I hit the ground running this morning!
I started my day by talking Mr. Murphy for a walk around the block. He got right down to “business” this morning! Then, I headed inside to get started on some housework.
I changed the sheets and made the bed.
Emptied and reloaded the dishwasher.
Wash, dried, and folded a load of laundry.
Organized the dry cleaning to drop off later this morning.
I had a big bowl of pumpkin oats with Cinnamon Crunch cereal sprinkled on top for some added sweetness and crunch. I later added some Barney Butter to my oats. I love that stuff! 
I drank so much coffee yesterday, I made myself a warm mug of tea instead this morning. I tried a new flavor today: Dilmah Dombagastalawa Estate. It was a nice strong, black tea.
Healthy Living Examiner
Check out my new Examiner post: Beans, Beans. I love beans! 
Dressing Professionally on the Cheap
The other day, a readers sent me the following email:
“First off, I really enjoy reading your blog. You’re such an inspiration!! I’ve also noticed from your photos that you have a very stylish work wardrobe. I am starting a new job next week and would love some tips for dressing professionally while on a budget. I’m also in the process of losing weight, which makes it tricky because I don’t want to spend a lot of money on pieces that probably (hopefully!) won’t fit in a month! If you have time (I know you’re busy and also in the middle of a work transition) I would love for a few ideas, i.e. where you shop, basic/favorite items, accessories, etc. Maybe a special post?! I’m sure many women would find this super helpful.”
Personally, I don’t think I’m really all that stylish, but I know how find good deals! And, of course, I would love to share my tips for dressing professionally and shopping within a budget.
- Assess your closet. Before you even set foot in a store, figure out what you need and what you want to add to your wardrobe. Seriously, take an afternoon to pull everything out of your closet and organize it. Try on pieces you haven’t worn in awhile, donate pieces that don’t fit well, and make a list of items that you want to purchase. Think about what pieces you would be able to wear with more than one outfit.
- Stick to your list and set a realistic budget. I usually give myself a budget range. I know it can be hard to stick to your budget when you find the perfect pair of pants or boots, so I allow myself a little wiggle room. But, I don’t let myself go overboard either.
- Invest in wardrobe essentials. A pair of black pants from Banana Republic are typically pretty pricey, but spending more money on a classic pair of pants, for instance, will not only save you money in the long run, but will also create go-to items in your wardrobe. Other items that I don’t skimp on are jeans, pants, dress shirts, bras, and boots.
- Spend less on trendy items. Usually, I can only wear a trendy top a few times before it goes out of style. I shop at Target, H&M, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx for trendy, but cheap pieces.
- Buy quality, comfortable shoes. Cheapy shoes are the worst! They hurt your feet and a fall apart after a few weeks. Good shoes make all the difference! I stick to neutral colors, so I can easily interchange them with different outfits.
- Head straight for the sale racks. I love Banana Republic and shop there a lot. But, I rarely buy items there for full price. I shop the sale racks like it’s my job! I’m willing to wait for things to go on sale.
- Sign up for email alerts. Stores like J. Crew and Banana Republic/Gap/Old Navy send emails when they are having big sales, so you can take advantage of them.
- Look online for ideas. I love J. Crew, but I think their prices are outrageous! Instead, I get ideas from their website and catalogues, and then shop at cheaper stores like Target or H&M to find look-alikes. I’ll even rip out pages from the J. Crew catalogue and bring them with me.
- Shop at consignment stores. They often have great deals on typically expensive items, like coats, blazers, and designer handbags. Consignment stores can save you some serious money! And, you can make money by consigning the clothing you don’t wear!
- Utilize cheap accessories. Most accessories can be purchased on a budget and can be used with a variety of outfits. I buy cheap jewelry from Target and H&M. A funky necklace, scarf, or chunky bracelet can totally jazz-up a basic t-shirt, jersey dress, or crewneck sweater.
Question of the Day
What are your tips for dressing stylish on a budget?
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Great morning here. I too started out my day with my lab and then came in an made a pot of healthy coffee with vitamins. This sure helps start my day. Taking my vitamins in my coffee already.
You are a busy girl Tina! For me I do utilize a lot of those shopping tips that you mentioned. I like to focus on buying items that can be mixed and matched with multiple outfits as well. I love your tip on shoes – neutral colors. Another tip I use is not to always put them in the dryer. I find it shortens the life expectancy of some items. Hang to dry and then fluff in the dryer or iron.
zest!
haha- I’m the same way! I had yesterday off and was more busy then I am on a normal work day
It feels so good to get things done though. Nothing like crossing things off the to do list.
Busy morning! As for dressing on a budget…I am a big fan of wearing and buying black. It goes with almost everything!
I really think TJMaxx, Century 21 (is that only a NY thing) and Marshall’s saved my work wardrobe! I’ve never wanted to invest a lot because all of my positions were always internships throughout college–and I had a feeling that, in pursuit of a writing career, I wouldn’t need tooo much formal work clothing–especially as a freelancer (hello sweats!). I’ve always opted out of Forever 21 items because I feel like quality is important for staple work items; I want mine to last. The discount stores usually have great deals on designer and/or high quality clothes–so I think it’s worth the investment. Plus, my favorite work pants are from TJMaxx, originally $250, marked down to $20!!!
