I had a similar problem when I became a WFHM (work from home mom). I had no idea what to do with my corporate clothes and again, casual wear was beyond my understanding other than t-shirt and jeans. Admittedly, I spend more than $1000 per year but I tend to invest in better quality pieces which also I can sell at a good price should I want to recycle things around. I do have a 1 in 1 out policy which takes care of the financing my wardrobe.

I've found picked amazing designer pieces for very little from eBay, sales racks, outlets and sample sales. I'm a Francophile so I tend to stick to French brands. They're cheaper here in the UK compared to US brands and the fit is much better for a vertically challenged midget like me.

I would try J Crew (for classic pieces like blazers, nice ts, etc.) and Anthropologie for cute tops & bottoms. Also, while Express may have some cute items, I would not recommend them if you are looking for quality.

You could also try TJ Maxx and Marshal's for jeans. I've bought JBrand, Paige, 7FMK, etc. there and I refuse to pay more than $50 for jeans.

Your post struck a cord with me. I now work from home so while I only 'need' sweatpants, I choose to build my wardrobe with purely quality items. Breaking my habit of purchasing lower quality clothing was difficult, but now I carefully quiz myself before buying an item. #1 if the item is made out of polyester (or cheap fabric) I will NOT buy it. #2 if it is overly trendy I will not buy it. We are basically the same size (I have 1 inch on your height). Talbots had become my go-to store for quality & classic tops, beautiful fabrics and many sales. I splurge on jeans and pants because it's more difficult to get a perfect fit (I'm super narrow in my hips). Shopping has become quality over quantity... it has taken me a while to build my quality wardrobe.

Talbots- quality, classic pieces. blouses, cardigans, trousers
Nordstrom & Nordstrom Rack- jeans, sale tops
Bluefly and Zappos- tops & dresses
J Crew- carefully check for quality/classic items
Ann Taylor & Banana Republic- only pants because they fit my shape. I generally find their quality to be low with lots of polyester

Good luck shopping!

i also went through what you went through when i became a sahm. i have a bigger clothing budget than you, and i shopped and shopped ... while feeling like i didn't have anything to wear. anyway, 2 years into doing that, i decided to shop quality over quantity.

i buy a lot of dvf stuff nowadays, such as a tunic dress i can wear with leggings and a pair of converse during the day doing mommy stuff, and dress up to go on a date night.

i don't know how old your kid(s) is/ are, and dvf clothes are not appropriate, say if you're nursing, but they're comfortable and presentable for most occasions. the silk jersey dresses are also forgiving enough to cover your constantly changing body shape.

Originally Posted by pavilion

Neiman Marcus Last Call, Nordstrom Rack, and Saks Off Fifth are all great for discounted designer merchandise. I have found great shoes (Louboutin, Manolo, Prada, etc at all of them) along with clothing, bags, and accessories. They have a great selection of contemporary designers which are great for wearing everyday. My mom is a SAHM and she loves Vince, Theory, Tory Burch, Trina Turk, Tibi, Milly, DvF, and Burberry for casual wear. You can also always find designer denim here. The Outnet also does a Louboutin sale (if you want to get a pair on sale and put more money towards clothing and accessories). Bloomingdales (if you have the card and a great personal shopper) has amazing deals as well. They often do additional discounts off of sale merchandise for card members and you can presale! For other stores, J.Crew is great especially when they do their 30% additional off of sale merchandise. Banana Republic is also a great one. They usually do at least 25% off your purchase in stores and on more than one occasion I've gotten 40% off of my purchase. While not as good of quality IMO as Banana Republic and J.Crew, Ann Taylor LOFT is great for cute summer skirts and other pieces.

Thanks for all your wonderful information!! I did go shopping today and While the Loft was not my style, I did some some things at Ann Taylor and a lovely dress from Michael Kors. Will definitely check out the stores you mentions as well.

