Shopping for a new and modest wardrobe

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So…Hubby and I filed our taxes and we are getting some money back.

We’re going to use some of it to buy new clothes the two of us desperately need.

Between becoming a SAHM and my husband being out of work…we’ve been doing a whole ton of penny pinching and I haven’t been able to buy new clothes since before I became pregnant.

Much of my wardrobe either doesn’t fit or is much too “young” or somewhat immodest for me to wear since I’ve converted to Catholicism.

Essentially, I’ve been wearing the same white button down and jeans to Sunday Mass for some time.

I need some advice as to wear to shop…or at least where to find some ideas.

Some stats:

I’m 29 and a mom
I’m a healthy shape…around a size 10.
I’m not exactly a “fashionista” by any means…very much a tee and jeans with flats kinda girl…but I wear skirts on occasion.
I’m not looking for work cloths…just good clothes I can mix and match and be able to wear to Church, date night with hubby and errands.
I’m open to physically going to a store and online shopping.

Thanks!
 
This is my favorite source. Check out the sale and outlet link on their homepage for really good deals.

jjill.com/jjillonline/index.aspx

Of course when I checked the “see what’s new” section, a model wearing a crisp, white button down shirt, jeans, and ballet flats popped up! Maybe that’s a sign you’ll be comfortable with all the other options they have for sale.
 
I like the worthington line at JCP. You can get nice dress pants and skirts with appropriate tops for a low price. The styles are usually classic so they don’t go ‘out of style’ and the sizing for us curvy girls is really great! I found my size (size 6 short in pants and size 6 or 8 in skirt) and can go through EBATES and purchase.
 
Hi there! I hope it’s okay if I answer…I’m new here. I’m in the US, so that will skew things a bit!

I’m not Catholic yet, but I’ve been a modest dresser my whole life. I’m not a fashionista, but I do get compliments from time to time. 🙂

I love lands end for basic pieces. They have good quality stuff and when it’s on sale you can get it at a fraction of the price. I never buy anything unless it’s at least 40% off, generally more.

JJill is another that has some great pieces that are modest, comfortable and fairly nice looking. Again, I shop sales and stick to basics that can be mixed and matched.

In addition to being a modest dresser, I’m also into voluntary simplicity so I don’t have a ton of clothing. Most everything I have can be swapped around to create new looks. I tend to stick with a few long sleeve shirts, a few short sleeved shirts and some comfortable long pants. In addition to that I have 2 long dresses that are fairly casual, and 2 skirts-dressy casual. I have a pair of leggings that go under dresses and skirts in cold weather, long cardigans and sweaters and scarves. I have cardigans for summer and winter so I can wear the same dress with a light cardi in the summer and heavier one in the winter. The cardigans are also worn over t shirts and pants. Scarves dress things up and change the look nicely.

Just wanted to give you an idea of how a little can go a long way. I also prefer buying well made garments on sale than cheaper ones at full price. They tend to last longer and look better after repeated laundering.
 
You may have to dig around the racks a little, but I have found that stores like Kohl’s, Target, and Ross have some great finds that are flattering but not revealing. I use camisoles and layering to help make tops with lower necklines, etc. more modest (I didn’t use to, but it was a cheap/easy way to update less modest tops that I already owned, plus layering makes a lot of tops nursing friendly!)

I don’t wear jeans to Mass or to work, but I love them for the rest of the time. Target was doing a thing (I don’t know if they are still) where you picked the rise and leg on the jean in addition to the size and length, so it wasn’t all just based on the fashion of the moment (which seems to be lower and lower “rises”). I bought several pairs of jeans this way in a few different denim “shades” and they are holding up well, in addition to being flattering without being “showy,” KWIM?

Old Navy can also be a surprising store for good finds. Their regular retail prices are what I would consider a reach for our family, but their sales are very, very good.
 
Right now I am lovin my long skirts from kolhs. I have some basic colors, black and grey (and I can wear them throughout a pregnancy because I wear them under my belly on my hips). I like A-line skirts that go either just below the knee or ankle/floor length, to preserve modesty (a nice pair of boots would go with either. 😉
I have not seen the skirts that I purchased online for a while. They were croft and barrow from kohls. They might still sell them in stores or they might have changed their line enough that they don’t carry them yet.
One of my standard wardrobe pieces (until I had kids and my chest area got very large) was a button down blouse. I wore them with pants, skirts, buttoned, open with a tank top underneath, in all sorts of colors.?They can be dressed up or down.

I also find fall (or fall into winter) a better time to shop for clothes because styles are modesty is better as they are worried about cold weather. Summer styles tend to get shorter and flimsier/thinner. You might however be able to find some nice clearance items if you go and shop the stores. I don’t shop enough so I don’t find the nice items on sale. But if you have the time and patience, go browse some stores (department or your favorite mall stores) ever few weeks t check for sales, clearance or that perfect piece you have been looking for.

l I like NY&Co for some classic pieces like a blouse, skirt or dress pants. (I found a nice argyle sweater vest there). Otherwise most of my shopping happens at department stores like kolhsm JCP, Macy’s etc.
 
