeccaB88

I'm going to go back and read your responses later, but I have a basic wardrobe planning scheme that really works for me, and might work for you, or to at least get yourself started. I wear scrubs to work now, so I follow this to make sure I have a coherent off-work wardobe that is easy to put together. (It worked when I wore real clothes to work too.)

I start around a palette of neutrals. My pants/bottoms are always neutral - black, gray, khaki, chocolate, navy/denim, cream/white.  (Less navy and brown because they just aren't my favorite colors, but go with whatever will work with your preferences and the colors you most like to wear. "My" neutral is black/gray/denim, my mom's is khaki/brown/cream.)  My tops are a mix of color with some necessary neutrals.  I wear mainly cool toned colors, because those work with my coloring and they tend to be the ones I gravitate to anyway.  Jackets/blazers, I'd have a couple of neutrals (like black or grey with some kind of interesting detail, like cool buttons) and a color or two.  I preferred shells or tanks to blouses, so I had a mix of neutrals and colors. Generally, I made sure that I could grab a pair of pants and pretty much any mix of tops and they'd all go together.  And as much as I love shoes (I do need a serious shoe intervention), for business I kept most of them pretty neutral, again with interesting details, so they wouldn't be too boring.  Once you have a good base of neutrals, use your monthly clothing budget to add in the fun stuff, colors, etc. Cardigans and twinsets,I think, are a great alternative to a jacket, and to a stuffy button down shirt.  The idea is that you don't have to have only outfits, that you can almost close your eyes, grab a bottom, top, and jacket or cardigan, and it will all go together.  Mix and match.

Now that I just need weekend and evening clothes, I keep with the neutral bottoms palette, but bring in a lot more color in what I wear on top, my accessories, and sometimes shoes.

Express isn't a bad place to pick up good work pieces, honestly.  NY & Co., Macy's, JCrew, Banana Republic, Limited, Nordstrom Rack, Filene's Basement, Ann Taylor & AT Loft, Chico's, TJ Maxx, Ross, Marshalls, are all good shops to start with.  I like Land's End online, too. They recently started modernizing the cuts of some of their pants so they don't come up to your neck anymore (just have to read the descriptions), and all of the stuff I have from them has been very well made and long lasting. I love their cardigans and matching shells - cashmere, cashmere blends, wool, cotton, and lightweight knits, they're all the best hidden finds I've ever made, the colors rock, and the neutrals are just slightly different than what you see other places. Even LLBean has some nice dress pants, boots, sweaters, and blazers, especially for winter. Don't discount places like Amazon, Overstock, Polyvore, etc, too. Take your measurements and buy online according to those, and find a good tailor to keep on hand.

Sign up for mailing lists on all the places you find where you like and fit the clothes. Land's End sends out great coupons all the time, always with free shipping. Sure, you'll get more spam, but there's generally good deals in those emails. DSW for shoes as well - and Shoes.com, Zappos.

This season, scarves of all kinds are really in.  They're an inexpensive way to add color and modern touches to an otherwise neutral, classic outfit. I'm buying several in bright colors myself, in modern patterns, since I don't have much of a clothes budget this winter, to liven up what I already have.  You'll want a great, neutral bag too, maybe a winter fabric now, and then pick up one in a warm weather fabric next spring.  My mode for accessories is, if it's big, I like it classic, if it's small, I'll go more trendy.  The exception being a classic diamond (or cubic zirconia) or pearl stud earring - classic, small, and works with every outfit.

Now I'm seriously disappointed that I wear scrubs to work.  I miss dressing up!

Ndelible

I bought a whole new wardrobe last year.  Almost all through three places:  Ann Taylor, Banana Republic & Macy's.  And almost every piece on sale.  These three stores have great sales.  For designer stuff cheap, try GILT.  I went preppy.  Now that Loehmann's is out of business, I rely on these three to get me through with updates and such.  I also get stuff on sale at Talbot's and Chico's.

freebread03

Don't ever ever ever pay full price at Banana, Ann Taylor, or Loft. Nordstrom has great half yearly sales, and then good rando sales (I got my favorite suit full price, cuz I wanted it and it was still a reasonable $148 jacket/$68 skirt, but the skirt went on sale a few months later for $40, which I bought since its black and basic and I wear it a lot). I got a few great dresses at Banana around labor day for 40% off, and they look amazing with blazers or colorful jackets. And then two great blazers from Ann Taylor for $35!!!! They were final sale, originally in the $140 range. I shop in stores, take pics of the tags of things I like (with my phone) and they wait until a sale to look for them.

buttercup1958

I agree with everyone's suggestions. I love all those places (The Loft, The Limited, The Gap, New York & CO, ect haha) . Remember What Not To Wear "Color, Texture, Pattern, Shine" and don't forget neutrals! I also suggest Modcloth too. They have a great return policy and I love the quality/selection they have.

Sugargirl1019

I like J Crew, Banana Republic, and Dillard's or Macys. A lot of people like New York & Company... But all of their shirts were SO sheer the last time I shopped! You could even see my nude bra through these shirts. I was super upset, and never went back..

PrincessOfHavoc

I don't have much dress up clothes, my job requires jeans.

I have three pairs of slacks from Loft, two black and one gray. A few button down shirts. Two nice sweaters. I get by fine.

Otherwise, other than my boots, it's as cheap as possible as I get my clothes trashed. It's a hardware store. Dirt and stains mean jeans last at most 3 months.

arrippa

buttercup1958 said:

I agree with everyone's suggestions. I love all those places (The Loft, The Limited, The Gap, New York & CO, ect haha) . Remember What Not To Wear "Color, Texture, Pattern, Shine" and don't forget neutrals! I also suggest Modcloth too. They have a great return policy and I love the quality/selection they have.

I love their dresses and shoes.

LittlePeachBlossom

Thank you for your awesome suggestions!! For some reason I cannot reply on TK from my phone. The keypad doesn't come up! So all weekend I was simply lurking and unable to reply. 

I'll probably start off at the Loft and Ann Taylor for the basics like pants and skirts. Then I'll venture out to the other stores for blouses and accessories. Too bad I missed the great sales. Should I wait till the next big sale? Sounds like they come fairly often but I don't want to wait too long where there's no more fall clothes left. I was thinking of starting my shopping this weekend. 

I think my neutrals are gray/black/maroon for winter/fall and khaki/olive/brown for spring summer. I'm excited to have a shopping plan! I usually dread it but I think it's because I get overwhelmed. 

SBmini

Sounds like you have a good plan! Most stores pair clothes that go together so it is really easy to make outfits. Think in outfits when you shop. An awesome skirt is useless if you don't have any tops to go with it. Focus on getting a lot of solids/staple items (i.e. black pants and khakis) that you can dress up with prints and patterns. Have fun!

mrsdee15

I just went through the overhaul recently, and I really like a subscription box called Golden Tote (I still use it).  Without getting into it too much, it pushes me out of my comfort zone but still provides amazing clothes.   Also, I second the ModCloth suggestion, it's great (especially the sales!).

Also, I found a suit at Ann Taylor with a matching pair of pants, a skirt, and a jacket, and bought the tops I could find that went with it - it has been working great!

larrygaga

Anything and everything from NY+CO