I landed an internship this summer, but I don't have many work-appropriate clothes. I need some new digs in the wardrobe, but I'm also kinda broke and need to not spend hundreds and hundreds of $$s. I went to Kohls, Old Navy, Target, and Stein Mart, and ended up with like 3 shirts that I don't even like all that much. Dress is business casual or nicer. Anyone have any suggestions on where to go and not break the bank?

ps: I'm not a dude.

6/14/2010 6:37:04 PM

ibt

6/14/2010 6:39:48 PM

you have already named the ones I would have named. add TJ Maxx

6/14/2010 6:40:15 PM

$hameless Ann Taylor / Loft plug since my roommate works there

hell if I know any pricing though

6/14/2010 6:40:36 PM

6/14/2010 6:41:25 PM

If you were a guy i'd say TJ Maxx or Marshall's. I'm not sure how good they are for professional women's clothing.

6/14/2010 6:41:35 PM

I was going to recommend Goodwill as well, but I'm not sure how uppity she is.

Goodwill is the first spot I hit for ties and slacks.

^ Business casual is DEFINITELY not professional

[Edited on June 14, 2010 at 6:42 PM. Reason : a]

6/14/2010 6:42:15 PM

I like the Van Heusen store in the RDU outlet shops. They're always having sales as is the Bass shoe store in the same mall.

6/14/2010 6:42:28 PM

Van Heusen is my favorite dress shirt, but I didn't know they had womens' clothes

6/14/2010 6:44:08 PM

Generally I have no problems with Goodwill, but I see that as more of a place to get hangin-out clothes. Never looked for work stuff there.

6/14/2010 6:44:43 PM

Quote :

"TJ Maxx or Marshall's"

6/14/2010 6:45:23 PM

Belk/Macys ALWAYS have sales going on

i mean ALWAYS

and there are ALWAYS coupons in the sunday paper, too for both stores

i have lots of "professional" attire from there - you can find cute stuff, it isn't all grandma. and its more affordable esp w/ sales which seriously they always have some sort of shit going on. have you tried dept stores yet?

OH AND let me tell you what you can get by with:

get you a black a line or pencil skirt
a pair of black slacks
another skirt/slack in brown or grey
a wrap dress
maybe a solid color shift dress

you can get some blouses too if you want but just get a basic white or cream

then you can wear slacks or a skirt with basic tees from like old navy (and you can get MANY different colors for cheap), and heels/cute flats. you can wear basic colored (black/brown) skirts 2x a week and just change the top

ALSO: anne taylor loft



[Edited on June 14, 2010 at 6:49 PM. Reason : .]

6/14/2010 6:46:28 PM

^ haven't. I really hate the mall but it looks like I'll have to brave it.

6/14/2010 6:47:31 PM

and by "sale" she means "only overpriced" versus "drastically overpriced"

6/14/2010 6:47:58 PM

nah, belk has good sales sometimes.

6/14/2010 6:48:52 PM

clearly i am not a women. your ideas of "sales" make me laugh

6/14/2010 6:50:08 PM

Quote :

"and by "sale" she means "only overpriced" versus "drastically overpriced" "

uh no

you are missing out dude

everytime i go into the men's section (i help my brother shop sometimes haha) i can find like $7 shorts that are nice (like dockers or izod). belk and macys both always have serious sales PLUS coupons in the sunday paper. always. and they have senior citizens discount so if you can go with your mom and get her to buy and you reimburse (i dunno what the age is but if she's over 50 or whatever). AND if you get a coupon at those stores lots of times you can keep it for the whole day it is good and use it in several depts.

and fuck yea women's shit is expensive - its bullshit.

[Edited on June 14, 2010 at 6:54 PM. Reason : .]

6/14/2010 6:52:37 PM

Quote :

"NOT A WOMEN"

6/14/2010 6:54:18 PM

lol, chicks are funny.

