Last week I had an e-mail from sofeminine, inviting me to put together the best bargain outfit that I could come up with under £50 (and they’d foot the bill). The timing of this was fantastic, as I’ve been starting to ponder how to get a decent workwear wardrobe on a budget. I’m lucky because my job is pretty lax when it comes to what we wear, and at first my standard dresses etc seemed to fit in just fine; but now I’m working there more, and I’m more involved in “front of house” I wanted to invest in some more classic “worky” clothes…but didn’t want to spend a fortune.

My outfit came via Topshop. Somewhere I can only ever afford to shop during the sales. The trousers were £20, reduced from £45 and are the perfect fit and length on me. I’m not a trousers girl, except for work, and I am loathe to spend a lot of money on them, especially as they so rarely fit right…but these do…and although not a traditional colour, they are smart, comfortable and (for once) a quality that will last.

The top, I bought in three colours; a paler blue and a white as well. These were an absolute bargain at £5 each down from £15. It gets hot and work, so loose cotton is an instant winner and that that kind of price, I’m not going to say no!

I would have been able to get some flat, sensible shoes within the budget too, but I opted not to purely because I have NOwhere at all left to store new shoes!

My outfit, as well as the other bloggers who took part will be showcased here, so you’ll be able to pick up all our hints and tips for shopping on a budget.

What are your top budget shopping tips?
Mine would be..

-Shop the sales.

-Look for pieces that are good quality, and won’t date.

-If you see basics at a good price, buy in bulk!

-Don’t buy anything you only like because it’s cheap; it’s a false economy!

xxx