5 Affordable Places to Shop for a Professional Wardrobe

After you’ve joined the work world, you have to start devoting a large portion of your closet and shopping budget to professional attire. To make the pain of this a little easier as first, I recommend purchasing work clothes that don’t cost quite as much.

Purchasing items with lower prices allows you test out different ensembles to see what you’re most comfortable wearing to work. You might think you’ll wear blazers every day, only to learn you’re more comfortable in a cardigan. It seems a little silly to spend hundreds on items that may not be manageable long-term. Now you just need to know where to find affordable clothes. Here are five options to help you put together a professional wardrobe without breaking the bank.

1. Forever21

Forever21 isn’t known for providing high-quality items, but when you’re first starting out, it’s a great place to find blazers and simple tops at affordable prices. It doesn’t always make sense to splurge on trendy clothing for work when you could splurge on a classic black blazer that will last a decade, but the great thing about Forever21 is it’s trendy, so you can find that wild print on a blazer for $20 and wear it until it goes out of style without feeling like you wasted money.

2. The Limited

On a regular day, The Limited isn’t exactly affordable—even though it is good quality. However, if you wait to hit the store during a sale (which they have plenty of—especially if you shop online), you can purchase several high-quality pieces at majorly reduced prices.

3. Kohl’s

If you need a good deal on your work clothes, then Kohl’s is a good place to hit up. There’s always a sale, and the quality is comparable to the original price. You won’t find yourself swimming in cutting-edge pieces, but Kohl’s has the basic staples covered for you.

4. TJ Maxx

TJ Maxx is a bit of a gamble since you never know if there’s going to be anything worth your time, but it never hurts to look. As long as you’re willing to do some active searching through the sardine-can inspired racks, then you stand a good chance of finding a wardrobe treasure under $50.

5. Nordstrom Rack

Don’t let the big name scare your wallet off. Nordstrom Rack is the best place to find high-quality items at majorly reduced prices. Most of the items for sale are at least 50% off, but the largest portion of them are 70%. Can you say “steal?”

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