Typical conversation with my GF:

Her: Baby, the shoes are "Buy 1 pair get 1 pair free"!!!! I have to do it
Me: But you have a whole closet full of shoes, do you really need 2 more pairs?
Her: No, but they are ON SALE, so I can't pass this up!!!!
Me:

[Edited on June 14, 2010 at 6:55 PM. Reason : ^ got me]

6/14/2010 6:54:41 PM

except that isn't what we are talking about here

at all.

homegirl needs work clothes. if you watch sales, the best place to get some basic shit is dept stores.

OR the other places she's tried but she hasn't found shit there. the other options are places that would probably make you die w/ prices: jcrew, banana, ann taylor, limited, talbots. not cheap.

[Edited on June 14, 2010 at 6:58 PM. Reason : .]

6/14/2010 6:56:28 PM

I'll buy you a new wardrobe.

But in return, we will have to do things in the bedroom that you will regret for YEARS.

I don't know if you're ready for this...

6/14/2010 6:57:15 PM

^^^yup, that sounds about right


the gf bought a new hair straightener the other day- she already had a perfectly good one, but apparently this one is normally 120+ dollars, and she found it for 40.... thus, had to buy it




[Edited on June 14, 2010 at 6:57 PM. Reason : w]

6/14/2010 6:57:28 PM

haha, yeah, that shit is so annoying. It's buying shit for the sake of buying shit. Complete financial irresponsibility.

6/14/2010 6:58:47 PM

EMCE I could use a new wardrobe

6/14/2010 6:59:28 PM

Here, I'll give you another one.

Her: Baby, did you see that the purses are 20% off at Dooney & Burke (or however the fuck you spell it)
Me: Um, ok. I didn't realize you were looking for a purse considering the pile of them in the attic.
Her: I'm not, but they are 20% off so I am going to buy one!!!
Me:

6/14/2010 6:59:49 PM

hey TreeTwista10


also

Quote :

"Her: Baby, did you see that the purses are 20% off at Dooney & Burke (or however the fuck you spell it)"

Me: WHY THE FUCK WOULD I SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT? HUH?!

[Edited on June 14, 2010 at 7:01 PM. Reason : moar]

6/14/2010 7:00:46 PM

Oh yeah, and don't get me started on the grocery store coupons that come in the mail like 12 times a week.

I mean seriously, when was the last time I ate canned sardines? Yeah, like never. But them bitches are on sale so we HAVE TO HAVE THEM!

6/14/2010 7:03:25 PM

Quote :

"jcrew, banana, ann taylor, limited, talbots."

the other problem with these stores (other than the $$ factor) is that they carry clothes made for petite people, and I have a big rack and curvy hips. Shirts and pants are especially difficult to find for me, so I end up buying skirts and dresses a lot.

6/14/2010 7:04:05 PM

^ yea. i buy skirts and dresses too because i prefer them. pants make me feel weird. but i also have weird body. i'm short but my butt is big and its just blahhh in pants. lol.

i suggest just TRYING a dept store. i know the mall sucks but go to belk or macy's and just see if you can find anything that works

examples:

i don't know if you can do the nice denim at your work but here:
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=407493&CategoryID=40476 $30, macy's

dress pants
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=321989&CategoryID=40476 $24, macy's

black pencil skirt
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=408276&CategoryID=18874 $24, macy's

[Edited on June 14, 2010 at 7:05 PM. Reason : .]

[Edited on June 14, 2010 at 7:06 PM. Reason : .]

6/14/2010 7:04:36 PM

pics plz

you sound like my kind of woman. girl, you could use a new wardrobe

6/14/2010 7:05:06 PM

haha it is true I do love belk (not just because I work for them) but I just got a cute junior dress for $10 (white ruffle top with a grey skirt)

6/14/2010 7:05:41 PM

ok, I guess I'm mall-bound next weekend. Crabtree or TTC?

6/14/2010 7:07:09 PM

hmmm i dunno. i haven't been to either in a long time. crabtree has belk AND macys i think. does TTC? i know they have belk.

maybe crabtree so you can hit both if TTC doesn't have both.

just park AT the dept store that way you can avoid the rest of the mall

but i mean i have had luck at both of those stores finding affordable things. you might have to look and it isn't pleasant cause i never understand how those stores are organized haha but its usually worth it. esp if you can find 2-3 basic pieces.

