Submitted by favrion t3_yd89bs in Connecticut
I need to buy some dress shoes, dress pants, suit, jacket, and tie, the whole package for business professional attire, but I have a meager budget (read: I don't have a lot of money.) Where is the best place to shop for decent, inexpensive business professional attire in my area?
There's some good subreddits that can help you develop a wardrobe.
If you're going to be wearing a suit everyday, for example, you don't need to start out with 15 suits, all tailored
I read something once that a man's wardrobe can be completely made over with just seven new articles of clothing or something. It's about buying versatile clothing that you can wear with different outfits.
What’s your size? I have some extra stuff that is in good shape I could contribute.
Wow, this is generous. I appreciate it. I would be shopping tomorrow. Is that possible for you?
Well, I don't know exactly how to measure for a suit, but my shoe size is 11 to 12 inches depending on the make and model, my shirt size is medium to large depending, I am 5'11" tall, my hip size is 32.5", my chest is about 36", and my waist size is 30". I hope that's enough to work with.
Imagine being such an asshole that you come on here and give someone shit for needing nice clothes for a job. They are probably doing more with their life than you are. Be gone with you, troll.
What subreddits would those be?
Have you tried the Bristol Buy Nothing Facebook group? You can create a post with what you need and include the sizes and hopefully someone replies that they have what you need. There are thousands of group members so it really ups your chances of getting some of the items you need for free.
Im a bit bigger but may have something’s that could work. Show size we are definitely close on. I’m in central CT. I could pull some things together and meet up tomorrow?
Also how much time do you have before you need to actually wear the stuff? Enough time to get it tailored?
My cousin is constantly buying his “dress pants” at Marshall’s or TJMAXX, he works in professional sales setting and always looks put together.
I would check the thrift stores first, but if you don’t have luck there, Kohl’s has a decent selection of suits. There’s a coupon in their app. Burlington, TJ Maxx, and Marshall’s all have pretty reasonable prices as well. They may not have a great selection of suit jackets, but you can find the rest of the items there. Walmart dress shoes are actually pretty decent for the price too.
Can we meet somewhere in Southington sometime around 3:00? I have a prior appointment at noon and I don't know how long it will take.
That should work. Let me check some things and get back to you this PM
No problem. This stuff might be a little big, but I’m hopeful it will still look passable. I’m bigger now ( half beer, half working out lol) so don’t be alarmed when I see you tomorrow 😜
Eventually if you have time for a tailor you should be set. Just a basic taking in and adjusting hem should be relatively inexpensive. Doesn’t need to be a full bespoke reworking of the stuff.
All i would say is venture out a little.
Thrift stores in wealthier areas have better stuff.
A goodwill/savers in south western CT have nicer stuff getting donated.
Don't forget to check places like Kohls and Marshalls, better than thrift store but good deals, especially if using a coupon. Couple of tips, don't buy pants too tight, you can always tighten with belt. Stick with basic colors along the same pallette so you can mix n match outfits. brown shoes = brown belt, black shoes = black belt. If you have a patterned shirt wear plain tie and vice-versa. When tying a tie, tip of tie should sit at belt buckle
I have two suit jackets (42R) that I think would be close for you and a pair of shoes size 11.5. The good thing with these colors (black and charcoal) is any color pant will match. I will grab a couple ties as well.
Start with /r/mensfashion and /r/malefashionadvice and /r/frugalmalefashion
If you're in a pinch, don't overlook Costco. Its not high quality stuff, but you can often find a clean looking professional outfit for under $100. I bet a shopper would boop you on their membership, or you could buy a day pass
I didn't know that they sold men's wear.
Boscovs in the Meriden mall
If you can get to Primark at the Danbury Mall, they have the cheapest professional attire period.
H&M at Westfarms is a good bet. They have plenty of button downs, ones meant for tucking in and untucked, and tons of pants that are acceptable in a professional setting.
Obviously won’t be the highest quality but I have two suits from there which I’ve gotten plenty of compliments on despite them being dirt cheap. Also don’t be afraid to snag a pair of pants you really like and go get them hemmed if need be. A lot of places will do it for $10~$20
Express also has plenty of business appropriate attire although you will see a price hike over H&M as you’re paying for higher quality. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions, or always take a look at r/malefashionadvice. Most people there are extremely friendly and helpful. Best of luck
Walmart can be great, I’ve gotten a few of my favorite professional pieces from there. H&M offers some pretty good basics in a pinch but quality sometimes lacks. Old Navy also has nice clothes and constant sales running (their women’s line is great, don’t know as much about men’s).
As a general tip - wherever you go, check for coupons or discounts off google or their websites (incl. student discounts for anyone still in school). Signing up for emails can usually get you 10-20% off your order within an hour if you give your email and most of those work in-store and online. I’ve saved a lot of money from those last-minute desperate coupon searches!
Also look into capsule wardrobes. I don’t know if it’s as relevant to men’s clothing as women’s, but the idea is that you buy a limited set of basic staples with the intention of being able to pair each item with everything else. It’s a good way to get the most use of every item you have while limiting your costs and saving time putting together outfits.
You didn’t respond to OP here, just so you know — you responded to a random Redditor who appreciates you.
You’re a good person!
Oh shoot! Thanks for the heads up. I was trying to Reddit and work at the same time.
I’m near waterbury and have some shirts, sweaters, and a decent banana republic suit you can have. Mostly men’s large / slim. Maybe some black shoes too. Shoot me a message if interested.
They actually have some really decent pants for work in many different settings. From fleece lined jeans or work pants to dressier pants for work. Definitely check them out
JC Penney, too. Places like Kohls and JC Penney practically give clothing away during their Black Friday deals- it could be cost effective to get only a few items now and purchase more in a few weeks when the deep discounts hit if trying to build up an entire wardrobe.
Cash only? That's different. Many places are starting to do the exact opposite. Feels a bit shady.
I posted a similar question a while ago. While I do agree with another commenter that Primark has some decent stuff - their dress shoes are solid, as are their suit jackets - I found their shirts and pants to run small or fit a bit weird.
After a lot of looking, it’s Kohls by a landslide. I felt like Marshall’s/TJMaxx caters mostly to women and you have to “hunt” around for good stuff. But the online store at Kohls often has good deals and their shipping is quick, with a huge selection. I’ve been buying dress clothes every other week to round out my wardrobe.
Yes, Westport Goodwill may have some great items
I call those Tags-On Goodwill's and they rock!
pinktwillshirt t1_itqkj1q wrote
What kind of job requires this now. Are you a funeral home director?