While it is a good idea to save money where possible, particularly in clothing or shoes that will inevitably wear out over time, there are certain things where you should really consider spending more money because they’re classic pieces that will stand the test of time (hopefully!).
1. A suit
This single suit should be the go-to outfit for interviews and anything that requires a suit. Most jobs these days don’t require a formal suit for work, so you won’t need more than one in your wardrobe.
I myself have only one suit that I’ve worn since my college days and it hasn’t failed me yet!
Choose a neutral dark colour such as grey and avoid trendy details like peplum, frills, or designs on your suit that will look dated. A classic, even plain suit is a better option.
As for the fabrication you can’t go wrong with a nice seasonless wool.
For men and women, go for a single-breasted suit rather than a double-breasted one (they look dated), and flat front pants.
For women, you might want to consider buying the matching pencil skirt. You just never know when you might want to wear a skirt suit instead of a pant suit and it is nice to have that option especially when all the fabrics will match exactly.
2. Shoes you wear daily
These will probably be shoes you wear to work, but there’s no point in wearing cheap shoes that pinch and hurt your feet especially since you really only need one or two pairs, at a maximum.
Good shoes will make your feet happy and happy feet make for a happy, productive person. It is worth investing in!
For men, you have a great option of being able to purchase insoles to wear in your dress shoes, as men’s shoes tend to be flat and are easily able to hide an insole. I recommend Birkenstock insoles for mens’ dress shoes because they give you excellent heel cup support and will make any pair of dress shoes, no matter how flat, feel comfortable.
For women, Birkenstock half insoles are also handy but only in boots where it can be hidden, as unfortunately they do not make insoles for heels. At least, not that I know of. I usually buy half a size larger than my actual shoe size just so I can put some Birkenstock half insoles in there for a comfortable fit.
3. Underwear
There is nothing sadder than seeing visible panty lines under an outfit, or worse, being able to see the pattern and cut of your underwear because it was such a bold colour or pattern that it shows right through your clothing.
Buying underwear in a nude shade (whatever your shade of ‘nude’ happens to be), and making sure it is seamless is the way to go.
For women, make sure you buy a bra that fits your torso (go in for a professional bra fitting), because it is really sad to see a perfect outfit ruined because your bra is creating rolls and lumps where there aren’t any.
Once you have foundation underwear that you know will not stand out, you can experiment with cute matching sets to wear on occasion, but foundation underwear should be the first thing you invest money in.
I will never call this “investment clothing” or “investment shopping”, but I will agree that you should spend a little more money on the three items listed above.
One for up here in the great white north: a winter coat! I purchased a nice jacket a few years ago and it’s held up perfectly to some really brutal winters – no rips, no broken zippers, and still as warm as day 1. You don’t have to fall victim to the North Face price, either, mine was about half as much as the NF version.
Lyn recently posted…Cook Stuff: Slow Cooked Apple Cinnamon Quinoa
Oh indeed! Jackets are very expensive. I even have an upcoming post on how expensive it is to live in winter!
Never had to own a suit, hopefully, probably never will!
Wow, I am impressed! I have to have one, for the odd interview and very formal event.
And remember when you get your suit dry cleaned – send in all the pieces together! I learned this the hard way when my pants no longer matched my jacket after cleaning. Painful and expensive lesson.
May recently posted…Part-time Dog Ownership – A Frugal Option
Wow, I have never, ever thought about that before. That would be awful and sooo expensive.