Fashion can get confusing and expensive at times and business attire is probably one of the hardest things to get right on a budget.
It’s always a challenge when it comes to deciding what to wear to work, a meeting or a formal event. How do you find the perfect balance between formal and stylish without spending your monthly wage?
Thankfully, this is where we come in to help - here are 10 ways to conquer that perfect look without breaking the bank!
1) Stick to Basics
First things first, go back to basics. Stock up on plain tees, shirts, trousers, vests and cardigans from retailers such as Boohoo as these go with everything and you can change completely change an outfit with a different style of top/bottom.
If you have a pair of trousers or a skirt that you love, for example, then simply pairing this with various basics can be a cheap way to wear something in plenty of different ways.
2) Choose Statement Pieces
Along with the basics, you definitely need statement pieces for your formal wardrobe. Things that go with any outfit, never go out of fashion and can be worn all year round in any season.
Think blazers, t-shirts and trousers from Wallis that can easily be worn in any weather. Blazers complete any outfit for effortless formalwear, so try and find a colour that will work with most items like black or beige. This way you can reuse and not have to buy multiple. Or if you often wear black outfits, then adding a pop of colour to your outfit with a bright or pastel-coloured blazer can also look great.
3) Buy Non-Seasonal Items
Items that you can wear all year round are always your best option for formal wear. Don’t limit yourself to summer dresses.
Look at dresses from Missguided that you can wear both with tights and a jacket in winter and without tights in the summer. And trousers and shirts that can be worn all year round!
4) Keep to a Simple Colour Palette
Simple colours that match everything are going to be your life savers. Grab staple pieces of clothing from a store like Warehouse Fashion in beiges, whites, blacks, nudes and greys go with pretty much any other colours.
Stay with these colours and mix and match your outfits e.g a black top will go with black, beige and grey trousers and vice versa.
5) Shop Pre-Loved Items
Pre-loved items are always a cheaper option. You can pick up amazing bargains in vintage and charity shops or online from various online marketplaces and selling apps such as eBay and Depop.
Not only does preloved become re-loved, but you are also helping to reduce the amount of textile waste in the environment. So buying and selling second-hand clothes overall is a win-win!
6) Invest in Quality Shoes
You know when you have hit the jackpot with a pair of shoes when they look good, are comfy and are also a decent price! For work or formal events, you want to maintain that classy look whilst also playing safe, check out a shoe store such as Schuh for quality shoes.
Sticking with closed-toe flats could be your best option. Leather is the most long-lasting so stick with leather and you won’t be having to replace them for a long time.
7) Shop Around Online
Don’t just go for the first one you find! Whether you hate shopping or need items desperately, it is greatly recommended to have a look around first. Find something you like and then look for similar, maybe cheaper alternatives.
Search for formalwear if you're unsure what you want, or if you've already seen something then get the style name or code and search it online, you may find that the exact same item is £££’s cheaper from another store. Shop around!
8) Look Out for Discount Codes
Discount codes are our saviours. No matter where you are shopping, always always search for a discount code.
As much or as little as you can find, every little helps! You can check out all of our current discount codes for formalwear on our website.
9) Take Advantage of Sales
Sales! Sales! Sales! Try and wait for the change of seasons and stock up on your new basics, blazers, and a pair of shoes.
The majority of the time you will be able to get double the amount of items for the same amount of money, what more could you ask for? Shopping online for new clothes at stores such as Pretty Little Thing is always a great idea when the sales hit so that you can bag the best items and avoid the queues.
10) Follow Instagram Influencers
Instagram is the place to be when it comes to providing inspiration for an outfit, just take a look at In The Style for example. It’s what fashion influencers get paid for, it’s their job.
Take full advantage of their videos, links and discount codes. They usually shout about any sales or discounts certain shops have on that day so keep watching!
