Hi! I'm nineteen right now, and looking for a summer job. I applied as a receptionist at a couple places, so I'd like to have a few items on hand if I get the job. If I don't, I can always wear them if I get into Co-Op next winter (fingers crossed!). Since I'm pretty tiny, I figure it's a good idea to start shopping now - It took over a year to find my prom dress!

I'm four ft eleven, about 91lbs though this is sort of low for me - Since it's summer, I've been sleeping a ton, and hence, not eating. My "normal" weight tends to be closer to 97lbs. My measurements are bust - 28", waist - 25" and hips - 30", and I wear a size 4 in shoes.

Most items I try on tend to be pretty big. I'm in need of some dress pants, and dress shirts - the one dress shirt I own is a too-small one from a kids store. I find pencil skirts much easier to find than pants, but I don't suppose I can live in skirts all year, especially if I do Co-Op in my Canadian winter!

My current "work wardrobe" consists of one too-small white dress shirt, one pair of black dress pants, a couple of collared vests, one H&M blazer and a grey pencil skirt.

In short:
1) What are your must-have work wardrobe items?
2) Where is a good place to get clothes on a student's budget? I am Canadian, which means no Ann Taylor or LOFT, but we do have Banana Republic.
3) Any tips for building up a work wardrobe?
4) I also applied for a job in a couple retail stores, including a store which specializes in clothes for tween girls. What is acceptable to wear to these interviews - especially the tween store one? Although I still shop there, I don't want to be mistaken for a customer while working!

As a bit of an aside: I'm used to fast-fashion. I walked into BR today and was in for a bit of a culture shock! The prices were a lot higher than I'm used to, but everything felt so nice! I can see how it makes sense to spend that kind of money on an item that will last, though I'm not ready to do so quite yet on my budget, unless it really really fits well.

Thanks for all your help! <3

Hi LaLaaLove! I think BR is a great place to get petite work clothes. What about getting a job at BR so you can get discounts?

In terms of what to start out with - you should invest in a nice professional interview outfit. A black blazer (which you can mix and match with other pieces), nice shell shirt or blouse, and a matching black skirt or pants. And of course a pair of nice black pumps/flats.

Hope that helps!

Hi Lalaalove-

Congrats on starting out in the workforce! I agree that it's always nice to have a nice black or gray interview suit, but I think you are quite young and there's no need to truly "invest" in items like that yet. When I was ages 17-21 my suits and work clothes were all from H&M, and there is nothing wrong with that! It fits, it's affordable, and it is work-appropriate.

1. My must have items are black "suiting material" skirts and black slim pants. I don't do button-ups unless they are ruffly or silk.

2. H&M...lol. I have black suiting skirts from there that I've been wearing for years. Stay away from the really polyester pieces that look like they will wrinkle up or pill after 1 wear. BR is a good option when they have huge sales. I'm no longer a fan of BR (and sadly don't wear most of the stuff I bought from there previously). The 00P frequently does not fit right on me. Since you are so tiny, I doubt you'd be able to wear BR without costly alterations!

3. Pick up a few basic skirts in different colors, and wear with conservative cardigans and pretty tanks. That is my most basic go-to work outfit for business casual. Btw, I wear skirts all year round! In the cold winters, a pair of thicker tights will do the trick.

4. For tween apparel retail, I think you should feel free to wear something that reflects what that store sells. I don't think it's an issue to look like the clientele - after all, that's what stores go for. I worked at a retail store as a teen and we were pretty much required to wear stuff that was representative of the target demographic.

Good luck!

I agree with H&M. You can pick up some professional looking stuff for pretty cheap, and then invest in higher quality items later.

BR is great when they have sales. Suiting is usually too big on me from BR, but their regular cotton/spandex/rayon tops can work really well, sometimes in size XSP too. BR will ship to Canada soon, and then you can get the XXSP!

