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?

I´m a teacher so I buy a few sets of cheap work clothes (mostly from Zara) and wear them to death then buy new ones a few months later, basically when the weather changes. School is dirty and clothes, bags, coats, etc. tend to get wrecked quickly so I always have an inexpensive, large, strong handbag for school (which also has to be replaced every 6-12 months).

My main criteria is that necklines are high enough and hemlines (I always wear skirts) are low enough and nothing is see through. It´s difficult as school is more or less sweltering hot all year round so ideally I would show up in a bikini and sandals. It tends to be a knee length skirt and a short-sleeved top. I have to wear flat shoes as I´m on my feet all day and carrying around big piles of books and papers, plus climbing on chairs and desks to reach high shelves or the projector switch or scrabbling around on the floor to sort out cables from time to time.

I've been retraining so not on a massive budget (and in debt ) but need to be smartly dressed for work. About £30 a month, less I think.

I tend to go for very, very classic plain cuts even if it's a cheap brand? Thus far seem to have got away with it, even get compliments

Budget aside, I aesthetically LOVE this style.

So I have two long sleeved, knee length, black fitted dress from George (VERY plain, some sort of synthethic) which cost £5 each. I duplicated as I could see it was a classic style.

And then I match it with a (fake -£2 from BHF charity shop) pearl necklace, black ballet flats for office wear.

Or add a little square neckerchief if I don't want to wear a necklace (very cheap from charity shop, get the small ones in a colour to flatter my face - who needs Hermes?)

I can even wear the same dress for nights out too!

I save money on grooming by having a short wash and go cut (do it myself) and nails are natural and short, I love the look on others but don't love it on myself.

I try to pay attention to posture (shoulders back and down, head up to sky) and do lots of exercise as I think that's probably quite a big part of me feeling confident.

I'm a early 30s professional, office based. Love to look nice for work (had a professional dress session once at work and it was really helpful), but I don't spend loads. Love dresses for work with a jacket...try oasis, Great Plains, tesco, next ... All in the sales, try checking out online sales after sales time as can get some bargains. Put then with tights (essential for looking professional in my opinion) and some heels (go kitten if high heels aren't your thing). Make sure that whatever you were you're accessories are minimal ...5 max for a woman..wedding rings , watch, earrings, necklace, glasses = 5. Do you hair properly, wear make up (again more professional look) and by doing these things it'll automatically smarten up your clothes! I shop cheaply and buy new things regularly...well generally one new work dress a month. Have a few pairs of shoes which I interchange too so stop myself from looking the same.

Is it just me who feels really inadequate if they don't go to work feeling well presented ? That's probably incredibly shallow. I see the 'hedgies' girlfriends/wives and they are always so gorgeous and just AMAZING to look at. Or even the other guests at the places I have to go to for work. People who can actually afford to visit these places for leisure. Even worse is when I have to join my boss at a super expensive venue then he invites his girlfriend to after work drinks . Yeah, I'm really shallow and insecure.

I def feel more confident at work if I'm well dressed!

Pleased to know I'm not alone!

Mmmm - disagree re bags. Mine gets stuffed in a corner as soon as I get to work, and is usually full of marking etc anyway. Suppose it depends on how 'on show' you are.

Yes to it depends how 'on show' you are. It would be ridiculous for a teacher to take a chanel bag to work but if 'on show' around the city it is perfectly understandable, and expected, IMO.I think colleagues can higher the standard of the dress code too, I work in a fairly sexist environment (all of the hedgefund managers are men, with junior roles taken by a few women and all PA/secretarial work is done by women) and the men expect a certain 'look' which the girls play up to. Grrrr. I'd love to see their faces if I walked in wearing flat shoes, comfortable trousers, a plain long sleeved top and a non-designer bag and said 'Sorry, my two year old was vomiting all night!'.

Another lawyer here, with lots of v smart and v well-dressed clients, so need to look the part. Most of my dresses are DVF, but I also have some Hobbs and LKBennet, shoes from Ferragamo and knits from small independent labels. I tend to buy little year on year but look after what I have. This year (since January) I have bought two work items: a DVF dress and a cardigan from Boden (sales). I am also wearing to work dresses bought over ten years ago, as well as shoes from 7/8 years ago.

For free time I wear DVF, Fabiana Ferretti, Gap, Boden, Seven, Massimo Dutti, Banana Republic; the designer brands are often bought in online or offline outlets- so for example this year I bought a pair of Seven jeans for 40gbp that would have been 200 at full price.

Am surprised people have monthly shopping spends for clothes: do you really shop every month?

Um I'm sure I'm a professional. I'm a team lead in charge of three others, working in software development. The job even needs a degree! I don't think anyone looks at what I wear honestly.

I'm on maternity now but I have been turning up at work in £12 new look maternity dresses and Birkenstock sandals. My bag is a cheapo from tk maxx and large enough to stuff all my lunch in. It goes into the drawer once I arrived so not sure why it is important to have an expensive one?

So do I win an award as the sloppiest dressed professional? Agree with doctors and teachers surely they don't dress too formal either?

I buy most of my stiff in h&m and new look btw.