Originally Posted by birkingal

I had a similar problem when I became a WFHM (work from home mom). I had no idea what to do with my corporate clothes and again, casual wear was beyond my understanding other than t-shirt and jeans. Admittedly, I spend more than $1000 per year but I tend to invest in better quality pieces which also I can sell at a good price should I want to recycle things around. I do have a 1 in 1 out policy which takes care of the financing my wardrobe. I've found picked amazing designer pieces for very little from eBay, sales racks, outlets and sample sales. I'm a Francophile so I tend to stick to French brands. They're cheaper here in the UK compared to US brands and the fit is much better for a vertically challenged midget like me.

Definitely wished we had access to more french things here since they tend to focus more on quality. Thanks for your advice!

Originally Posted by vhdos

I would try J Crew (for classic pieces like blazers, nice ts, etc.) and Anthropologie for cute tops & bottoms. Also, while Express may have some cute items, I would not recommend them if you are looking for quality.

Will check if we have an Anthropologie near by. Haven't seen it here - I just moved to Houston a few months ago and still exploring. thanks!

Originally Posted by Frugalfinds

You could also try TJ Maxx and Marshal's for jeans. I've bought JBrand, Paige, 7FMK, etc. there and I refuse to pay more than $50 for jeans.

Wow I didn't realize tjmaxx and marshalls carried those brands! Off I go first thing tomorrow!

Originally Posted by PortlandKelly

Your post struck a cord with me. I now work from home so while I only 'need' sweatpants, I choose to build my wardrobe with purely quality items. Breaking my habit of purchasing lower quality clothing was difficult, but now I carefully quiz myself before buying an item. #1 if the item is made out of polyester (or cheap fabric) I will NOT buy it. #2 if it is overly trendy I will not buy it. We are basically the same size (I have 1 inch on your height). Talbots had become my go-to store for quality & classic tops, beautiful fabrics and many sales. I splurge on jeans and pants because it's more difficult to get a perfect fit (I'm super narrow in my hips). Shopping has become quality over quantity... it has taken me a while to build my quality wardrobe. Talbots- quality, classic pieces. blouses, cardigans, trousers Nordstrom & Nordstrom Rack- jeans, sale tops Bluefly and Zappos- tops & dresses J Crew- carefully check for quality/classic items Ann Taylor & Banana Republic- only pants because they fit my shape. I generally find their quality to be low with lots of polyester Good luck shopping!

Thanks so much for relating to my situation. I completely agree with your quality over quantity mantra!! Will check out the stores you mentioned and keep your advice in mind as i go on this happy journey!

Originally Posted by moo bag lalala

i also went through what you went through when i became a sahm. i have a bigger clothing budget than you, and i shopped and shopped ... while feeling like i didn't have anything to wear. anyway, 2 years into doing that, i decided to shop quality over quantity. i buy a lot of dvf stuff nowadays, such as a tunic dress i can wear with leggings and a pair of converse during the day doing mommy stuff, and dress up to go on a date night. i don't know how old your kid(s) is/ are, and dvf clothes are not appropriate, say if you're nursing, but they're comfortable and presentable for most occasions. the silk jersey dresses are also forgiving enough to cover your constantly changing body shape.

I know exactly what you mean! I put myself on a budget exactly for this reason. I would shop uncontrollably yet still had things that either didn't fit me or my lifestyle or were just plan poor choices! I want to have a more focused plan in hand when i go shopping now. My kids are 7 and 2 and we plan to have another one in the next year or so. I want to shop for my body now but I also need to keep in mind that my size will temporarily change.

I definitely need to stay away from trendy clothes since the trend might be long gone before i can wear some of my pieces again!

Thanks for relating to my situation and for your wonderful advice. Will check out DVF dresses at my saks off fifth outlet.

You can find some nice & stylish dresses in Zara - for me dresses are a must for every woman, either she's a business woman or a sahm. Try DVF during sales and check some online stores - you can find great stuff (even designer clothes) in affordable prices online.That is of course if you shop online - personally I don't but many woman do.

What helps me - though I'm not a sahm - is buying things that can be colour-coordinated. For example, I buy the basics in black (besides my jeans which are mostly deep blue) and then buy some accessories, blouses etc in other, fun colours.

Hope I've helped!