Cardigans will be your best friend! So much easier to find that nice fitting jackets, and you can mix and match them with trendier tops and tanks, and they look great with skirts, dress pants, whatever. I wear a different cardigan/top combination almost every day. American Eagle should be good for a few sweaters and cardigans. That's where almost all of mine when I was your age came from.

I'm actually currently in the second stage of the 'professional appareal' process and get some nice items of good quality into my wardrobe. When i started working right after college (and therefor broke) a year agoI bought a few shirts at H&M just to get me through the first few months of work, but honestly I suggest that you not go overboard at H&M because the items just won't last, and you are better off saving up for better clothes later.

I've given up on suiting all together. I'm of the opinion that i look terrible in suit jackets and I'm too pale to wear black anyways. Whenever i put on a suit i just feel like a middle schooler playing dress up for some reason. For interviews I invested in a nice 00p white shirt from BR and their gray petite sleek skirt-both of which I used 40% coupons on plus the new 'student discount' BR has so the price was actually pretty cheap fit me really well. I also splurged on some Via Spriga gray pumps that were 1/2 off at Nordies.


I can tell you that the things I've been buying recently after a year in an office are the following
1) Nice Black Pumps-even if you have to spend alot, do it-they will save your life over and over again. I'm actually holding out hoping that some shoes will go on sale for the Norstrom Semi-Annual next week, but if they don't, I'll spend what I must on my size 4 shoes.
2) Brown wedges or flats-since black pumps are a must, I'd also recommend a comfier but still dressy brown shoe (especially since summer is upon us), especially if you aren't a high heel person.
3) Cardigans-seriously, i've found that i can never get enough different colors or varieties of these. If you are looking only basic though, Def. get a white one, a black one, and one of whatever color you like to brighten up any outfit that is mostly neutral otherwise. I don't know if you get Martin and Osa (which is sadly closing soon anyways) but I have several longer cari's from there that I love and have really lasted.
4) Everyone always stresses to get black pants and skirts, and I agree, but I also recommend gray dress pants and/or skirts. Black gets a little harsh in the summer (and for me kind of all year round), gray is lighter also matches everything. I also find that it helps balance my body better since us petite girls don't want to disappear further from blacks slimming effects
5) Nice Solid Colored Tee's and neutral undershirts/tanks- I'm still working on putting together a collection of nice shirts like AN, but right now my office is pretty casual, so I can get away with a solid colored cotton V-neck tee and tank combo with my dress pants and cardigan. I think 3/4 sleeves look the most professional for this. Obviously this isn't ideal, but it works when you are on a budget and nothing fits!
6) a good sized 'work' bag. Perhaps this is just me because i'm in school as well and attend meetings across town, but right now i'm in the market for a nice 'big' work bag that can fit everything i need for the day (lunch, sweaters, notebooks etc). The trick is to find a 'big' bag that isn't so big that it looks silly for a petite person.
7) Fun skirts-I'm really girly, so i love knee length simple skirts. Plus the best part of these is that skirts are just easier then pants. Go with what you like-solids, patterns, whatever-these also pair easily with a simple Tee and/or cardi and skirts really come in every price range. I've got some out of the Child Dept (don't judge), and every store from Old Navy to Macy's. There is actually one at HM I've been eyeing as well.

Thanks everyone! <3 I've been spending a lot of time at H&M lately =) It's where I got my one blazer. I've been looking at button-ups though, but I think I'll switch my focus to cardigans - I don't think I have any! I, also, feel like I'm playing dress-up in a suit It's pretty hard to find a small size at H&M I find though - I live just north of Toronto, and in my community, my size isn't terribly unusual - I can easily list several women my age or older who are smaller than me. That brings a little competition for small sizes, but it also means we have Aritzia, which carries down to a size XXS in store =)

I'm actually pretty surprised that the cardi's from AE fit you AN. I don't know if it's vanity sizing or whatever, but everything in AE is really big on me - Even the one XXS sweater I got online. They've started carrying size 00 in stores, but even those are big.

