How much do you spend on clothes if you're a professional, and consider yourself well-dressed?

[Elfina]

I guess this follows on from my thread asking how anyone can afford to shop in stores like Boden. Our household income is good (70K, but live in London with a nursery aged child so cost of living high).

I realise that I can't remember the last time I bought something new for myself. I only ever buy from eBay. I don't go to the hairdresser (I do drink wine, so its not like I'm completely deprived). I'm 30, if that's relevant, and I don't like 'throw away' type fashion clothes (though like to look current and well turned out). I'm just curious to hear what well-dressed, professional people do! How much do you spend, and where do you spend it?

Mrs CB - sadly it's gone from the website but was a v simple cream blouse, loose drapey fit with slash v neck and those (slightly annoying) strings which I have tied in a loopy knot below the endof the v. Nice and long so you can poof it out at the waist without it coming out. Simplicity (and WHY don't they do more stuff like this!)

it's my first silk blouse and am terrified of ruining it

I get my equipment shirts dry-cleaned. Your shirt sounds lovely and well done on being less than pre-pregnancy weight after twins!

I spend about £200 a month for a City job, not client-facing - am part-time, which helps but I do enjoy dressing smart for work.

Usually it's a plainish dress in good quality jersey from Me+Em, Whistles, Cos, Jigsaw or else silk shirt plus cropped narrow trousers (still find that Gap fits me best). I only ever buy in the sales so rarely spend more than £50 per item, usually much less. I have a very few pairs of nice heels that I leave at work so they don't get much wear. I also buy quite a lot of costume jewellery - big necklaces from Zara etc to help vary the look. I wear a lot of navy and greens, which are a hit more interesting than blacks & greys etc.

I glossed over the consider yourself well-dressed part. I was more interested in talking about clothes people buy as a professional. The latter part barely registered!

For those who spend quite a lot every month, where do you put it all? Do you rotate and store some clothes? Or do you regularly donate old stuff to charity shops once you buy new stuff?

I'm so glad that straight-legged/narrow trousers seem to be more popular in the shops again. I was really struggling earlier in the year...so many flared/wide-legged trousers that drowned me

I spend as little as possible and as a result look a tramp. I hate it, actually. I did invest ('invest' - they were in the Asos sale!) in some nice easy-to-wear dresses this summer and liked feeling a bit better dressed.

I can already feel myself slipping back into frayed trousers and faded jumpers for Autumn/Winter though. I don't need to look smart for my job but I would like to look a bit more grown up. It's up to me to prioritise it over the exorbitant amount I spend on wine books and music, I suppose!

Sorry for being odd MrsCampbellBlack - heaven forbid we were all the same.

I am fascinated by the range of spend and stores.

Sorry Barbarasmum - I guess I used 'odd' when I meant you sounded 'sneering'.

But as you say, thank goodness we're not all the same.

Barbara's mum - not sure what your gripe is. Most people on the thread have said that they are professional but don't necessarily consider themself well dressed, just dressed appropriately for their work. This is S&B - people are on it because they like/are interested in clothes.

I cull my wardrobe regularly and give stuff away that I no longer use.

But I tend to spend more on individual items so my wardrobe isn't huge.

I get quite stressed about the whole thing.

At work, I am so much more productive if I am comfortable and cool as I am running around the place a lot during the day. I hate feeling constrained and a lot of clothes I try on dig in strange places or need adjusting constantly which makes me fidget.

Yet if I want to look polished and smart, I have to wear the restrictive, tight clothes with high heels and I get hot and fed up in them before long.

The holy grail consists of clothes which look good, can be cinched in well with a belt and jacket and enable me to run around in them without busting something.

Sadly this consists of about two dresses ATM and that's it!

That's interesting phonebox. When I feel that my 'outfit' works, I don't actually think about it after looking in the mirror that morning. However, if it feels wrong, then everything feels wrong.

It does take a lot of time though to find good stuff that flatters.

And apologies Barbarasmum, I do actually think I'm well dressed so you did the nail on the head there

In the past I've worked in very formal places with quite strict guidelines for what can be worn which left me with a rather uninspiring wardrobe. I can wear whatever I like in my current job and as I'm finally earning decent money, I'm in the midst of redoing my wardrobe and enjoying buying several new things a month.

I probably spend about £300 - £400 per month, possibly more during sale time. I shop most often with The Outnet, Vestiaire Collective, COS, Liberty, Gap, Shopbop for jeans and a few other places too although I can't think of any as I type this! I always try to use some kind of discount code if I can find it.
I'm also pretty ruthless about selling things I don't wear and any money earned from that is used to buy nice clothing/accessories. This isn't included in my figures above! (Last thing I bought from my eBay profits was a Jimmy Choo mini bag that I'd missed out on during the sales and one turned up on The Outnet. Hurrah!

I'm a high school teacher and consider myself to be well dressed (mainly because people tell me). I tend to like dressing up (ex cyber goth), so tend to try and go for a vague theme or feel with each outfit.

I like lots of things and I like to buy cheap, so I generally shop in sales at ASda, Tesco, Dorothy P, H&M, Asos. Primark on occasion. Probably getting too old for New Look now.Never, ever Next.I would love to be someone who just buys one or two quality pieces, but I'm like a magpie. I also keep clothes I like for a long time (14 years in some cases). I get lots of comments along the lines of "I like that skirt/top/jacket etc" from staff (and students, so I've not hit frumpy yet).