I get lots of my clothes at St Vincent’s. With a little effort on my part, I can get great stuff at a very low price. Even though I am very picky (no pilled clothes, no stains), I have lots of luck there. I work fulltime at a casual office, so I find perfectly nice jeans and sweaters for under $10 a piece and blouses for under $6-7 most of the time. I don’t like dresses, but I have found some lovely skirts there as well. Sometimes, I find new stuff! Failing St Vinny’s, I also shop at a second hand store that benefits a hospice care organization. They are very picky about the quality they accept (I saw the St Vinny’s truck at their back door one day, taking what they didn’t want.), so I pay a little more that at St Vinny’s, but not much. I consider myself a modest dresser, and have no trouble finding things at either store that I can wear w/o worry, all at a fraction of new - and I am helping out good causes at the same time.
 
Here are my fashion “tricks”:

First, the fashion industry changes fashion colors every year so that last year’s wardrobe does not match this year’s and so on: You are forced to buy new if you don’t pay careful attention. So carry a little color palette or photo of YOUR colors and stick with them and whatever looks good with them. Forget the trendy thing that doesn’t match anything you own.

Also, if you buy print shirts/tops AND print pants/skirts, you’ll have a tough time creating ensembles. So indulge one or the other, but not both. Solids are always best; you can add printed tops and/or accesories later.

Next, buy neutrals: If you look good in black, white and dark/ light greys; or navys and denims; or browns and beiges; then buy your coats, jackets, pantsuits, shoes, purses, etc in those combos; then find the colors that look good with them. Example: I like blacks, whites, greys, so I buy skirts, dresses, slacks, and tops in “jewel tones”:reds (deep scarlet), greens, pinks, lavenders, blues, which all look good with the black/white/grey thing. If I did the navy/denims idea, I could use most of the aforementioned colors and add some spring summer colors: yellows, golds, bright pinks, brighter greens; if I go to brown/tan/beige I can add autumn colors: oranges, apricots, yellows, chartreuse, coral, olive greens…

I put my best money into comfortable new shoes (which I try to make sure they look good with both skirts&dresses as well as pants) and a good blazer, and coat. Thrift stores, flea markets, rummage sales are good places for inexpensive tops, socks, accessories (Wash them in vinegar and detergent when you get them home or spray with vinegar/water solution and dry in the sun).

I also like to find family and friends who are crafty and pay them something nice to crochet, knit, or sew me something special, tailored to me. THAT is my big splurge and a boost to local economy. You can also pay them a little to tailor something secondhand and make it fit you perfectly.

Have fun. You actually sound like you have a sort of style. You can stretch or add to it but don’t scare yourself and stretch too far unless you absolutely love the change.
 
Thank-you ladies.

I have a couple of very nice pieces…namely my skirts…that I’m keeping and I’m going to try to pair nice shirts with them.
I have a very pretty maxi skirt I got in southern France on my honeymoon. It’s white and it’s a summer skirt.
My skirts are all below the knee and flowy and look nice with dressy sandals.

Other then that I’m starting from scratch for the most part (I have to take a good hard look in my closet and clean out most of it).

I never thought of JJill or even Target (I heart Target and my daughter owns lots of cute stuff from there).
 
I really like Boden (www.bodenusa.com). Their regular price stuff is pricy, but you can always find a 20% free shipping/free returns coupon code online. I shop from their sale section and use the coupon code for free shipping. Their stuff is top quality, the way clothes used to be made with thicker fabrics, reinforced seams, and plenty of fabric that hold their shape for years. It’s a good place to shop if you hate store shopping (me), and want clothes that will last more than a few seasons.
 
marykate2 said:
I really like Boden (www.bodenusa.com). Their regular price stuff is pricy, but you can always find a 20% free shipping/free returns coupon code online. I shop from their sale section and use the coupon code for free shipping. Their stuff is top quality, the way clothes used to be made with thicker fabrics, reinforced seams, and plenty of fabric that hold their shape for years. It’s a good place to shop if you hate store shopping (me), and want clothes that will last more than a few seasons.
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YES! I love Boden too!
 
elizabeth_grace said:
YES! I love Boden too!
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I just checked out the website and was initially taken aback with sticker shock.

Then I clicked on the clearance section…and there are some really good deals.

Those dresses are really pretty and I saw a few that were less then $40.
That’s awesome!
 
Boden is my go–to place for dresses because I am tall and slim, and they are one of the few places that sell tall dresses. Yes, I bought some of those $40 dresses; they are really flattering. And they are very true to size.

www.retailmenot.com has coupon codes for every website imaginable. I usually go there for a Boden free shipping coupon.
 
Don’t forget Landsend and L.L. Bean. Timeless styles, good quality and reasonable prices. Mail order is very convenient. These places are fast, and have good return polices.

Happy shopping!
 
Marysann said:
Don’t forget Landsend and L.L. Bean. Timeless styles, good quality and reasonable prices. Mail order is very convenient. These places are fast, and have good return polices.

Happy shopping!
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I love LL Bean…though I haven’t shopped there in awhile.
We don’t have LL Bean stores as far south as I live but my husband and I used to make weekend trips up to Maine and New Hampshire at least once a year. That was before he became unemployed and we had our baby.

I’d go outlet shopping and go to the LL Bean stores. I really need to start looking at their mail order stuff again.
My mom still gets the catalogs and has been buying my daughter some stuff from them. She got her a fantastic snow suit that should last past 18 months.

LL Bean quality is outstanding.
 
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