Advances in fashion design over the years have made work wardrobes easier to afford and maintain. Many of today’s pieces are multi-functional and can be cleaned at home. Years ago, pieces were made to be paired and rarely went with anything else. Most items were dry clean only or had to be ironed prior to wear. Thankfully the essentials can now be purchased at a reasonable price as well. With tight budgets abounding, the more wear you can get out of a single piece, the better.

When shopping for work wear, be sure to look for hand washable, no iron suit sets. You will usually find these as a 4 piece solid color set consisting of pants, a skirt, a jacket and a vest. Purchase one in black—always a classic—and another in either navy or brown since both work well with other colors. Try to buy different skirt or pant styles with each set so you have some variation. Button down or fitted tops will wear easy with these suits. Sweaters will also work well with both the skirts and the pants.

Take time on Sunday evening to plan your outfits for each day of the week. Group together the items you plan to wear and add your accessories as well. Lay everything out the night before (just as you have your kids do). This will save you time on a hectic morning. Since you are using neutral base colors, you should have numerous colors of tops to fit your mood. Solid colored tops will present a dramatic look while prints and neutrals within the same color range as the suit will look more relaxed.

This advice may sound basic to some, but women all over struggle each day to find something decent to wear to work. There are plenty of options available that can make dressing for work simple and inexpensive. Use the options to your advantage!