I shop every month. I've always had a passion for clothes and the women at my work are SO well presented. Being pregnant was a nightmare for work. I spent so much on Isabella Oliver I'm genuinely surprised I kept up with mortgage payments and could afford a pram. I can go to the office (which is in one of the most expensive areas of London) and be told I have to meet my boss at a hotel on Park lane then pick something up from insert name of shop which sells watches worth more than my annual salary for him. Its awfully shallow but if I was constantly wearing the same clothes I'd feel really rubbish. . I'm not sure whether a PA is even considered a professional .

Ad no I feel plenty confident enough without needing to dress up.

I buy a couple of good quality new classic things a year, often in sales. I just spent 300 quid in John Lewis buying 2 jackets and 3 dresses plus a pair of trousers. I can mix and match most of it and and pair with basics from M&S/Zara etc.. Jaeger has a great sale in at the moment. Hobbs can be good too.

I only buy Boden in the sale. I buy cheap costume jewellery and use my statement work bag to set of my professional outfit. I'd say what it is but it would out me!

I don't know how much I spend on clothes

I buy boden on sales. Mainly h&m and new look. Maybe £300 each new season if I'm not buying a new winter coat? I've gone off coats now except for waterproof ones as I have to walk to nursery with a pushchair.

I don't really want to know what I spend! But yes I have the same wardrobe weekend and work as my workplace is casual. I don't wear jeans to work but that's it. I can wear the same stuff with a pair of trousers and call it 'smart casual'. I have worked in even more casual offices where shorts and jeans and leggings won't feel out of place.

True dat, easier for men in the City:

I work for an investment bank and most of my clothes come from primark or the gap sale rail. My work uniform is thick tights, brogues ( I bulk buy from Clarks) a short skirt or pinafore dress, a cardi and a t shirt. I do, however, spend £100 plus on breeches to wear riding at the weekend. I guess it is a question of priorities.

It's not that I don't feel professional enough if I don't dress up, but being really petite and younger looking (than my age), I certainly get more first impression credibility in the male dominated environment I work in when I'm well dressed. I've got enough battles to fight, and anything I can do to make things easier helps.

I don't go to the hairdresser

Basic style error - You could be wearing a perfect Chanel suit but you still won't look stylish if your hair is neglected.

Even if your hair is long straight and one length it still needs to be trimmed to keep it looking good.

A good haircut is one of the basics of looking groomed and professional

Some posters up thread have hit on a couple of things about the way I dress

I'm a teacher and have noticed that more younger female teachers are wearing suits/smart work dresses and I have decided to 'align' myself to them, to show intent about promotion. Interesting to note that one pp commented on a promotion because of this.

I work in finance in the city and looking smart is a must. I wish I could spend more but at the moment although our income is high - outgoings are too!
while things are tight i shop for work twice a year, summer and christmas sale and spend about £250-£300 each time. That covers everything I will need until the following sale so coats, shoes. My staple wardrobe are COS dresses and then if needed I have 3 high quality tailored suits that I wear if I must.

I always have immaculate makeup, hair and nails and often get compliments on my presentation.

Love this

Sorry I meant to say love this thread! Stupid iphone

I really disagree that it's ridiculous for a teacher to have a nice bag! I have a black mulberry bayswater that I use every day for work - it still looks great. It's either in my classroom, in a meeting room or in the staffroom - hardly a gruelling scenario. It's big enough for notes etc and very sturdy. It looks very groomed and sleek. Again - the men carry smart leather briefcases, I'm not slopping around with a canvas shopper.

I tend to wear pencil/fitted skirt suits in navy, grey, black, dark brown or similarly coloured wool blend "city" dresses with jackets, tights and heels, or a wool pencil skirt and blouse with a contrasting jacket. I'll wear a pretty blouse to personalise it in coral or another brighter colour.

I accessorize with simple pearl or diamond stud earrings, a string of pearls or simple gold/silver chain, my wedding and engagement rings and watch. I carry the same black bayswater every day.

Love the show Steve. Oops, I mean, love this thread!

I'm a professional and I look pretty good, but I work on my own and wear whatever I like so basically weekend clothing every day.

Winter it's jeans, boots, jumper.

Summer it's denim skirts, capris, cotton dresses.

I love the budget dresser up thread who wears black bodycon and pearls, sounds so stylish but that is pretty much the opposite of my own style. I'm all branded jeans and slightly mod styling. I'm a Demi Mod. :)

I spend loads of money on clothes. I guess rarely less than 200 quid a month, and often much more. I am constantly clearing out and giving bags to charity. I have however managed to move more towards investment dressing in my winter basics ie boots and good coat. By good coat I mean performance coat, I live in Edinburgh so a classy MaxMara number would get worn so little it's not worth the bother.

Sorry forgot to mention fave shops.

I am reliking Gap just now, although so disappointed they have mixed polyester into their tshirts.

Levis, Fred Perry, Timberland, Hilfiger, Gstar all good. John Lewis, Fat Face, also great. Used to like White Stuff but meh.

I was over the freakin moon this summer when I managed to track down replacements for my beloved Fat Face cotton sleeveless blouse and all time fave denim skirt by Wrangler. Both had literally worn out. Now starting afresh, thank you eBay!

I buy loads on eBay, and have even had a few good things from charity shops.

Elaine I am impressed with your cunning! I have a black sleeved dress like that from Dorothy Perkins that I wear with a grey or black jacket, patent heels, tights and pearls, I'd wear with red heels for going out but not work as I teach in a very old fashioned boys' school. The dress was only £15 and is machine washable, I'm not sure how long it'll last but it's great having one less dress to dry clean.