How to Dress for Success for Less

Buying workplace attire can be an expensive proposition. If we work full time, we'll need five different outfits per week, which means 20 per month, every month. That's a lot of outfits. All of us want to dress for success, and the following steps can help us do that while spending less.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Take stock. Look inside your closet to see what items you already have that can become part of your dress-for-success wardrobe. Look for classy styles that look smart and professional, and put all these items into one side of your closet.

2. Examine the items you've selected to see what condition each is in. Determine if any of them need dry cleaning, washing, ironing or mending. Also try to find stains and missing buttons that need to be fixed. Realistically assess each article and decide whether it's worth the work or expense it would take to bring it up to professional status.

3. Try each item on and be sure it fits well and creates a professional impression. Make sure that the dresses you select for your work wardrobe are appropriate to wear to the office. Put aside outfits that don't look as if they'd contribute to your professional success.

4. Decide how many different outfits you'll be able to make from the items you already own by mixing and matching separates and using various accessories as fashion accents. This will give you a better idea of how many new articles you'll need to buy to create a sufficient number of outfits to keep you looking professional--and to vary your wardrobe--every day.

5. List the items you'll need to buy, based on your current wardrobe. This will give you an organized and systematic method for making sure you remember to buy all the pieces your wardrobe lacks. Since you may not have the funds to purchase them all at once, having a list will help you remember what you've bought and what you'll need to buy later. Remember to check each item off the list as you buy it and add new items as they occur to you.

6. Go shopping. (This is the fun part.) Look for sales, visit outlet stores or check out thrift shops, where you'll often find clothing that looks like new (sometimes even with the tags still attached). Many people buy clothing, decide they don't like it and never bother to return it; and this can work to your advantage. Look for quality, style, affordability and "mix-and-match-ability" to help you create more and better-looking outfits.

7. Care for your professional attire properly. Change clothes as soon as you arrive home from work. You'll be far less likely to wrinkle, stain or tear your outfits that way, which will make them last longer. Clean each item according to the manufacturer's directions to keep it looking as nice as possible for as long as possible. When you notice that an article needs to be "retired," do so and replace it as soon as you're able. That will help you keep both your wardrobe and yourself looking like a success--for less.