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10-05-2019, 09:34 PM
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#1
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,350
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frugal work clothes
I have worked blue collar jobs my whole life but due to a total hip replacement I have to start over with office work. I have no degree or experience so I was lucky to get a $13.50/hr call center job. I will have to wear business casual clothing. Any ideas on how to source office attire at reasonable prices? With a salary under $30K I can't spend big money for a new wardrobe but do need some acceptable business casual clothing. What do you think is the minimum acceptable amount of clothing? If it helps I am a thin, tall, 40 year old male. Thanks.
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10-05-2019, 10:03 PM
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#2
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 9,171
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Go to Kohl’s and get some khakis and some polo shirts. Shoes can probably be “walking” type shoes. Not exactly sneakers but usually a leather look with a soft sole. I can’t imagine a call center will care much as long as it’s not jeans or a tee shirt.
If you’re able to go a little nicer, go with some dockers or hagger slacks. Mostly, try them on and make sure they’ll be comfortable for you.
__________________
Every day when I open my eyes now it feels like a Saturday - David Gray
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10-05-2019, 10:11 PM
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#3
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Williston, FL
Posts: 3,925
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I had an IT job that required "Business Casual". I wore jeans every day for 10+ years.
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FIRE no later than 7/5/2016 at 56 (done), securing '16 401K match (done), getting '15 401K match (done), LTI Bonus (done), Perf bonus (done), maxing out 401K (done), picking up 1,000 hours to get another year of pension (done), July 1st benefits (vacation day, healthcare) (done), July 4th holiday. 0 days left. (done) OFFICIALLY RETIRED 7/5/2016!!
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10-05-2019, 10:11 PM
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#4
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,350
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerry1
Go to Kohl’s and get some khakis and some polo shirts. Shoes can probably be “walking” type shoes. Not exactly sneakers but usually a leather look with a soft sole. I can’t imagine a call center will care much as long as it’s not jeans or a tee shirt.
If you’re able to go a little nicer, go with some dockers or hagger slacks. Mostly, try them on and make sure they’ll be comfortable for you.
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Every Friday I will get an email detailing the dress code for the following week. If a client is coming thru then we have to wear slacks and a buttondown. With one particular client we have to wear a tie but that is only one day every couple months. The email I got for my first week said "no jeans and collared shirt required" M-W and "jeans ok with collared shirt" Th-F.
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10-05-2019, 10:14 PM
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#5
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sarasota, FL & Vermont
Posts: 36,363
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Costco or BJ's
__________________
If something cannot endure laughter.... it cannot endure.
Patience is the art of concealing your impatience.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Retired Jan 2012 at age 56
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10-05-2019, 10:57 PM
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#6
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 1,050
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Congrats on the new job. Since this is an office job, how do you know you will like it and stay? Don't go overboard!
- Check Goodwill or 2nd hand stores or even Craigslist for ties, button down, and pants/slacks.
- Kohl's has Croft & Barrow pants and shirts on sale most of the time. Entry level stuff can be $20 and under.
- Sam's Club and Costco has entry level Dress slacks and shirts for about $20 each too.
Good luck.
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10-05-2019, 11:17 PM
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#7
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aiming_4_55
Congrats on the new job. Since this is an office job, how do you know you will like it and stay? Don't go overboard!
- Check Goodwill or 2nd hand stores or even Craigslist for ties, button down, and pants/slacks.
- Kohl's has Croft & Barrow pants and shirts on sale most of the time. Entry level stuff can be $20 and under.
- Sam's Club and Costco has entry level Dress slacks and shirts for about $20 each too.
Good luck.
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+1 Salvation Army and Goodwill have a lot of mens' dress clothing. Even Target has some really low prices on closeout merchandise.
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10-06-2019, 05:21 AM
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#8
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: dubuque
Posts: 1,174
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aaronc879
I have worked blue collar jobs my whole life but due to a total hip replacement I have to start over with office work. I have no degree or experience so I was lucky to get a $13.50/hr call center job. I will have to wear business casual clothing. Any ideas on how to source office attire at reasonable prices? With a salary under $30K I can't spend big money for a new wardrobe but do need some acceptable business casual clothing. What do you think is the minimum acceptable amount of clothing? If it helps I am a thin, tall, 40 year old male. Thanks.
