That's a lot of money!

[mrsbrown]

I've been thinking lately about my work wardrobe. We company directors need to do that, you know

As a guide, spend one month's salary a year on your professional wardrobe

I wouldn't spend anything close to that amount of money - ever! But I feel a bit better about allocating more than I do now.

Comments

[sorenr.livejournal.com]

One month's salary? On work-clothes??? But... Hrm... Nah, I think I will continue to prioritize food, the mortgage and so on!

[quatrefoil.livejournal.com]

Wow! I'm resisting that 'work to consume, consume to work' cycle, myself. Besides, no-one but a living-at-home 20-something has that kind of money to spend on clothes. My method is to buy the occasional expensive piece and then put some very cheap basics with it. I also have bought a lot of work clothes second-hand. When I lived in Canberra there was a fabulous stall at the markets specialising in good quality second hand work wear which was wonderful. I bought various designer classics, some of which are still going strong. I guess it helps that I don't work in the kind of office where suits are mandatory though.

[basal-surge.livejournal.com]

Gleep

Ok, when I am working (currently between contracts), I what I make can be approximated to 100k/year, but I don't work all year, most years.

I buy my professional wardrobe out of opshops, with the occasional side trip to somewhere slightly more up market for gps's, hardhats, steelcap boots. But for the stuff that I have to wear in the office, the high end clothing shops are so overpriced for garments so badly made, that I go to recycled clothing instead so I can get something that will last a bit longer.

I'd be lucky if I spent more than 1000/year on work clothing, and most of that is on safety gear.

Mind you, I just went out and spent 2500 on antique weapons and ammo, so not all my spending choices are sensible.

[splodgenoodles.livejournal.com]

That's all your garb accounted for, no?

Congrats re-company directorship, ma'am!

[hnpcc]

Heh. Now I know why I'll never be a company director.

I was at a baby shower yesterday, and the mum-to-be said "oh, I've been having to get away with wearing the same two pairs of black pants to work for the last two months - I don't have anything else that fits!"

My "professional wardrobe" is two pairs of black pants. With some tops obviously, but for the bottom half I wear black pants from about March through to when it gets warm enough for me to consider wearing something you can see my legs in.

And even then, one of the pairs is lightweight enough I can wear it in summer...

[sjkasabi.livejournal.com]

A month! I thought *my* work wardrobe spending was self indulgent. A month's wages is just silly.

*does quick calculation just to check* Yes, phew, it is silly. The last few years I have probably spent about 1.5-2 weeks of my after-tax income on work clothes, and, like I said, I've been single and self-indulgent about it. And have a pretty fabulous work wardrobe, if I do say so myself.

I agree with Qfoil, btw - you can get away with surprisingly some cheap basics if you're wearing at least one ostentatiously Good piece. I also believe in buying real fabrics (silk, wool, 100% cotton) whereever possible - they tend to cost half as much again, but I swear from my own experience that they last three or four times as long, look better after the first six weeks, and are often repairable when they fail. I will never buy a work shirt with ANY lycra in it ever again, even 2%. They just don't last the distance.

The other trick that's worked for me is to have a long term game plan and to stick with it, and to get a collection of high quality boring basics before branching out to spend too much on cutesy but expensive non-basic stuff. I spent my first tutoring wages paying off a Country Road suit that I then got to wear to my father's funeral; since then, I've been buying as high quality as I could afford for workwear, and I now have a number of wool suity pieces that are in boxes waiting for their style to come back into fashion in another 10 years or so, whereupon they will look as good as new. I may have to get people with smaller bottoms to wear some of the skirts, however. But I'm still wearing a suit I bought six years ago, having just had the skirt lining replaced, and I'll put a seven year old one back into circulation as soon as I get around to undoing the taking-in of the skirt I did when I bought it. Oh, and the quirky-but-really-me pieces I've bought are ageing as well as the consciously classic.

So, um. You wanna go shopping, huh?

[quatrefoil.livejournal.com]

I probably spent about 2 weeks after tax salary on clothes last year, but only because I had to get stuff made and do a fair bit of catching up because I hadn't needed a professional wardrobe before and I'd changed shape. This year I think I'm running at about half a week's salary so far, but will need to spend money on shoes. I buy anywhere from expensive to very expensive shoes and they are definitely worth it - I have two work pairs in black - one for skirts and one for trousers. The skirt pair I've had for 6 years, the trouser pair for 4. They're now down to about $30 a year, but I do need to replace my boots. If anyone knows of a company that makes boots for people with substantial calves I'd be grateful. As for the bottom issue, I suggest you invest in a cheesegrater.

[sootysmudge.livejournal.com]

If anyone knows of a company that makes boots for people with substantial calves I'd be grateful.

Oh me too, l don't consider my calves to be especially 'substantial' but there is no way 'normal' boots will fit me., I got temporarily excited when l saw that Homy Ped had knee length boots this season, of course tried them on and they wouldn't fit..

[mrsbrown.livejournal.com]

I've had the basics (in wool etc), but I bought them all before I got pregnant with Rose and I haven't maintained my wardrobe by buying stuff to share the wearing load.

I wear the same black pair of pants to work at least 3 days a week, and have for the last 4 years. I need new black pants and something a bit more adventurous too.

I hate shirts, because I never iron them so they sit in the "ironing" basket for 6 months, I iron and wear them a couple of times and then they are washed and sit in the "ironing" basket for another 6 months. They seem like a waste of money.

Yes, I want to go shopping.

Maybe I could persuade mishymoocow to take me shopping sometime, I hear she's a wiz. Maybe with quatrefoil too?