How to Maintain a Professional Appearance on a Budget
How to Maintain a Professional Appearance on a Budget
When you start a new job, some of the first things you learn about are the culture of the workplace, expectations and the dress code. If you’re just getting started in your career, this is a great opportunity for you to start building up your professional wardrobe. In the same breath, if you’re just starting out in your career, you might be wondering how you can build and maintain a professional wardrobe while you’re on a budget. That also goes for those of you who are already established in your careers but find yourself stepping into new roles and want your wardrobe to reflect the boss that you are! Regardless of where you’re starting as you read this, it’s important to dress for the job that you want and can 100% do that no matter your price range. Here are 4 tips to help you maintain a professional wardrobe on a budget!
STEP 1: Figure Out What You Already Own
The first thing you want to identify is what you already own. There are 5 essentials that every professional woman needs to have in her wardrobe. Find out what they are by downloading this freebie! Once you compare the list to what you already own in your wardrobe, try them on to see if they fit properly. If not, you’ll start to compile a new list of your own, which will help identify the wardrobe gaps that need to be filled.
STEP 2: Gain a Better Understanding of Your Job’s Dress Code
Business Formal, Business Casual, Smart Casual — These are all different terms that you’ll hear from HR when it comes how they prefer for you to show up to work. Understanding the difference and how you can adapt it to your own personal style is important. One of the main things that I did to get started on my Smart Casual work wardrobe was utilize Pinterest. Research those key words and see which looks look like something you could see yourself wearing and feeling confident in. From there, you can add wish-list items to what you’ve gathered from Step 1.
STEP 3: Determine Your Budget
Each month, figure out how much you can devote to investing in your wardrobe. We’re focusing on workwear specifically, but it can also include your weekend wear clothing as well in the future. Depending on your style, your workwear can also carry over into the weekend as well which adds to versatility.
STEP 4: Prioritize Your List
Now that you have your list of needs/wants and have determined your ideal budget, it’s time to start prioritizing. Do you have enough outfit combinations to mix and match for 5 days of work? If not, the key pieces from your list that would help make that possible should be higher on the list. As time goes by, you’ll continue working your way down your list and finding more options that help you feel amazing, confident and bold at work!
Yay! You’re on your way to your ideal work wardrobe! These are all steps that I implemented within my own wardrobe as I stepped into a fashionable and smart-casual work environment. The step that has really been beneficial for me is prioritization because it’s easy to want to buy everything at once. If you pace yourself a bit, you’ll become more thoughtful about what you’re adding and why. I’d love to help you continue along on your journey and coach you as you implement these tips in your own wardrobe. If you’re ready for additional steps and would like to work together, click the link below to schedule a complimentary call! Chat soon!