Workwear and lifestyle creep......advice

[fundbund]

I'm trying to get a grip on my spending. I can afford to buy nice things and I would say I spend a fair amount on nice work wear like Hobbs, Baukjen, LK Bennett, Boden, etc. I have to be pretty smart for work and need lots of jackets. But I'm just wondering if I can reduce my spending on workwear as I would like to save some money.

I see younger people my work who look lovely and smart, and I know they aren't shopping at the same places as me, and yet when I look at new look, H&M etc, even M&S and next, the quality and fit just seems crap. Maybe they can get away with it by being young and slim whereas I am 40 and size 16 so I wonder if I just need to spend more to look nice.

Is it possible to buy cheaper workwear and still look smart? What are people's go to banks for smart workwear which is also affordable. I have got the occasional gem on Vinted but it's few and far between!

Because it rarely works to a high standard. Different fabrics and thread don’t dye the same. There’s a reason tie dye happened. We could not get good quality. I’ve done it back in the dark ages. Who, honestly, wants the faff? And the mess?

Modern machine dyeing is literally no fuss and mess: you put a pod in the washing machine with wet clothes and press the on switch. And because the washing machine is constantly agitating you get a much more even finish. The only thing you need to watch out for is mismatched polyester stitching.

That said, I don't think it would help the OP, because I think her costs mostly lie with tailored jackets and trousers.