I am trying to buy things that cost more but are well made. I will not buy fads. What I am trying to do is simplify my wardrobe by buying tops in white and using accessories for color. I find it easier to stick to white but also have bought a few light pastel tops too. I like dark or black jeans. I guess it can be kind of uniform dressing where you have classic clothes and add color with scarves, a sweater,bags and shoes. When you look at the wardrobes of American women their closets are stuffed with clothes and many pieces are not even worn. My friend who was French had a very simple wardrobe but the items she had were stunning and she stuck to very. Lassie and simple pieces. It was how she pulled it together that made her stand out. The high end department store outlets have some great buys. Some of my friends shop for most of their clothes in thrift stores and many things they get are still new with tags. You might want to check out http://www.cache.com they have a sale going on now and some cute things.

Oh, I forgot a great store! I just actually shopped there for the 1st time about a month ago.

*** Loehmann's ***

They carry Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch, Free People, Missoni, L.A.M.B., & Pour La Victoire just to name a few. Everything is discounted 50% or more below retail. And, they have insane clearance events.

And, they have a website. http://www.loehmanns.com

Here's an awesome coupon for $20 off purchases of $75 or more.

RTLNOT712

Check it out! You won't be sorry!

I am a big fan of Club Monaco. It is similar to BR or J Crew, but to me a little more stylish. I would check outlets for Theory and Vince items. Since you are in Houston, check out the outlets in Katy-they are good.

I agree - J crew is awesome and pretty good quality too!
Zara Woman has pretty good quality stuff as well !
For button downs - i like vince ( Nordstrom rack)
For 100% cotton shirts, lounge wear - Old navy believe it or not!!! :)

Hi. I'm so glad you started this thread because I can totally relate. I am also a sahm for almost 5 yrs and have gone through several fashion changes as well. I am a big fan of designer stuff but due to a strict budget and the fact that clothes normally go on sale anyway, I dont pay full price for it. My go to stores are also Nordstrom Rack (the only "high end" store in our area besides Macys), Ross and Marshalls. If I want a trendy item I do grab it from Forever 21. I do not like the sweats all day look either so I look forward to dressing up every day even if its just to pick up the kiddos from school. Right now I am totally into thrift store shopping. I have found very good quality clothing pieces for $5 and under. When I find items from H&M and Zaras I get all happy because we dont have either store within a 200 mile radius.
So the bottom line is that you can find some great classic pieces at those places and make them look fabulous. My mom always tells me that its the mannequin that makes the clothes... lol. You can see my posts in the second hand shopping thread to see what kind of items I have found at thrift stores. Have fun shopping

I think the DKNY jeans from Outlet stores are fab, excellent quality and classic cut - and are only around $25-ish.

Great suggestions re Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx, Ross, Burlington etc but I find with these stores you have to go frequently has the stock changes almost daily, not really ideal for a busy life. I recommend online shopping, chose a few designers that you know their fit and go from there - I love Michael Kors at the moment for clothing (especially on ebay there is some fab deals) and got my size from trying out stuff at the stores, everything I now order from ebay or online (Nordstroms say) works out great.

Nordstrom RACK. Especially for pricier things like jeans. Find them at nor dies for 200 or the rack for 80!

Ann Taylor Loft would be another suggestion. Cute tops, pretty decent quality, not bad pricing, especially with all of the coupons.

Not a fan of express - feel like its WAY overpriced.

What about resale shops or something like Plato's Closet? I have gotten some DEALS there...like brand new citizens for TWENTY BUCKS

I work but I work from home so most of my stuff is fun, going out to dinner, running errands or shopping attire. Even thought BR/Ann Taylor has alot of working women stuff you can find cute tops, dresses, pants that can go with other items. I also don't buy an entire look at one store, I like to mix designers.

Stores I like are:
Banana Republic
JCrew
Norstrom Rack
Norstrom Saavy/TBD dept.
Neiman Marcus
Saks Off 5th outlet
BCBG Outlet
Target (yes they have great, cheap clothes)

I have a really hard time paying retail for clothes as I would rather invest the $ in real jewelry or handbags. I will pay full price for an item if I think the item will not go on sale or will sell out before going on sale and is a staple item I will wear alot. I always shop the sale racks or wait until there's a coupon or promotion going on. I love mixing cheap outifts with high end bags or jewelry!