We’ve all been there — seeing the cutest piece of clothing only to remember it’s not cute to our bank account. One of my optometry school baes recently posed this question:

“Any recommendations for finding multifunctional clothes for clinic and after clinic on a student salary”

Ohhhhh yes, I have tons of recommendations! I spent most of my adult life in school so I know budgetary constraints intimately. As I’ve gotten older + more established, my income has increased but my student sensibilities remain. I’m always looking for stylish yet functional pieces. I need my clothes to transition seamlessly from day-to-night because I often go from work to dinner/drinks with no time to change.

30 year old me teamed up with my favs over at Nine to Five Refined to hand-select this dress — THE DANIELLE! It’s the perfect balance of chic, cozy, and professional. It checks all my major boxes and the high neckline looks great on everyone. In a breathable + comfortable fabric, it’s the ultimate statement piece for summer! (As a gift to you — Save 20% with promo code “FIERCE20” through 7/31)!

But early to mid-20s Danielle had to make it work with a lot less lol. Below — I’m going to share my top shopping tips for stylish, multi-functional clothes on a student (or any) budget.

Tips for Stylish Workwear on a Budget

  1.  Find things on sale or at an outlet because you can get better quality for a good price. The trick is to buy cute things you would wear outside of the clinic because you’re more likely to keep it longer.
  2. I used to shop a lot of TJ Maxx, ASOS, Zara, Topshop, Banana Republic, Gap, J Crew, H&M, and Calvin Klein outlet as a student. I never had the patience for true thrifting but vintage + resell stores like Buffalo Exchange are good options too!
  3. Pants + dresses from H&M bc they always had workwear on sale (sometimes Forever too). J Crew/Gap/Banana have the best quality for the sale price. And TJ Maxx + Zara + ASOS are going to require more digging but can net gems. I STILL have really cute + cool Zara work pants from 2015 (#sustainability) lolol.
  4. For shoes look at ASOS, Gap, J Crew, DSW, and department stores when they’re having good sales! Spend more on shoes (or find better ones second hand) because poor quality shoes won’t last long and can ruin your feet. S
  5. Learn the sales cycle ie think Holidays! There will always be sales around major holidays to get consumers to spend $$. Purchase end of season items during these sales — buy coats right after Christmas from department stores + buy swimwear/summer footwear during the Labor Day sales. Nordstrom has a killer annual anniversary sale in the summer and the other department stores follow suit around the same time!
  6. ALSO URBAN OUTFITTERS + AMERICAN APPAREL! Especially for random basics + going out clothes!
  7.  Always buy the best you can afford because it will last longer (and save you money in the long run).

Fashion is a form of self-expression and you don’t have to have on the latest + greatest to feel confident. All you need is time, patience, and a little luck to make student shopping a breeze. PS — online shopping is the best bc it lets you filter for your size/price point so it saves time! Enjoy these pics of my work style over the years and Happy Shopping!

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