It can be a pricey obligation to stock up on workwear when you’re on a budget.
Over the past few years, I’ve accumulated my own collection of affordable business casual clothes at budget-friendly prices. Now it’s my turn to share my favorite affordable online shops.
All the shops that I recommend for affordable business casual clothes have pieces that can be purchased for under $50.
I also include my favorite business casual clothing staples from each store that can be worn over and over again. They are my absolute best place to buy work clothes on a budget.
I hope this gives you a spark of inspiration for your office workwear. Stay trendy and appropriate at the same time!
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In This Post ➜
- 5 Best Places To Buy Work Clothes On A Budget
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How Much Should You Spend On Work Clothes?
- How Much On Average Do People Spend On Clothes Per Month?
- How Do You Dress Classy At Work On A Budget?
- How Can I Get High-Quality Or Luxury Brands For Work On A Budget?
- How Many Outfits Do I Need For An Office Job?
- What’s Not Appropriate For Business Casual Workwear?
- Shopping Tips
- Maintaining Your Clothes
5 Best Places To Buy Work Clothes On A Budget
If you’re wondering where to get work clothes, you’re in luck! Below, you will find the best places to shop at extremely budget-friendly prices, without sacrificing quality.
Get ready to curate a wardrobe filled with nice work clothes!
1. Uniqlo
When it comes to good quality and affordable women’s workwear, Uniqlo is one of the best place to buy work clothes on a budget! Their shirts and blouses usually fall under $30 and most of their pieces are under $50. Their garments feature minimalistic and clean cuts that are perfect for office attire.
If you’re wondering where to buy business casual clothes, Uniqlo has a great mixture of both more business casual and formal work attire.
They’re also one of the best places to buy work shirts. You’ll find easy to maintain dress shirts and other minimalist shirts for work.
I also like to check their selection often as they frequently collaborate with designers, such as Christopher Lemaire, JW Anderson, and Jill Sander.
2. H&M
H&M’s office wear collection has styles for prices that do not disappoint. It’s a great place to stock up on blouses for under $20.
H&M work clothes include dresses, pants, and blazers for under $50! The collection has a variety of modern office appropriate styles to choose from.
This fast-fashion giant certainly has budget-friendly prices. However, as with many fast-fashion brands, the garment quality may be inconsistent, so be careful and check the quality.
3. Old Navy
When it comes to Old Navy, I immediately think of their pants, which is one of the reasons I’m listing them as the best place to buy work clothes on a budget.
I have a few styles of their pants ready for any business casual outfit. They have skinny, wide-leg, straight, boot-cut, and many other styles.
Plus, they have a great selection of pieces to buy for business casual clothes.
Most of their clothing is under $40 and if you catch them on sale it’s even less! Sales happen often, so I recommend checking back or signing up for their newsletter.
They have a good selection of business casual clothes at super affordable price points. I also like the fact that they expanded their size range to now include sizes from 00-30.
4. Nordstrom Rack
The key here is the word “rack.” Nordstrom Rack has the overstocked items from Nordstrom, but for discounted and cheaper prices. You can get name brand and designer business casual clothes for under $50. I particularly love checking out their dresses and blouses.
This is a great way to score quality office wear from designers, so check it out! Also, some items from the highly coveted Nordstrom Anniversary Sale can show up here around 5 months after the sale.
5. Banana Republic Factory
This time the keyword is “factory.” Banana Republic Factory’s garments are much cheaper than its Banana Republic counterpart. Most of the items are under $50. It always feel like I’m getting an amazing deal with the best place to buy work clothes on a budget.
You can score some quality pants for less than $40 and blouses for under $30. There are so many styles to choose from! It’s one of the best places to buy work shirts too.
I recommend checking out their pants because the regular Banana Republic line sells them for $60 and over. Getting them for $40 or less is such a steal. I own several pairs of their pants and their quality and fit is very good.
If you’re looking for where to buy business casual clothes, Banana Republic has everything that you would need.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Should You Spend On Work Clothes?
The amount that you should spend on work clothes will always vary. It’s generally smart to not spend more than 10% of your income on work clothes.
You’ll want to consider factors, such as your budget, how much you’re willing to spend, and how many clothes you need for work.
Here’s a few helpful tips to help you when shopping for work clothes on a budget:
- Make a list of the basic essentials that you would need. This could be a nice black blazer, trousers, dress shirt, or neutral-toned shoes. Don’t shop the entire list at once, though. Just buy a few pieces every month.
- Spend a few days at the office to get a feel of what the appropriate dress code is before you splurge on more clothes.
- Spend some time looking for deals. Sign up for your favorite store’s email newsletter, so that you’re notified whenever they have a sale. Also, try buying pieces that are out of season because they are usually discounted heavily.
How Much On Average Do People Spend On Clothes Per Month?
According to CreditDonkey, it’s normal to spend $161 on clothes and services. Middle-aged adults also typically spend above the average, which tends to correspond with their higher income.
To break it down, those between the ages of 25-34 spend $161 per month on clothing. Adults between the ages of 35-44 spend more at $209 every month.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, families tend to spend about $1,800 every year on clothes.
If we break it down by gender, women over 16 years old spend about $571 every year. In contrast, men over 16 years old spend about $323 per year. That means women spend over 76% more than men!
Everyone spends their budget on clothing differently. It all depends on your circumstances and needs.
Do you fall within the budget range? I actually fall within the average. I’m curious, so let me know!