Every professional man or woman needs a quality suit, but check outlets or store sales around holidays (i.e. Labor Day) to find a good quality, discounted suit.
great ideas! i am a huuuuge fan of t.j. maxx and marshall’s for wonderful discounts. also layering clothes is a wonderful way to make yourself look more stylish by using lots of stuff you already have.
I’m with you at the sales rack! When I dream about being “rich” I don’t care about Louie or Prada, I’m thinking BR and J.Crew!! For now I’m all about the sales.
Sometimes “vacation” is better when you feel like everything is clean and together.
Scarfs, scarfs, scarfs! Even if you have a $2.00 Hanes t-shirt and jeans on, a colorful printed scarf makes you look pulled together and fashionable. It’s my go-to accessory, and I love that we are into autumn–the season of scarves!
Great post! I agree, I am always envious of your outfits! And I completely agree with spending a little more on jeans, shoes, and classic work attire. I hit up Target & Old Navy Often, as well as the J. Crew final sales. And I rarely buy anthing at Banana that isn’t on sale because you know that in 2 weeks it will go on sale!
My thing on a budget is sale racks, just like you said! Last year when I got a new job, I got 5 pairs of dress slacks for $80 at Kohls just from the sale rack! One pair was only $7!! That makes it worth shopping around and digging through the madness of sales racks on Saturdays. I always look for good deals too. We bought 8 dress shirts for my fiance from Penney’s a few weeks ago and saved over 65% because we worked the sales + coupons!
Dressing stylish on a budget? Go for classic pieces; stay away from the fads (they are always over priced) and never never never buy something full priced. If you find a shirt you just love on sale and if it is a classic piece buy another in a different color.
Great blog by the way!
I completely agree with you on the fact that you should not skimp when buying jeans. It took me years before I figured this out! I always thought, “I’ll just buy these 20 dollar pair of jeans because they’re cheap”, but they always ended up ripping and getting misshapen in the wash! Now I make sure to buy high quality jeans since I wear them almost every day.
Great post, Tina! I love that you go straight to the sale racks. Bargain hunting is a hobby of mine
I find I save the most by keeping a minimalist’s wardrobe. This means buying very little but trying to buy good quality and practical clothes. Most of my wardrobe is black, white or grey. Why? Because you always look sharp and everything matches. It also saves me from splurging on trendy things I’ll get sick of. Every time I want something I think: what would this go with in my wardrobe? Is there something I can get rid of?
That’s my saving rant. Love your productive morning! I have the same Yelp bag, it’s awesome!
Also, cinnamon toast crunch, it’s been too long, I want some now.
Those are really good shopping tips. I can’t seem to find a lot at Marshall’s or TJ Maxx unless it’s shoes or purses though. I got a Banana Republic card because that’s where I shop most and the rewards cards are so good. Plus you get in on the better sales!
I def. agree with not spending too much on trendy pieces…you can get cute “of the moment” stuff for cheap and then not feel bad about it when you can’t wear it in 6 months. I also have a personal style, I try to only pick pieces that go with my style. I also stick to a certain color family for a lot of my clothes and punch it up with color from accessories and purses!
Courtney
Adventures in Tri-ing
THRIFT STORES! Yes, you have to dig through a lot of ugly to find some gems, but it is well worth it!
I love to shop and love to score a great deal- I am huge fan of Nordstrom Rack, Marshall, TJ Maxx. You can get great pieces for great prices! I never pay full price for anything, and buy things that will last a long time.
I usually wear a jacket and pants to work so I have a lot of a variety and have found most of the items at The Banana Republic Outlet and the Limited.
thanks for the great tips Tina! i definitely agree with you on spending a little more on staple items that will last and that you can rotate items around these (ie: nice black pants, blazer, pencil skirt, etc.) I’m also surprised at work clothes I’m able to find at places like Forever21 and H+M!
You’ve had a productive morning! Makes me want to get off my butt and get organized.
Luckily for me teaching violin lessons doesn’t require work clothes! I can work in jeans. I do have lots of black concert clothes – whenever I find good black pants or top I buy them right away.
I like to have one piece of my outfit stand out — it doesn’t have to be expensive! A nice pair of boots, a unique necklace, or a great jacket (like this awesome red one I bought at H&M for only $35!) make any outfit pop.
I guess my tip is be a guy, because I never think about those things, haha. I awlays find time off from “work” when I work the most, but at least you get a lot accomplished that way
Great tips! I always try to have all of the staples and then a few funky pieces. My staples are a few pairs of black or gray pants, button down shirts and a ton of cardigans in fun colors. The funky pieces are belts and jewelery.
Great tips. I am a big outlet shopper. Like you, I love J. Crew but actually only shop in the outlet store. I recently bought two pairs of jeans for $60, a sweater dress for $40 and a cashmere cardigan for $30. I love that the clothes are still of good quality and stylish but much cheaper than orginial prices!
