Grenada, the small island country where I currently live, does not have large malls or extensive shopping centers.
Well, we do have one mall near our neighborhood that has a few stores including the grocery store we all use. There’s also another mall in town that’s connected to the cruise port, so all of those prices are really high.
None of them carry brands that you would recognize. They had a Victoria’s Secret for about 5 whole days before it became something else, and that’s about as close as we got to having some of the stores here in Grenada that we’re used to in the U.S.
While many people gripe about the lack of access to clothes, electronics, etc., I think it’s been a huge blessing in disguise. I used to spend entire Saturdays going to the mall and Marshalls shopping for “deals” when I lived in the States. That just led me to buy clothes and other products I didn’t need, unlike now where the only piece of clothing I’ve bought in the past few months is a new bathing suit.
So, since I obviously don’t wear bathing suits to work, how have I gotten by without buying too many new work clothes?
1) Stick With the Classics
Well fitting khaki pants and black pants are definitely musts in any work wardrobe. I also have a pair of white linen pants that I’m guessing I’m only allowed to wear since I’m on a Caribbean island (I know, tough life, right?) I’d love to wear trendier pants, colored jeans on Fridays, or whatever other fashion trend bonanza is going on in the States, but the truth is that I really don’t need to. The classics work all the time, for years to come, and trends fade.
2) Have Fun With Accessories
A purse or two, colorful scarves, or a few pieces of costume jewelry can make any outfit more interesting. Even the men can change out a watch or two if they want or wear cool socks. I used to have about 8 million purses, shoes, and tops, but for the past year, I’ve brought the exact same nice leather bag to work every day. Maybe my outfits sound boring to you, but I always jazz them up with inexpensive earrings or something similar. I rarely even change up my shoes too much. I have two pairs of black flats, a pair of neutral flats, and neutral heels. They all go with everything. There’s no need for me to buy shoes at all. I have dozens of them at home in my closet in the States, and I’ll probably purge most of them since they are “single wear,” as in, they only really go with one outfit.
3) Keep It Neutral
As I said, I only have a few pairs of shoes and one big brown leather bag. All of these items are quite neutral, and they go with everything. When you share a tiny closet with someone in a tiny apartment, you have to think creatively about buying work clothes. I think my husband and I have both managed to keep a professional appearance by just having a few classic, well-made pieces that can be mixed and matched. We likely won’t go back to having a ton of different outfits and shirts. This minimalist life in Grenada has changed us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t rock the minimalist wardrobe with the best of them.
Are you a minimalist when it comes to your clothes? I admit; I never thought I’d be one in all my life!
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When I worked at the mortuary, almost all of my clothes were black or grey. It made it very easy to mix and match! I don’t think I was necessarily a minimalist then but I probably am now. You just don’t need a lot of clothes to work from home.
Holly at ClubThrifty I don’t know why but this made me chuckle. I guess it would seem wrong to wear hot pink at the mortuary!
Awesome post, Cat! I really needed this reminder.. lately I’ve been REALLY tempted to go shopping for new clothes, because I felt like I didn’t have a decent professional wardrobe. This has made me rethink what I really need – and is going to be helpful to keep in mind when I do go and pick out one or two new pieces (instead of 10 or 12!)
CSMillennial So glad it helped!! :D
I’m 100% a minimalist with clothing, mostly because I have limited interest in fashion and really can’t stand clothing shopping. It has nothing to do with saving money, just never enjoyed the process.
I’m all about blazers, power suits and anything preppy. I love J. Crew, Banana Republic and Ralph Lauren but can rarely afford to shop there (unless it’s an outlet or at a discount store). I also wear a lot of black, which tends to last a bit longer without showing distress or stains. Mostly, I just try to take care of my clothing (and buy quality) so it lasts awhile and then I don’t have to shop too often!
BrokeMillennial I love the fact that you buy quality and not quantity!
I’m a minimalist. I like to just wear simple pieces and accessorize. Accessories can really make simplest of outfits pop.