How Do You Dress Classy At Work On A Budget?
The key to looking classy at work on a budget is to focus on work clothing staples that are tailored or fit you well.
Here’s a few more helpful tips to ensure that you look classy at work on a budget:
- Look for easy work clothing staples, such as blazers, trousers, and dress shirts. Find clothes that can be mixed-and-matched with each other to maximize your outfit options.
- Start off with neutral colors, such as white, beige, brown, gray, and black. These colors are super easy to coordinate and look incredibly polished and sophisticated.
- Make sure your clothes fit you properly. Stay away from oversized fits and stick with the size that matches you. Get your clothing tailored, if you can. It makes a huge difference!
- Get a minimalist, structured bag. A nice quality bag with structure will elevate your overall outfit.
- Wear minimal accessories. I highly suggest getting minimal, gold-toned jewelry. They go with everything!
- Iron or steam your work clothes to get rid of any wrinkles and creases. This makes a huge difference in how you present yourself. Work clothes that are heavily wrinkled and creased will make you look sloppy!
Related: How To Look Expensive Naturally In 11 Easy Tips & Tricks + What To Avoid
How Can I Get High-Quality Or Luxury Brands For Work On A Budget?
One of the best ways to get high-quality or luxury brands for work on a budget is to go thrifting! Check out the 8 Best Online Thrift Stores For Secondhand Clothing & Money Saving Tips.
Thrifting allows you to spend less on luxury or high-quality brands than if you were to purchase them brand new. You can find thrifted pieces that are in good or like new condition.
Online thrift stores will always let you know about the condition of the item and include pictures too.
Another great way to try luxury and high-quality brands is to use a rental or subscription clothing service.
Stitch Fix, Rent The Runway, and many more will allow you to rent clothing out and return them whenever you want. No dry-cleaning or washing needed and most include free shipping too.
Check out the top 20 clothing subscriptions for women to explore more work fashion options!
Related: 8 Best Online Thrift Stores For Secondhand Clothing & Money Saving Tips
How Many Outfits Do I Need For An Office Job?
The general rule is to typically have about 2 weeks worth of work outfits ready. That’s about 10 outfits for work, which would work great for those that work 5 days a week.
Then, it’s up to you to get creative with how you mix-and-match your work clothes. The key is to get clothes that you know will match with several other pieces that you have.
I highly recommend getting work clothes in neutral colors, such as white, beige, brown, gray, and black. They are super easy to coordinate outfits with and they are sophisticated colors.
Check out the best place to buy work clothes on a budget above for my top 5 shops to help you curate your outfits!
What’s Not Appropriate For Business Casual Workwear?
A business casual dress code is a relaxed version of the business dress code. Instead of tailored clothing and modest dresses, you have more options to work with. However, it still needs to be presentable.
In this case, it’s easier to understand what not to wear. Typically, the casual clothes that you wear out on the weekends are not allowed.
This includes jeans, crop tops, mini dresses, short shorts, and other typical street style clothes. Footwear, such as flip flops, are considered too casual and some offices may not allow open-toed shoes.
Every office has different levels of tolerance in terms of how “casual” should “business casual” be.
It’s hard to say for sure, but definitely stay away from the clothes I mentioned above to be safe. Every office has different levels of tolerance in terms of how “casual” should “business casual” be.
To be safe, invest in a few dress shirts and pants for the first week at your new office. It’s best to observe what your coworkers are wearing first before buying all your business casual clothes at once.
The good news is that most corporate offices are relaxing their policies in favor of the business casual dress code. In fact, some dedicate certain days where you can wear jeans! Always check with your HR policies or just ask your coworkers.
Shopping Tips: How To Get Stylish Work Clothes On A Budget
When it comes to shopping for affordable business casual clothes to save money, there are a few bonus tips that I want to share with you.
First, make a list of what you want to buy and set a budget for yourself. I highly recommend planning out some potential outfits that you can wear to work and listing the key pieces that you would need.
Your style may evolve and office policies may change, so just buy a few of the basics first.
Remember, don’t buy everything all at once! Your style may evolve and office policies may change, so just buy a few of the basics first.
Second, shop at factory or outlet stores if you’re interested in more affordable versions of the name brand store.
Outlet and factory stores are generally stocked with items that were overstocked, on clearance, or have minor design fluctuations. Always check the quality of the item just to be sure.
Make sure to check out the best place to buy work clothes on a budget in my top 5 list above to help you stay in budget.
Maintaining Your Clothes
It’s just as important to make sure your clothes look presentable in a business casual environment too.
Make sure you hang clothes that wrinkle easily to keep them looking wrinkle-free. Also, make sure you purchase a good handheld steamer.
I have this handheld steamer for only $30 and I’ve been using it for years! Handheld steamers are great because you don’t need to purchase an ironing board. You can steam clothes directly from the hanger and it’s gentle on the fabric too.
✿ My Favorite Handheld Clothing Steamer ✿
Handheld Clothing Steamer
This handy clothing steamer has a large 240 ml capacity, which allows for 15 minutes of continuous steaming. No iron board needed!
In addition, read your clothing labels for care instructions and follow them! If you want your clothes to last as long as possible, you need to take good care of them. Care instructions are usually available for each item on the website too.
Comment below if you shopped in some of best place to buy work clothes on a budget in my top 5 list above. I would also love to know if you have a favorite store that I should add to my list!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclaimer for more info.
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