Second-hand workwear: how to build office outfits for less

Work out your dress code

Workplaces vary a lot. Before you buy, think about what people around you actually wear.

• Formal or business: suits, tailored dresses, shirts and smart shoes.
• Business casual: tailored trousers or skirts with a shirt, blouse or knit, and a blazer when needed.
• Smart casual: smart jeans or chinos, neat knitwear, and a jacket for meetings.
• Hybrid: fewer, more versatile pieces that work at home and in the office.

The core pieces

Blazers and jackets

A well-fitting blazer is the single most useful piece. It smartens a plain top, a knit or a dress. Navy, black, grey and camel are the easiest to mix. Our guide to wearing one blazer five ways shows how far one can go.

Trousers and skirts

Tailored trousers in a dark neutral, and perhaps a pencil or A-line skirt, form the base of most outfits. Look for natural fibres or good blends that hold a crease and do not shine.

Shirts, blouses and fine knits

These are the pieces you will wear most, so they are worth having several. Plain shirts, simple blouses and fine-knit jumpers in merino or cotton all layer well under a blazer.

Dresses

A plain, well-cut dress is a whole outfit in one, and works with a blazer or a cardigan.

Shoes and bags

Comfortable smart shoes matter more than anything else on a long day. Loafers, low heels, smart flats and leather trainers suit many offices. A structured bag big enough for a laptop is worth looking for too.

Pick a palette

Choose two or three neutrals, such as navy, grey and black, or camel and cream, and add one or two accent colours you like. When every piece goes with every other, a small wardrobe makes many outfits. Our guide to building a capsule wardrobe second-hand explains the method in detail.

What to check on second-hand workwear

Tailoring

• Shoulders should sit at your shoulder edge, since they are difficult to alter.
• Sleeves should end around the wrist bone. These are easier to shorten.
• Shine on the seat, elbows and lapels from wear or hot ironing.
• Seams and lining, for tears, especially at the armholes. Our guide to checking seams and linings shows what to look for.
• Buttons, for missing or loose ones.

Shirts and blouses

• Collars and cuffs, for fraying and marks.
• Underarms, for yellowing. Our guide to removing deodorant marks explains what can be fixed.
• Buttons, all present and firm.

Knitwear

• Pilling under the arms and on the sides.
• Holes, held up to the light.
• Stretched cuffs and hems.

Trousers and skirts

• The seat and inner thighs, for thinning and shine.
• Hems, for dropped stitches.
• Zips and waistband fastenings.

Get the fit right

Tailoring that fits looks far smarter than tailoring that does not, whatever it cost. Ask for measurements in cm before you buy: chest, shoulders, sleeve and length for jackets, and waist, hip, rise and inside leg for trousers. On Rewear, tap Message the seller on the listing if they are missing, since measurements are optional. Our guide to measuring clothes shows which ones matter.

Small alterations, such as shortening sleeves or taking up trousers, can make a second-hand piece look made for you.

A week from a handful of pieces

With two blazers, three bottoms, five tops and a dress, you can make a different outfit every day:

• Monday: blazer, shirt, tailored trousers.
• Tuesday: fine knit, skirt, smart flats.
• Wednesday: dress and blazer.
• Thursday: second blazer, blouse, the same trousers in a different combination.
• Friday: knit over a shirt, smart jeans if your workplace allows.

Swap the tops and accessories, and the same core pieces work for weeks.

Selling workwear you no longer need

If you change jobs or dress codes, sell the pieces you will not wear. Clean them, press or steam them, and photograph them on a hanger in daylight, including the label and lining. Add the measurements in cm, since fit is what buyers ask about most.

The short version

Choose a few colours, start with a blazer, tailored trousers or a skirt, and a handful of tops, and add pieces one at a time. Check shoulders, shine, seams and underarms, ask for measurements, and use small alterations to get a perfect fit.