MonaSez I totally agree! Love my accessories!
I rock the minimalist wardrobe daily. When you work from home it is easy to get away with sweatpants and a t shirt.
KyleJames1 Hahaha I’m jealous!!
Yes and no. I agree that quality, classic pieces are the way to go, especially with your work wardrobe. Like you said you can spruce it up with a piece of jewelry or scarf. At the same time, I enjoy shopping enough that I have bought more than a bathing suit in the past few months. :) Thankfully, I’ve never been a huge clotheshorse but I definitely like adding a few pieces to my closet every year.
TheHeavyPurse Ha well had I not been in Grenada I’m sure I would have bought way more than just a bathing suit! ;)
I try to be. When I first started working, I purchased a lot of “professional” clothes as I had none. Since then, I haven’t made many clothing purchases. I have 5 pairs of dress pants, 1 pair of black flats, and a decent amount of shirts (mostly white, black or grey). I agree that accessorizing can really add variety. “Trends fade” – too true!
JourneytoSaving I know – I love the colored jeans but I have to ask myself how long mint green will be in style!
I am going shopping today for some high-quality classic pieces to update my work wardrobe. While I don’t particularily like shopping, I know that appearance is much more important than I want it to be. Investing in yourself is important.
BudgetforMore It’s true – I recently read a story about a guy in finance in NYC who bought an expensive suit for an imp interview and it was the FIRST thing they commented on! (like a 10k suit!)
Haha, I have a pretty minimalist wardrobe but not my any masterminded design. I’m simply not interested in clothes, probably to a fault. I could actually probably benefit from upgrading some of my clothes to a slightly more professional look.
Matt @ Mom and Dad Money I imagine that’s how most guys are haha! My hubby just has about 10 different colored button downs. Fancy fancy! ;)
Now that I work from home my work outfits are shorts, t-shirts, and deciding whether to dress up by putting flip flops on or just embrace “barefoot Fridays” all week long. :)
But I agree that dressing the part in the office is generally pretty overblown. You need to meet the minimum threshold for appearance, but beyond that I think the returns diminish pretty quick.
DonebyForty Ha I love it! I’m going to wear yoga pants every day at home!
I like the fact that my workplace is more business casual. I can get away with khakis and a polo for my work clothes. This let’s me consolidate my wardrobe a bit and not have to have a huge selection for work clothes and a separate selection for casual wear. Of course, if I ever have to go to a suit and tie type environment, I may need to do some shopping.
MicrosMissions That is nice! We have a pretty casual work too – Lots of people wear flip flops etc due to our location.
Having good accessories is key for me! You can make an outfit look completely different with a scarf and great earrings. Also, blazers or cardigans can change up the whole outfit as well.
MoneySma1 Totally agree. I think there’s a blog about this where a girl wears the exact same shirt and pants but makes the outfit look totally different w accessories.
I am lucky in that my employer currently lets me wear jeans to work.. I just have 3-4 nice pairs of jeans, and rotate through a handful of shirts, and it works out pretty well! Nice and simple!
seedebtrun That is really nice! I wear jeans about once or twice a week too. :)
I don’t usually buy clothes but I have lots of accessories to match with my outfit. And now luckily that I’m here at home almost 24/7 I don’t have any problems, I’m always on my pajamas and shorts. hahaha!!
Clarisse @ Make Money Your Way Haha that’s the dream!!!
I can wear jeans to work, but I try to wear other things too. I recently bought a couple of corduroy skirts from LL Bean (navy and brown). They are basic, flattering (knee-length) and go with everything in my closet. I’d like to be a little bit more of a minimalist, so I’m picking up simple staples here and there, instead of buying a bunch of cheap stuff I have to replace frequently.
It’s so tempting to always buy clothes when they’re on sale at places like Marshall’s. While I don’t live on an island, not shopping is kind of easy where I am since I don’t use my car much. Thanks for the tips!