So here you are: You’ve finished school or graduate school or an internship and you’re about to start your first real job. Congratulations! Now: What to wear? And how to pay for it? Clothes are so expensive these days! And it will not be possible any longer to roll out of bed at 10 and throw on some stuff from the floor to wear to your class. LOL: Some of the classrooms at my college were in one of the dorms, and dorm-denizens sometimes came in their pajamas! That, too, is a non-starter at most offices these days, alas.
Let's get started!
These tips, unfortunately, are mainly for those of the XX-gender, as my experience with assisting my younger brother in putting together his first wardrobe for his first job as a lawyer went like this:
Me: So are you ready for your new job? Do you need to go shopping?
Brother: I’ve been shopping. I’m completely ready.
Me: You went shopping? That’s great! What did you get?
Brother: A belt.
Sorry, gents. You’re on your own!
The purpose of this diary is not to stifle your inner creativity, tamp down your style or turn you into a 21st century version of the woman in the grey flannel suit – not that there is anything wrong with grey flannel! The purpose of this diary is to help you assemble some appropriate 9-5 wear that will allow your creativity, style and hard work – rather than the clothing you are wearing while evincing them – stand out. You want to be the legislative assistant or paralegal or teacher or scientist whose brilliant ideas bring you notice and attention; you want to be taken seriously for what you do, not overlooked because of what you are wearing. Would you entrust your money and confidence to this man?
See what I mean?
This is unfair, I realize; but it is what it is. And have cheer: once you’ve established your bona fides, you can, if you want, be a bit flamboyant (a bit more of your inner you) once in a while. Just not during your first few years in the corporate mill.
True Story: During my first five years as a lawyer, I worked at a big national law firm in Washington, D.C. where toeing the line was not optional. It was okay to take your jacket off in your office, but if you were called to a meeting or to a partner’s office, you were expected to put your jacket on. (And you’d better be wearing a suit with a jacket!) Even on weekends, you were expected to dress professionally: no jeans, no t-shirts, no sandals. There were no casual Fridays (or casual any other days, for that matter). None of the women there even wore pantsuits. I spent five years wearing skirted suits (and the occasional dress) and panty hose and boring pumps, and taming my then long blonde hair behind hairbands or put up in a bun. In the summer of my 5th year, I won a major victory in a certain court that is, uh, here in D.C. and often in the news. The following morning, I wore cut-offs, wrap around sunglasses and pink high-topped sneakers to work – in D.C., at a major national law firm, on a workday. I was full of piss ‘n vinegar that morning, and the outfit got a ton of laughs and applause. I had earned that my wardrobe malfunction. You can, too.
Ten Steps to a Wardrobe for Work:
- Don’t panic! There’s probably stuff in your closet right now that will be just fine for work. And remember: unless you are working at a fashion magazine or are launching a career as a movie or TV star (in which case, you have a professional stylist and should not be reading wardrobe advice written by a middle aged lawyer), you do not need 30 fabulous outfits. All you need are between 5 and 10, and most of these can (and should) come out of a core of basic pieces that you can – yes, the dreaded cliché – mix and match. Even now (after working for – ack!! – nearly 30 years), and with a job that requires a suit (or something similar) every day, I only own 8 suits. The one I wore today I bought in 1999. It’s a medium-weight navy blue, and when I bought it, I bought a matching sleeveless shell, which, when combined with the skirt, makes a dress in the summer. There are two little hints in that last sentence: color (navy blue goes with just about everything and it’s so basic that (a) no one remembers that you’ve worn it and (b) it always looks respectable) and flexibility (a skirt, shell and jacket that make both a dress and suit).
- Let’s see what you already have! This will require an afternoon (or perhaps a day). It will be worth it. Crank up your I-Pod, turn on junk TV, put on some CDs . . . and then: Make your bed and take everything – and I mean everything (including boxes, hangers, etc.) – out of your closet and wherever else you store clothes. Dump all of this stuff on your bed. (This is why you should make your bed first – it is too depressing to have all this stuff piled up on top of rumpled sheets and whatever else you have there.) NOW: before you do anything else: vacuum out your closet and wipe off any shelves, rods, etc. Make it spotless: yup, the full Martha . (Same thing for any bureaus.) You are starting a whole new life; let’s do it the right way!
- Let’s get rid of clothes that don’t fit, are completely worn out or that you hate! (A full closet does not equal a great wardrobe; it means a full closet where things you like and might wear are hidden by stuff you hate; this is not a good thing.) Get some paper bags. The kind with the handles are the best, because they stand up on their own and are easy to carry, but if you do not have these, just get whatever kind of bags you do have. You will be sorting your clothes into four categories: rags for cleaning, major mistakes and/or things you are tired of that someone else might like, things that you love that need attention, and flawless keepers. Stuff that constitutes rags gets cut up right then and there: these things are NOT going back in the closet. Stuff that someone else might like gets put into bags that you will take later on that same day (or shortly thereafter) to the charity of your choice. (Be sure to mark these carefully so as not to mix them up with the dry-cleaning). These things do NOT go back into the closet, either. Clothes that you love but that need attention (dry-cleaning, tailoring, missing buttons, laundry) go into one pile on the bed; perfect keepers in another.