I love the tips! I definitely think it is good to build off of pieces you already have and make as many different combinations as you can with fewer articles of clothing. I’m no expert though, I haven’t bought any new clothes in forever, my stuff is getting holey!
You are definitely a sharp dresser, Tina!
Haha exactly- being at home sometimes keeps me just as busy as if I was at my “real” job. Happy Thursday!
Noticed the Boston College sweatshirt in your laundry pile. (Cheered, graduated, and currently work for BC) Go Eagles!!!
great tips! We’re on a pretty tight budget, too, and I grew up learning how to shop for deals from my mom who’s awesome at it
I love Ann Taylor Loft here, but will only buy stuff on sale. I’m signed up for emails from them, Old Navy, etc, and try to only buy when I have money to spend, know what I need/want, and when I can find a good deal.
Great tips, Tina!
I love the Cinnamon Crunch cereal… it tastes JUST like Cinnamon Toast Crunch (without the scary ingredients).
Sales at B.Rep & Ann Taylor are crucial! As is H&M, great business-casual clothes for awesome prices (and they don’t usually fall apart)
I think that buying only highly versatile items is key! Meaning, things that are in colors, fabrics and styles that can be mixed and matched in a way that you can have less items, but plenty of combinations. For work, I stick mostly to neutrals: black, tan, grey, etc. Then, I make them more interesting by wearing accessories that are colorful or textural!
Im a teacher so I dont have to dress “up” up, but gotta look somewhat presentable. Im a huge Old Navy fan.. super cheap, but they have some cute things.H&M is great too!
Those are great tips. I guess some of my tips would be to mix and match things. I only have two, nice-quality pencil skirts and two nice-quality blazers, but I have a million cheap blouses in every colour under the sun!
Also, big non-expensive jewelry can be a fun way to dress up an outfit if it’s tasteful!
sign up for the store emails, and they’ll send you coupons! if there’s one store you really love, the store credit card can get you some good deals, but make sure you keep it paid off! (my banana card gets me deals there, gap, and old navy!)
and forever 21 for cheap fun jewlery
Stick to basics and accessorize! Shares clothes with friends! Great way to wear something new with out spending a dime!
I second what you and everyone else has said. Although I do think JCrew, while expensive, is worth the investment for staple pieces. I have JCrew sweaters that are over 10 years old that I still wear. I also want to add in Macy’s. I have never, ever paid full price for anything at Macy’s. They always have amazing deals and when I use my Macy’s charge card (which is not necessary at all to get good deals), I get an additional 20% off of everything: full price, clearance, you name it. I got 2 “work” tops last week for less than 30 bucks. I felt like I won the lottery!
Great “professional attire” tips!!! Seeing that I am on a VERY TIGHT budget as my husband has been unemployeed for over a year I do not have much to spend on “cloths” so it can be very difficult. I totally agree with the buy wardrobe essentials and buy cheaper trendy items. I have been lucky enough to find Work Pants, Jackets & Skirts at Old Navy online that are washable (can’t afford dry cleaning) and still look good after several washes as the material Does Not Fade. Plus every piece is between $20-$40, you can’t beat that.
=) Laura @ Finding A Heathly Balance…..after a 100+ POUND weight loss!
Great tips! Have you tried Blue Diamond almond butter yet? I have a bunch of samples, and though I haven’t tried their ready spread yet I think it may be as good as Barney Butter, judging by what I have tried so far!
@Meghan@traveleatlove: I haven’t, but I’ve heard good things! I need to track it down!
I am like you in that I like to spend my money on a better brand of pants that will last than one that will last a season. The way to change things up? Accessories! Getting a few trendy pieces at Target can really help change up an outfit. Belts, scarves, and a long necklace or two goes a LONG way to stretch a budget!
Thanks for all the awesome tips! I’m definitely going to utilize them on my next shopping trip.
Have a nice vacation!!
I like your tips! Especially because I too had noticed your style. Sort of casual (and sometimes not that casual) chic, I guess.
I love it.
The lazy-and-poor woman’s answer: dresses. You can buy one for $30 and have a complete, professional-looking outfit, or you can spend $20 each on a pair of trousers and a trendy blouse. Bonuses: there’s less to think about in the morning and less to wash
Cinnamon crunch sounds like an amazing idea for a oatmeal topping! Love it!
Welcome to my world! Your morning sounds a lot like mine everyday! LOL! Glad Murphy got right to it for you this morning:)
Thanks for the great wardrobe tips!
Marshall’s, TJ Maxx and Target are life savers. Old Navy is hit or miss for me, but they aren’t pricey.
I like all the shopping tips mentioned here. One other thing I like to do is shop off-season sales. You can get super deals at end-of-summer/winter sales. Just buy it then and save it for the next season!
love the presence of the Boston College sweatshirt
i can’t believe this is my last year here!! anyways, to stay on a budget i almost always shop at TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Forever 21 for a majority of clothes. Then I get a few pricey essentials but mostly I try and go to discount stores
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