As a young professional just starting out and looking to build a successful career, you need to present an image that speaks to where you want to be. Fact is, what you wear matters a lot.
Related: Wardrobe Essentials For Young Professionals (Female Edition)
Related: Wardrobe Essentials For Young Professionals (Male Edition)
Sadly, you’re not going to wake up on your first day and magically have a collection of work appropriate designer clothes waiting in your closet.
Building a professional wardrobe on a budget can be challenging but with the right strategy, very possible.
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Create a Budget
You really shouldn’t think of walking into a store or shopping online without an idea of how much money you are able to spend. A proper clothing budget will help you make smart choices.
Use between 10 – 15% of your monthly income as a guide, this should serve as the maximum you should spend on your wardrobe in a month. For instance, if your take home is N150,000 per month, your wardrobe budget would be between N15,000 – N22,500.
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Be Patient
Once you’ve created a monthly budget, you’ll quickly realise that your dream wardrobe will not happen in a month. You need to curb your excitement and grow your wardrobe over time.
Another benefit of following a budget is that you’ll need to wait to buy things you would have gotten immediately otherwise. This waiting period allows you to carefully consider if you actually want/need it or it was just an impulse purchase.
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Invest in Versatile Pieces
You’re on a budget and hence don’t have the money to buy ultra unique designer pieces. You need clothing in your new wardrobe to be adaptable to various ensembles and occasions. This allows you multiple wears and to mix and match with other items.
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Find The Right Store(s)
Say you’re working with a budget that allows less than N25,000 per month on clothing, it’s safe to say you won’t be shopping at high fashion stores. Learn to get the most out of your budget by being a bit more strategic about where you go shopping.
The sales section at ASOS is the dream spot for millennials in Nigeria, especially because they’ll deliver free of charge when you spend up to N12,000 and you can be sure of the quality of your items.
While the idea of buying used or second-hand clothing may be a bit scary, there are a number of online retailers in Nigeria who sell quality gently used clothing.
See ThriftstoreNG, Shop Nandra, Tele Lagos
Also, buying Nigeria isn’t just a cute slogan anymore. There are a number of affordable ready to wear brands coming up every day.
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Keep Your Investment Safe
Building your wardrobe doesn’t end at purchase. You also need to maintain your clothing so it lasts a long time. This means properly removing stains, preventing moths, storing your clothing properly and getting them dry-cleaned when required.