- Let’s make a list of what you already have! Look over those two piles you’ve made (better yet: look them over after they are neatly put away in your sparkling clean closet and drawers). There are probably several things that will help you stretch your work wardrobe dollars, such as sweaters and blouses and belts. Maybe you have some skirts and nice trousers that only need a jacket to make them work-worthy. Make a list of everything you think could work for work (!!) on an index card – you’ll be carrying this with you when you go shopping. (Make sure to write down both the item and its color: black skirt; pink cardigan sweater.)
- Let’s get that closet organized! (No more wire hangers!!!). This is not a waste of time – it actually is a time-saver. Why spend 15-20 precious morning minutes hunting through a heap of clothes or a mess of tangled hangers to find a skirt for work? (If you were cskendrick, you could have an important diary on the Middle East done in that time!) One hour (seriously) of closet organizing can prevent this for months. So put everything that does not need attention back in your closet and drawers neatly. Things that need to go to the dry-cleaners go to the dry-cleaners – along with your wire hangers, which can be recycled by the cleaners and have no business being in your closet. Things that need to be washed go in the laundry basket. Things that need to be repaired go to the tailor or shoe repair person. There is no point in having clothes that could go to work sitting in your closet because they are unclean, are missing buttons or need to be hemmed – cleaning and repairs are a LOT cheaper than buying new.
True Story: During a particularly penurious time in my life, I desperately needed a coat and neither had one, nor had much money with which to buy one. I went to Good Will! I dug through a lot of pretty awful coats, but then I found a classic London Fog trench raincoat with a zip-out lining, which was great except that it was pretty dirty and lacked several buttons. But: it was $15 and it fit me perfectly. SOLD. I took it to a dry-cleaner and went to a fancy notions store. The dry-cleaning cost me about another $15 and I spent about $20 on some really pretty buttons. For $50 I had a classic coat that could be worn year-round – and I wore it for years.
- Let’s go shopping! Don’t forget your list.
Where to shop:
Salvation Army, Good Will.
- Yard sales. You’d be amazed at what people "throw out."
(Note: If you buy clothing at a charity store or yard sale, be sure to dry clean or wash it, as appropriate, BEFORE wearing it or putting it in your closet or bureau – you do not need winged creatures or worse infiltrating your clothes or your person!)
- Let’s get down to business!
- First, a reality check. Do not run up huge credit card bills assembling a wardrobe. A wardrobe is not – contrary to that silly fashion industry credo – an "investment." A wardrobe is an expense.
- Second, a budget. Figure out how much you realistically can afford to spend right now and throughout the coming year. Keep in mind the upkeep costs of what you buy (including tailoring and dry-cleaning). Keep in mind any special events that you know you will be attending (as it’s always much, much better – and more cost-effective – to get one really terrific outfit that goes anywhere and that you love than to have to buy something in a panic two hours before the wedding or party).
- Third, a focus. What were the people who interviewed you wearing on the day or days you had your job interviews? Was everyone in a suit? Then an inexpensive (doesn’t have to be inexpensive looking!) suit is going to be the first thing you buy. Were people more casually dressed – in skirts and sweaters or pants and jackets? Then one of those pairings will be your first purchase. And so on.
- Fourth, a color. (You read that right.) Pick one of the neutrals: black, brown, navy blue, grey or camel. (There are no other colors on this list and no, you may not add one.) Making your choice may be as simple as reviewing the list on your card (if you have a bunch of sweaters and shirts in pink and lavender, for example, than navy or gray would be a good choice and camel, not so good). This will be the core color of your nascent wardrobe. You will not buy anything that does not go with your core color. Repeat after me: I will not buy anything that does not go with my core color. Thank you. After you get your first core piece(s), you will (when the money is available) start adding these:
- If you bought the suit, then: a really nice pair of tailored trousers in your core color. If you bought one of the pairings, then a really nice pair of tailored trousers or a skirt (whichever you did not buy) in your core color.
- A crisp classic white shirt.
- A dress for cocktail parties, weddings, cultural nights out and dates. The perfect black dress, if you can find it. Something that you absolutely love.
True Story: When I was 24, I saved up (and spent) a month’s salary (yes, you read that right) on a perfect black dress that I had absolutely fallen in love with. When I put it on, I felt like Grace Kelly! It was cut in such a way that it flattered everyone (my friends borrowed it; my sister-in-law wore it to a party when she was 8 months pregnant). It looked great at holiday parties in December and law firm events in August. I wore that black dress for twenty-three years – until it literally unraveled. I still miss it.
- A sweater twin-set in your favorite color.
