How do I look ready for work when money is tight?

Two pages in this library are about what it costs to look the part. Start the new job with five pieces that mix is the clothes for the first weeks. Cut the simple haircut at home first is the small bill that comes back every few weeks.

Start with two bottoms and three tops in plain colours that all go together, and add more after your first week shows you what people at work wear. Start the new job with five pieces that mix carries many people who suggest a small set of plain pieces that all go with each other, rather than a lot of cheap pieces that each work in one outfit, and that two bottoms and three tops gives six pairings before you add anything on top. One person adds a blazer or cardigan to go over any of them. The worry is repeating yourself: one person says coworkers do not pay attention to what others wear unless it is dirty or inappropriate, and some people say a shirt twice in a week is acceptable, though how far that holds depends on the office and how visible you are in it. Before you buy more, ask the person who hired you what people wear on a normal day: one person warns not to overspend until you know the feel of the office, since some are very casual, and “business casual” is read two ways, slacks, button-up shirts and jackets with jeans only on set days, or dark jeans with a nice top. Then set aside what you already own that fits and looks neat, and ask family, friends or a neighbourhood giveaway group for the one or two things you are missing, giving your sizes.

Where the clothes can come from, cheapest first. Some people name neighbourhood giveaway groups and local charities, churches among them, as sources of free or nearly free work clothes, and some name charities that dress job seekers for free, with the note that whether you can reach one depends on where you live. One is on the card below: Dress for Success gives women free professional clothes for interviews and jobs, along with coaching to help you get and keep work, and you are usually connected through a referral or a local office. Many people name thrift stores as where they found work clothes, if they were willing to search. It does not suit everyone: some people say big thrift chains now price some things close to a regular store, while others still find clothes for a few dollars, and they say prices differ by store and area; shirts are the easier find, some people say, while trousers are harder if your waist or leg length is uncommon. Some people say off-price stores give better value on new work clothes than department stores at full price or the fast-fashion chains, and that department-store clearance sales and rewards programmes bring new clothes close to thrift prices. Some people name resale apps for bundles, and one person warns that shipping makes single items poor value, so buy bundles, and that an order may not come in time for a Monday start, so on a short deadline the page puts the sources you can reach in person first. Some people say a cheaper piece that fits looks more professional than an expensive piece that does not, and some people warn that sizes differ between brands and stores, so measure the garment against one that fits. Some people say to skip anything dry-clean only, because the cleaning adds a cost. Shoes are where one person says not to skimp, because cheap dress shoes wear out and hurt, and another says to break new shoes in before the first day. Some people raise bed bugs as a risk of second-hand clothes and online orders. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency says a household dryer on high heat for 30 minutes kills bed bugs and their eggs, and that washing alone might not do the job. Some people say to dry the clothes before washing them, because wet cloth does not get hot enough in the dryer; the EPA page does not address the order, so the 30 minutes of high heat is the part to hold on to. Items that cannot go in a dryer are harder, and the page does not cover them. On tax, in the United States, probably not for ordinary office clothes: one person pointed out that sweaters and khakis are not deductible because you can wear them off duty, and another says an accountant never confirmed that work clothes were deductible and that the standard deduction usually wins anyway. The IRS’s own guide to these deductions, Publication 529, says most employees can no longer claim unreimbursed work expenses at all, with narrow exceptions. Rules change between tax years, so check the IRS site for yours.

If your haircut is short and simple, you can cut it yourself with clippers on one guard setting, and get a second person or a second mirror for the back. Cut the simple haircut at home first carries many people who say home clippers work for short styles and buzz cuts, and that they pay for themselves quickly; one person says a single guard number all over makes it much easier and leaves less room for mistakes. On the clippers people differ, one saying cheap ones are fine for plain cuts and keep the upfront cost low, and another that a mid-range pair lasts longer, cuts better and earns back its price, and what decides it, they said, is how often you use them. The back is the part people give up on, because it is hard to see and cut evenly. Some people say that a spouse, partner or family member doing it takes the money out of the job entirely, though one person warns that results vary with the helper’s skill and willingness. On your own, some people suggest two mirrors, and one person says cutting the back alone is almost impossible without help or a special tool. Longer, thicker or layered hair is harder, and the people who have done it disagree about how hard; one person says a professional’s years of experience cannot easily be copied at home, especially for layers or a taper. Cheaper than the salon without doing it yourself: some people say a cosmetology or barber school is much cheaper than a salon and often gives an acceptable cut because an instructor supervises, while others warn that school cuts can be poor and the wait for an appointment long; one person says local barbers charge much less than salons if you look for the right kind of shop. Some people say a style that grows out well needs fewer cuts, so the yearly total falls even if each cut costs the same. People who have tried both disagree about whether a home cut is worth it, and what decides it, they said, is how complicated the style is, how practised you are, and how much the finishing touches matter to you compared with the savings. Some people say the risk is acceptable set against the cost, and that even a bad self-cut recovers quickly; one person’s blunt version is that if you are starting out you should be ready to shave everything off and wait for it to grow back.

Who these pages are not for. If your employer gives you a uniform or pays for work clothes, most of the clothes page may not apply to you, and if the office is relaxed, one person warns against spending before you know it, and five plain pieces may be more than you need. If your size is at the edges of the usual range, a thrift store may cost you more in hours than it saves; some people suggest off-price stores or asking people you know instead. If you will be in front of wealthy clients or giving presentations, one person says knowledgeable observers can tell thrift-store clothes even when they fit well, and suggests keeping them for everyday work. The haircut page says that if you work in a formal or client-facing job, or your cut has layers or a taper, you should read its section on that before you pick up the clippers; one person says a professional haircut is an investment in a formal or client-facing job, because an uneven one can change how you are seen, and that a cut with layers or a taper may be unsuitable for doing at home. If you could not stand to walk around with an uneven cut while you learn, home cutting is not for you yet; if you have tried it and given up, that is allowed, and one person says it is hard, messy and slow, and that some people give up and prefer to pay for the convenience and the result. The clothes page is written about the United States, and its tax rule and its charity are American; elsewhere, check your own country’s. It does not cover how to split a small budget across items and shoes, and neither page says what clothes or a haircut cost where you live.