To be annoyed about needing work clothes

[Limonjelly]

We're being forced to go back to the office 2 days a week now (have been going 1 day a week for the past year but apparently that's not enough now). Apart from the time, cost and pointlessness of travelling to the office to sit at a desk for 8 hours, the thing that really annoys me about this is clothing.

I've barely bought any new clothes since lockdown and have saved so much money. It saves me time on deciding what to wear. It's better for the environment too. But people in my 'professional' London office tend to dress quite smart casual and I'll need to wear 2 different work outfits every week now. I don't want to, and can't afford to keep spending money on new clothes. I have 2 pairs of work trousers and a few tops/jumpers that I alternate. And a couple of dresses.

How many outfits do you have for work? How often do you wear the same thing?

@Limonjelly if you've got a few of each item, and you're still only going in 2 days, why do you need more clothes? You've got more outfits than the number of days...

men will show up to work in the same pants and shirt over and over and no one will bat an eye. Women can and should do the same.

if You work 2 days a week, you need 2 outfits. Possibly more to adjust for weather.

Haha.

You can't be annoyed you have to look presentable at work one extra day a week.

If you really don't want to spend any money, wash the outfit overnight.

I'm sure you can stretch to a second top though - just wear the same two outfits every week if you must.

You seem to have sufficient clothing to address your work needs already.

When you took the job was it all home based?

Just wear what you have - it sounds like plenty

I used to wear the same black trousers every day with a few tops that I rotated

Don't be bloody ridiculous OP. No-one has to buy new clothes every week!

With a couple of dresses, skirts, trousers and various tops you just mix them up. I don't see why your work wardrobe should cost more than a couple of hundred quid a year, and probably a lot less than that.

I think this is relative. If you have a capsule wardrobe that you can mix and match then what you have is plenty for 2 days a week in the office.

I love clothes and given I don't like to go out much (bit of a homebody), then going to work or work related events is the only time I get to dress up a bit and be complimented, so what you have wouldn't always be enough for me.

But I do go through phases of rotating the same few trousers and tops as well.

You don’t need to buy new clothes. You can buy from Vinted.

I am in the office 5 days week, with minimal opportunity to work from home. I am senior leadership, and very visible, so I am expected to look smart. Between Vinted and Hobbs, I cope!

No need for any more clothes just rotate through what you have.

You could have reasonable variety with two sets of bottoms, either trousers or skirts, and four tops. Pick fairly unmemorable bottoms, plain neutral colours with more colourful tops that go with both bottoms.

So for example

Week 1 - Day 1 - Black trousers with Top A. Day 2 - Grey trousers with Top B.

Week 2 - Day 1 - Black trousers with Top C. Day 2 - Grey trousers with Top D.

Week 3 - Day 1 - Black trousers with Top B. Day 2 - Grey trousers with Top A

Week 4 - Day 1 - Black trousers with Top D. Day 2 - Grey trousers with Top C.

That's four weeks without repeating an outfit. You probably have more than this that you can use in your wardrobe already.

I'd say your amount if clothes is fine but then my work environment don't really care what people wear

This, but with one spare outfit too in case of any morning wardrobe disasters and things.

I’m pregnant so I wear the same two dresses for the two days I’m in the office to avoid having to buy more mat stuff. It feels like a waste to do otherwise.

I'm in the office every day and wear the same stuff all the time.

No-one notices or cares if I wear a navy sweater twice in a week, or that I've worn the same two pairs of black trousers on rotation for years.

Couple of pairs of trousers, couple of skirts, assortment of shirts/tops that work both in and out of work. A few dresses and plain sweaters/cardigans. Couple of jackets.

They collectively form a sliding scale of less to more formal depending on what's going on that day.

I feel your frustration. There can be pressure in certain companies and it’s unfair.

I wear the same things to work all the time. I do have moments of feeling self conscious but good quality clothes really come at a price these days. I try to switch it up with different hairstyles, jewelery, bags etc.

I have 3 work trousers (one tapered, one capri, one wide leg), about 5 tops and 5 cardigans/jumpers that I alternate.

I have 2 pairs of work trousers and a few tops/jumpers that I alternate. And a couple of dresses.

That seems fine, why do you need to buy more?

All my work clothes are boxed up in the attic and have been since lockdown. I’ve no intention of getting them out 😂

We tended to have a “business casual” type dress code, and dress down on a Friday. These days since going back in a couple of days, I don’t bother at all, I rock up in whatever I fling on. Usually activewear type leggings (in black or grey), t shirt and a sweater or hoodie, with trainers.

I’m public sector, corporate, non customer facing.

You really don't need to go out and spend money - it sounds like you have plenty of clothes already.

Just alternate what you do have - nobody will notice or care that it's the same few trousers or tops on rotation, honestly!

Why two suits? Just use one suit and 2 tops/blouses. Unless the company has written that all staff have to wear a different suit each day, which I very doubt they have.

I too, don't see why you need to buy any more clothes. Surely you wear a pair of trousers for more than one day?

I work in an office 5 days per week and I rotate one pair of black trousers and one black skirt plus I have a navy thin wool dress if I fee like a change. I then either wear one of two short sleeved tops or a thin jumper or a white blouse with a blazer or cardigan.

But I never stopped wearing work clothes. I found that even during the height of lockdown when I was working from home that getting dressed in slightly smarter clothes during the week put me in a better frame of mind.

Try Vinted and charity shops, you would be amazed at what you can find. Particularly charity shops in affluent areas - you will find designer clothes that have never been worn.

Another thinking that you seem to have more than enough outfits.

Smart casual doesn't have to cost a fortune anyway - you can buy smart trousers and shirts/jumpers from a supermarket.
If you're still of working age, it's also highly likely that anything you own now will be worn out before you die, so the environmental argument doesn't realy stack up - your "home" clothes will last longer if you are wearing them one fewer day, so you are simply wearing more outfits for a longer period of time.

I don’t really understand the problem here; it isn’t that difficult to build up a smart/casual wardrobe over time and things from it can cross into every day wear if you like. My job is public sector and dress code similar:

Few smart pairs of trousers (there are loads of lovely options at varying price points);

Linen shirts

Chunky jumpers

Smart (non sport) trainers or loafers

Alternate regularly!