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I don't mean to get off point, could you post on how you like the call center job. I am in the same situation with blue collar work and now cannot do the work but inbound sales are availabe to me from home.
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10-06-2019, 06:03 AM
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#9
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,350
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frank
I don't mean to get off point, could you post on how you like the call center job. I am in the same situation with blue collar work and now cannot do the work but inbound sales are availabe to me from home.
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It will be a few weeks before I am fully trained and working on my own. I won't know how I like it until i'm on my own for at least a full week. I will be making calls at my own pace rather than receiving calls which I think will be much better for me so that's good.
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10-06-2019, 06:05 AM
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#10
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: the prairies
Posts: 5,045
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Outlet malls
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10-06-2019, 06:08 AM
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#11
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 11,327
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Costco has you covered.
__________________
Idleness is fatal only to the mediocre -- Albert Camus
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10-06-2019, 06:31 AM
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#12
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Beach and Mountain
Posts: 1,087
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My ER wardrobe is entirely thrift shop and Ebay. I have a size and style and manufacturer I like. I purchased a bunch of pants on Ebay for an average of $8 each including shipping. Thrift shop were about $4 each. You have to be careful with thrift shop as some: wrinkle easily, have no breast pocket, missing a button, collars wearing thin, etc.
For shoes, you must go for comfort. I buy new, although I have picked up some NIB duplicates of workout shoes at Ebay for about 50% of retail.
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10-06-2019, 06:47 AM
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#13
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 13,916
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For a man, costco should work fine. If you're looking to grow a new career, remember you'll strive to dress slightly smarter than your average peer. If everyone else is in jeans and tee's, then khaki's and polo's.
Everyone else in polo's - get some button front shirts. Since you'll want to have minimal quantity when starting, get colors and patterns that don't stand out, but allow you a week's rotation.
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10-06-2019, 07:01 AM
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#14
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 968
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Aim for a "capsule wardrobe", a few good pieces where most mix and match. Online with "ThreadUp" is another source for used clothing.
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10-06-2019, 07:39 AM
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#15
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Syracuse
Posts: 3,502
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+3 on Koh!s.
Picked up some Croft and Barrow polos for $10 and kahkis for $, a pair of Dockers for $12. They don't look like they'll last long, but will give me a reason to toss them when I get a stain. Weird store though. One shelf had shirts for $20, same shirts on another area for $10.
Find a friend with a Kohls card who knows how to work their "cash" back game and you can save on brand names too.
__________________
“No, not rich. I am a poor man with money, which is not the same thing"
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10-06-2019, 07:49 AM
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#16
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Portland
Posts: 1,713
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Just want to say good luck Aaron. You have been through the wringer
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10-06-2019, 07:52 AM
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#17
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,657
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Senator
I had an IT job that required "Business Casual". I wore jeans every day for 10+ years.
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Same here. Collar shirts though, never quite made it to T-shirts. I did tend to walk around the office in my socks though. Ever since my days wearing construction boots for long hours, I've hated wearing shoes. I did put on my sneakers to go to meetings, or to the cafeteria or rest room. If anyone challenged me, I told them they're lucky I didn't show up in a bathrobe and slippers.
My point is, find out what's acceptable before you buy a bunch of stuff. And certainly go up one notch if you're bucking for a promotion. I did that for years. Toward the end I realized I didn't want my boss's job anyway, so the whole wardrobe thing became less important.
Even WalMart has clothing that suits the "business casual" category.
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10-06-2019, 07:58 AM
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#18
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 4,373
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X4 on looking at thrift stores for the clothing cheap to get you started out. Should be able to find decent khakis and I agree get some full button front oxford type shirts
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The problem isn't artificial intelligence, it's natural stupidity.
You can't spend yourself to prosperity.
Semi-Retired 7/1/16: working part-time (60%) for now [4/24/17 changed to 80%]
Retired Aug 2, 2017; age 53
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10-06-2019, 08:13 AM
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#19
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Cholula
Posts: 1,595
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A third +++ on Costco for biz casual attire. Costco was my go-to for the last 10 years or so of w*rk.
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“Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you’ll be a mile from them, and you’ll have their shoes.” – Jack Handey
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10-06-2019, 08:13 AM
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#20
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 5,214
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Congrats! I would go with goodwill type of places but I think they have days of the week when they lower prices so ask the when they have those.
If Kohl’s but they cost more.
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