6/14/2010 7:09:54 PM

I'm partial to Ben Sherman myself

6/14/2010 7:13:42 PM

I suggest crabtree..it's one of belks largest stores and they have macy's plus you may have luck finding clothes at h&m or forever21

6/14/2010 7:15:26 PM

those cheap chain stores... TJ max and the like. you can find some deals there if goodwill & the salvation army don't have anything.

6/14/2010 7:16:19 PM

forever21? really? that seems like a party-clothes store to me... but I'll have a look.

thanks everyone for all the suggestions! I'm off to bed... gotta be to work at 3:30am

6/14/2010 7:17:33 PM

ohhhh H&M

still haven't been yet



maybe this weekend. but yea that belk is where i've gotten a lot of my "professional" clothes

6/14/2010 7:17:57 PM

Quote :

"TJ Maxx or Marshall's"

try Ross as well, although it's been a while and I can't remember if there are any in Raleigh


oh and

Quote :

"I have a big rack and curvy hips"

plz to show so we can make an expert pinion and lewd cmments

6/14/2010 7:22:49 PM

Lands' End Overstocks sometimes has good business clothes on the cheap side. They're great for blouses and such.

[Edited on June 14, 2010 at 7:27 PM. Reason : .]

6/14/2010 7:27:16 PM

ohhhh good call.

overstock does have good stuff

lands end was having a sale but i think that might have just been on bathing suits. maybe not. worth looking anyway!!

6/14/2010 7:35:02 PM

The Bargain Box?

6/14/2010 7:52:14 PM

NY and Co?

6/14/2010 8:06:38 PM

Black House White Market?

6/14/2010 8:09:39 PM

lol, you got an internship where you have to dress up.

I loved my internship because I got to come to work in jeans and a t-shirt every day

6/14/2010 8:12:29 PM

Quote :

"I was going to recommend Goodwill as well, but I'm not sure how uppity she is. Goodwill is the first spot I hit for ties and slacks. ^ Business casual is DEFINITELY not professional"

I meant professional as in something a professional would wear

And FYI, all the people I work with who think they're a genius for buying shit at Goodwill are often walking a thin line with looking professional. You *might* be able to find a presentable shirt or tie every now and again, but I wouldn't count on it.

6/14/2010 8:15:13 PM

Quote :

"I meant professional as in something a professional would wear"

6/14/2010 8:17:08 PM

Quote :

""I was going to recommend Goodwill as well, but I'm not sure how uppity she is. "

also a lot depends on the goodwill. goodwill in cary, yea you can find decent things. other goodwills...meh.

plus a lot of that shit is stuff people cleaned out of their closet from like the early 90s. i mean its easy for men - how much have polo shirts really changed? but for a woman? i don't think you're going to roll into goodwill and find some 20 something year old appropriate bootcut dress slacks. they're going to be like high, elastic wasted mom-ish pants from like 1982. unless you get a decent goodwill. like cary. but goodwills vary.

whoever suggested the bargain box is more on target. you can definitely find some good things there.

6/14/2010 8:20:54 PM

^ Yeah the Goodwill off of Lynn Road is also usually decent, at least if you're looking for stuff like slacks. Work shirts not so much though you never know.

Go to the rich neighborhood Goodwills and you have better luck

6/14/2010 8:24:54 PM

Yeah bargin box is solid but khcadwal is very on point (no surprise there) when she says that the majority of those places are just things from the mid 90s people threw out of their closet. Don't get me wrong, I got a very very very nice suit from the Bargin Box for 20.00 and the shorts I'm wearing right now are from there. However I'd never use that as my primary source of work attire.

Your job is one of the major places where you're supposed to make a strong impression, and your appearance plays an important role in that.

TJ Max and Koh's will have good stuff. Rugged Warehouse and Plato's closet will too. Those places I would use like khcadwal suggested to build a large collection of accessory pieces, and then I would buy a few stand out pieces from a nicer spot. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.

Also i'm about to send you a PM with some solid info

6/14/2010 8:40:28 PM