@Nila:
No shame in shopping in the childrens department I actually still shop at the tween store I applied at - I got this super cute sailor-inspired dress for just $20. I got a large Lacoste bag a couple years ago, so I'm set in that regard

Starting out, it's best to find pieces to mix and match so you can look different every time, but with a minimal wardrobe. Suits are appropriate for more conservative, business environments. Most other places are totally fine with regular business casual attire for interviews, though it's best to check with the company beforehand.

Do what works for you and it doesn't all have to be expensive. My black pumps are from Payless (for less than $15) and I have yet to find a pair that looks as good on me at more expensive stores. So really, quality is important but so is fit and style.

Cardigans are a must, which I've found at Martin + Osa (yes they're closing by the end of summer, but it's cheaper because of all the sales!) Abercrombie and Fitch/abercrombie kids/Hollister is good for smaller sized cardigans and sweaters. Then find simple tanks, camis, and blouses to go underneath. Forever 21 & H&M have some office appropriate apparel, but just be more mindful of the material and construction. Polos work well when paired with chinos or khakis for a more casual look. There's also children's departments like GapKids that have more mature-looking items in smaller sizes without looking exactly like a child.

If you want to wear blazers, there are plenty of cheaper versions and rolling up the sleeves helps elongate your frame if it looks too "old" for you. Aritzia isn't as common in the US than Canada, but I know they have plenty of items that are work appropriate. I had a cardigan in XXS and it was a bit small so I ended up stretching it. I don't usually wear the standard button down shirts because I think they look funny on me, but I do wear ones with some style or visual interest to them. Like a tuxedo style, a loose blouse, or wrap top.

Best of luck!

I started my business at a really young age and had to "LOOK" much older. My first suits were actually from Bebe! It's quite expensive retail but if you get lucky and find the sale racks- you can get really good starter blazers and work skirts.

I agree with the other ladies- H & M is a great place to start w/out breaking the bank

Regarding interviews: Unless you are interviewing in a really formal environment, you do not need a suit. A good rule is to wear something that's a little nicer than the typical dress code for the company. I can see that you might wish to purchase a couple of "suiting separates" if you think you would wear them to work or out on the town after the interview. Otherwise it's quite an expensive purchase for single-use items! Whatever you choose to wear, you should make sure it's clean, tidy looking, and not overly revealing.

I would avoid investing too heavily in clothing until you know exactly what you will be doing at the job. For example, if you are spending much of your day reaching across countertops, rearranging merchandise on high shelving, and walking to and from the fitting room, you would not want to be wearing a too-small blouse or a constricting pencil skirt. But if you are sitting answering phones or working on your computer most of the day, that outfit might be just fine. While you are at the interview, make a note of what the other employees are wearing to see what is considered acceptable.

Footwear is a tough one. I like to wear 3 inch heels at work because it makes it so much easier to reach stuff I need at work. I work in an engineering lab and am frequently having to take heavy modules from upper shelves, and get supplies from bins which are sometimes mounted high on the walls. I really can't ask for everything to be rearranged as I do have to share the lab space and facilities with men who are often much taller than me. Although I am on my feet much of the day, I find the convenience of the heels outweighs any discomfort. If you do wear heels like this, make sure they are very stable and not too fragile. I would not recommend heels to anyone who spends a lot of time walking up and down stairs (which I can personally attest to after spending years working in a lab on the 4th floor of a building with the world's slowest elevator). If you much prefer flats, there are some great sandals out there for this summer!

Height: 5 ft 3 inches Weight: 100 lbs 31-24-33 Shoe size 7.5

I enjoyed reading all the posts. I realized that there's always more to know. Very great thread for reference.

My piece of advice is that when you're shopping on a budget it is best to stick to neutrals, such as black, brown, gray, and khaki. These colors transcend trends, and even if they're purchased inexpensively, they tend to look as if they're of higher quality than do other bright or light colors.