I think my point is, that it doesn't matter how much you spend on clothes, it's how you put them together. Colleagues may compliment, but they do take the piss when I tell them I choose my outfits in advance.

I find that I feel most comfy in stuff that is a happy medium - not high fashion, not scruffing about in old tatty things. I wear a fair amount of heels but refuse to wear uncomfortable ones (10 years of London living means I am ruthlessly thorough in purchasing and know what will work) - that said, I have a desk job so am not on my feet all day. But I also have no qualms about wearing flats either. I don't weart things that are tight (32F - no one needs to see those puppies on show!) but do wear things that are fitted/ show a tiny bit of thigh (like 1 inch!).

I don't wear black - that is my one hard line. I take the view that if it comes in black and in another colour and the coloured one doesn't look good, then neither does the black. Can be quite an eye opener!

I find that I feel most comfy in stuff that is a happy medium - not high fashion, not scruffing about in old tatty things. I wear a fair amount of heels but refuse to wear uncomfortable ones (10 years of London living means I am ruthlessly thorough in purchasing and know what will work) - that said, I have a desk job so am not on my feet all day. But I also have no qualms about wearing flats either. I don't weart things that are tight (32F - no one needs to see those puppies on show!) but do wear things that are fitted/ show a tiny bit of thigh (like 1 inch!).

I don't wear black - that is my one hard line. I take the view that if it comes in black and in another colour and the coloured one doesn't look good, then neither does the black. Can be quite an eye opener!

I don't wear black anymore either. It drains me and is so...dull.

It is difficult trying to put a work wardrobe together and seeing endless racks of black in the shops...online shopping is a lot more inspiring for outfits.

I don't mind sacrificing a bit of the corporate-look - I aim for bold, semi-smart and cheerful!

Pre kids I dressed and maintained my clothes in a very similar way to Thesaurusgirl. Not client facing but senior role and being well dressed gives me confidence. I bought suits in Armani sales, separates and coats from MaxMara and odds and sods elsewhere.

Post kids, I am still hoping to get back into an expensive wardrobe and not to have to replace it. I've bought the bare minimum from places like M&S, Jigsaw for work, and mostly purchased from FatFace for weekend stuff. I look a mess if I am honest compared to the old days. Not because there is anything wrong with their clothing, it just needs replacing faster. Jigsaw wool suits seem to go shiny with dry cleaning v quickly.

I've got two beautiful coats from MaxMara which cost about 850-1000 each but I've worn them for 5 yrs now and they still look beautiful and have kept their shape. Which is great, as I certainly can't afford to replace them now. [boo hoo I hear you say]

Mostly I hate shopping so I buy good quality classic stuff that doesn't date quickly [I think] and lasts for years.

I am horrified at how expensive the middle end of the high street has become though while I've been avoiding my fat reflection in the mirror. 400 for a dress in Lk Bennett ? The cost of their clothes has doubled in the past 4 yrs.

Not working ATM but used to work in professional role in property, lots of client contact. I have a couple of decent jackets (older but classic and well looked after ) in red and black and used to wear mostly dresses, usually A line (loved Dickens and Jones) with tights, flats and small cardi for the office, jackets and heels for clients and meetings. Liked House of Fraser as I felt the clothes ranges were slightly higher quality but not too expensive for me! I try and dress to suit me and a style I like rather than of the moment. Also am petite and always seemed to work with lots of very tall men, annoyingly!

I'm a solicitor too but have a varied wardrobe depending on what I'm doing so court is suits (usually the most expensive bit) - I like Amanda Wakeley and Westwood. Then meetings is dresses or skirts/trousers usually with a silk/cotton or cashmere top. If I'm in the office without external meetings then I'll be a bit more adventurous with colours and patterns.

I don't like to spend £££ on anything that isn't natural fabric, and I do buy a fair few cheap "fashion" things which only last for a season and I can get rid of without too much guilt. I buy all my more expensive clothes in the sales.

£100 per item is usually the max for me, although hopefully I'll spend less and sometimes slightly more for something really special. Or for coats. I have spent £100 on a pair of trousers and also a jumper, which seems ludicrous but they are beautiful and worn lots.

I'll probably buy two or three things a month. My job is very varied so sometimes very casual and sometimes smart.

My last coat was reduced from £850 to £250

This thread is fascinating. As I posted before, my job is "professional" but doesn't call for glamorous clothing yet (though it will do by the time I'm a couple of years more senior). Two years ago I was a student, and my shirts were all under £15. I'm now just getting to grips with the exciting world of "grown-up" fashion and have a very small collection of items worth £100 or more. I'm still struggling with guilt over expensive purchases, and figuring out what is a "reasonable" amount of money to spend on a dress.

About £500 per year on work clothes

I became professional and well turned out gradually. I do not do fashion

That makes life easy and cheaper. I buy the best quality I can, usually in the sale. Buy one suit or smart dress per year and a pair of shoes approx. every other year plus one or two very simple tops. That will easily see off the £500, even in sales.

Over the years, that means I now have a decent collection of good suits and shoes. The suit jackets can be worn with the dresses.

I like to feel I'm smart in a bit of quality (it's all relative!) but I do begrudge spending on clothes that are only for work.