What type of job do you have? Are you trying to climb the ladder in Corporate America, but don’t have the money to drive around in flashy cars and brand new designer clothing? Well, let me tell you a secret. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to fit into the corporate world. Sure, it helps to look the part, but rather than rack up your credit cards with mountains of debt, it’s much wiser to pay for your clothing with cash.
“But clothes are expensive!” you might be thinking, “…and to get quality pieces, you’ve got to pay top dollar.” I’ve heard these complaints many times before, and while they sound relevant, they are absolute myths. First of all, sure, clothes can be expensive if you buy them from the retail store when they’re not on sale, but this is a complete waste of money. And, if you think that spending more money means that you’re getting higher quality goods, you’re absolutely wrong there too. Much of the time, you’re just paying for the designer name, not the quality of the clothes.
Avoid paying retail prices. Let’s explore where you can get high-quality clothes for less than half the cost of retail.
Second Hand Stores
Many people stick their nose up at the second hand stores, but hear me out on this one. Don’t head down to your local slummy second hand store because they’re going to have slummy looking clothes. Instead, drive yourself to the nearest ritzy town and walk into their “gently used” stores. You’ll quickly notice that the clothing there is far different than from the bad part of town, and it’s severely cheaper than at the retail store!
Platos Closet
This store sells gently used clothing as well, but you know that it’s in good shape and that it’s the latest fashions. They often have more trendy items, which could only be used for “weekend wear”, but the men might be able to find a few dress shirts, slacks, or dress shoes as well. For the ladies, dress shoes can easily be found here, and at a far reduced cost from retail. Other items that can be found are skirts, dresses, and plenty of accessories.
Search Online
There are many big players coming onto the online scene these days, and since they don’t have the liability of a huge retail store on their books, they can charge far less for their clothing than the other guys. For big events, it might make sense to rent clothing. My daughter is headed to the prom in a dress from RentTheRunway.com. On top of this, you could check out RetailMeNot.com and find a promo code to reduce your overall bill even more!
The Key to Dress For Success
These three areas are a great place to search for some new clothes, but be smart with your purchases For women, when you purchase a new wardrobe, don’t buy complete outfits that can only be worn together. Buy versatile pieces that can be interchanged with one another. When you buy a few neutral colored skirts, a few solid colored blouses and a couple of decorative scarfs, you end up with not just two outfits, but 10+ outfits that can be worn all different ways! While men generally don’t buy matching sets, the same is still true: focus on clothing that can easily be worn in multiple combinations and you’ll be able to lower your cost while still looking great.
