Clothes Shopping for Work

I will tell you what I bought for new clothes last week.

First the suits: I got two suits from Ann Taylor. They were two different cuts of jacket, but the pants are essentially the same. I wear a 6P in one jacket and a 4 Regular in another. One suit is blue with tiny light blue dots and the other is a plain brown color. Both suits require hemming and heels. Strangely, the pants are an 8P and I’m *still* too short for them in THREE INCH heels. Because I am going to have to walk most days to the bus, the petite length still needs chopping down to a 28 or 29″ inseam. Please, before you go to a tailor, have your inseam number in mind. They will ask you to bring your shoes, but given the wide variety of shoes I keep and the new walking shoes I still need to get, it really doesn’t matter if I bring my shoes or not. I’m going to get the break done at my preferred inseam length no matter what.

Total suiting cost was $747.60 on my credit card, but I just sent a cash payment to pay off the card. I only used it to trigger off a 10% discount coupon I can use later from the rewards on that credit card. I was desperate to fill out my wardrobe because there really wasn’t enough hanging in my closet for a full 5 days of work in the winter. I am scraping by with 2 weeks’ worth of clothes and hanging on till spring. However, I mentally budgeted $1000.00 so I still have money left over for shoes, which I need desperately. I am sheepish now because my favorite Joan and David are beyond rescue, but I still wear them anyway. You can’t wear duct taped loafers to work. But I would if I could.

Second some dresses: I bought a brown and purple knit dress at The Gap. It’s shapeless but ever so slightly clingy that my body gives it some shape. It matches the brown suit jacket I just acquired, and the modest length is work appropriate. I still need shoes to match though. It cost about $55, but I was able to finishing using up an old gift card from Christmas 3+ years ago and got it for half price.

I also got a dress for half price ($25 down form $50) and a crunchy boutique in DC. It’s a jumper style dress, not quite a sheath cut, so I can wear a turtleneck and some tights under it for cold weather wear.

Third the tights: 2 for $20 at The Gap. One pair in textured black and the other in a dark brown, to go with the new dresses and my old skirts, because going without tights in this weather will be the death of me.

Finally, because it’s been so damned cold, I’ve actually been driving to work instead of taking the bus. I know. It’s not frugal, but I don’t care. It gets me out of the office early because I can’t drive at night post-surgery and I don’t have to deal with the cold. It’s kind of expensive, but worth it in terms of quality of life.

If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow though, I will kill him. My wallet cannot take driving every day till April, nor do I want another 6 weeks of winter.

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