- A second skirt or pair or trousers in a color you like that blends with your core (so that all of the other things you have to wear with your core will also look good with this piece). If your core is anything other than black, make this black. There are few things in the world as versatile and flattering as a good pair of black pants or a nice black skirt.
- A casual jacket that looks good with the skirt(s) and pant(s) you’ve already bought.
You see where this is going, right? By the time you’ve got everything on this relatively short list, you’ve got at least five nice work outfits, something pretty to wear when you go out, and some weekend wear that’s a bit more polished than jeans. (I am not knocking jeans, but I am assuming you have a pair or two already that you love. And no, you may not siphon off some of your work wardrobe budget to buy another pair of jeans.)
- Let’s remember everything else you will need!
You will need a purse (and a briefcase if other people at your office carry one – but this is one item you can postpones purchasing). Marshall’s and TJ Maxx usually have an incredible selection of very nice purses at pretty good prices. Buy the best quality one you can find within your budget and in . . . hmmm. . . what color would that be? Yes, your core color. Boring, boring, boring. But it will always look nice whenever you’re carrying it. And let’s not forget: SHOES.
What kind of shoes do the women you report to wear? That’s what kind you should be buying (I’m not talking which designer – if you work at a corporation or a law firm, some of the senior women may spend serious money on shoes – I’m talking about shape and look). They wear neutral pumps; you wear neutral pumps. Marshall’s and TJ’s are also great places to find shoes. Other good sources: DSW, Rack Room, any of the final sale places for the super fancy department stores (Off5th, Last Call and The Rack for Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom’s, respectively). With shoes: the plainer the better. I have a pair of black patent leather pumps that I wear at least twice a week; by contrast, I have a pair of hot pink patent leather pumps that were marked down at Marshall’s that I have worn, um, exactly 0 times.
You will also need what my grandmothers referred to as "foundation garments."
Talk about boring! But talk about necessary: absolutely. You do not need a mess of lingerie from Victoria’s Secret (at least not for your professional life). You need a black bra (for wearing under dark clothing) and one or two other bras that match your skin tone (for wearing under everything else). You need some panties that don’t have holes in them. In many places, you’ll also need some pantyhose – a product that was obviously invented and manufactured in the devil’s workshop. (These do NOT need to be expensive. You can spend a couple bucks for a pair at the grocery store or a gazillion dollars for a pair at fogal and here is the truth: they will all eventually have runs in them.) I have tried every crackpot theory under the sun to prevent runs (including: dipping them in water, wringing it out, wrapping them in plastic bags and putting them in the freezer before wearing them, which is an excellent way to catch a cold and not good for much of anything else). Nothing works.
And, if you live in a cold or rainy climate, you will need a coat. Be sure to buy one with wide enough sleeves so that you will be able to move your arms even if you are wearing a suit underneath it. You might want to consider a classic trench raincoat with a zip-out lining, which looks neat and professional and will keep you warm and dry on all but the freezing-coldest of days.
- Let’s remember that no one needs super trendy clothes!
I’ve just run a search and found that I’ve used the word "classic" four times already. This is because the less money you have to spend on clothes, the more you cannot afford to throw it away on (a) cheap clothes or (b) the latest fad. Cheap clothes? Aren’t we talking about cheap clothes? No we are not. We are talking about clothes that are not expensive. Cheap clothes are those $5 t-shirts cobbled together by some overworked child in the Northern Mariana Islands. Instead of buying one well-made American t-shirt, Americans buy 6 of the cheap ones. Here’s the problem, fashion mavens: Every time you wear one of the cheap t-shirts, you are wearing a cheap t-shirt; so if you wear a different one for each of five days in a row, you’ve worn a cheap t-shirt five days in a row. You could have been wearing the nice American t-shirt each day (and washing it each night) and every day you would have had a nice American t-shirt on. You do not need t-shirts in 14 colors; you do not need 19 pairs of jeans; you do not need 8 purses. Better to spend your money the way the French do: on fewer things of better quality.
- Let’s take care of our clothes properly!
When you get home from work, take off your work clothes, put them on appropriate hangers, and hang them up on the back of the bathroom door or somewhere else where they can "air out" – before putting them back in the closet. (Note that I did not say anything about "airing" them out in a pile on the floor. Nossir.) Learn how to wield an iron and sew on a button and wash your sweaters by hand. You will always be gentler on your clothes than someone who’s paid to clean them. Find a good tailor! $15 worth of tailoring can turn a relatively inexpensive suit into a major winner; fit is flattering. Do not wear sleeves that are too long (you’ll look like you borrowed someone else’s jacket) or blouses that do not, um, close properly in front, or jackets with shoulders that come half-way down your arms. Better to have one pair of properly tailored black pants that always look sensational than three pairs that are frumpy.
Have I forgotten anything? Probably. Post away! And thank you so much for letting me participate in kossacks under 35 tonight!