The Career Girl's Guide to Looking Great on a Budget

First thing is first - your hair. Want to look great? Get a great hair cut. This is one of the few things that you may have to spend a little more money on but it is worth it in the long run. A great hair cut can make a mediocre outfit look fabulous! A fabulous outfit will look drab when worn with an outdated doo.

Choose your stylist wisely, more money doesn't always guarantee a great cut. Find someone with a hairstyle you covet and ask her who did her hair. She will be flattered by the compliment and you will have a great referral to an excellent stylist. A good haircut with color will probably run you $150.00 or so but its an investment that is well worth it. If you can find someone with talent who will do it for less, then by all means - go for it!

Next comes make-up. You're probably thinking ... "Wait a minute! What about clothes?!?" The truth is that a so-so outfit will shine with great hair and great make-up. Spend on what counts the most FIRST, then worry about the rest.

On with the make-up. For work, you want to have tasteful and conservative make-up. This does not have to mean boring though! I highly recommend the Bare Minerals line of make-up for foundation and concealer. They last a LONG time and make your skin look absolutely amazing! Try out this kit to get you started: Bare Escentuals Get Started Kit, Medium/Medium Beige Remember, less is more! For eyes and cheeks, I use MAC products. Once again, spend just a bit more and get MAJOR results. Not only do they look better than drugstore colors but they last a really long time, actually saving you money in the long run!

The one thing that I purchased that really helped me learn how to apply make-up properly was the Alexis Vogel system. Yes, its the "as seen on TV" thing. And I love it! The make-up tips were excellent and well worth the investment. The products were okay but the DVD has changed the way I apply make-up forever!

Now we come to clothes. Want to impress your boss and co-workers? Would you like to get a promotion? Want to be considered for management? Of course you do! Want to spend a fortune in the process? NO!!!

Here's the big secret... Think timeless style - not the latest trends. Pay attention to the way business women dress on TV. The ones who look the best... they rarely wear anything TRENDY but they always look STYLISH. The great thing about this is that its super easy to find timelessly stylish clothes without spending a fortune.

A few things your wardrobe cannot live without:

• A great black conservative dress. Knee length.
  
• Black slacks.
  
• Pin stripe slacks.
  
• Black blazer.
  
• Navy blazer.
  
• Scarves.

If you are just starting to create your career wardrobe and you don't have a ton of money to invest in it, try out the thrift stores! You may be shocked to find the perfect Ann Taylor suit that looks like its never been worn for $19.99. Think I'm exaggerating? I JUST bought one last weekend and it looks like a million bucks! Another option is to shop at the "el cheapo" stores at first. Places like Cato and Rainbow, etc... The clothes will not last a long time but to hurry up and get a few things, its great.

Another one of my favorite places to find great work clothes is TJMaxx, Marshalls, Burlington, etc. Those places that carry brand-name clothes for a huge discount. This will require some digging but you can find some beautiful clothes! I recently went shopping at Burlington for a business trip in which I would be with my superiors and I wanted to look like I fit in. At Burlington, I found a beautiful Calvin Klein skirt suit (that was stylish and classic at the same time), a pair of wool slacks and a business coat for less than $150.00 for the whole lot! My superiors complimented my wardrobe for the trip and no one had to know that my suit that was originally $350.00 only cost me $40.00!

What about the filler? You know, the shirts to match the slacks or suits? Go cheap! No one will notice that you only have four pairs of dark slacks if you have a ton of cute and professional tops to change it up. Shop at the cheap places. Hunt the sale racks at the department stores! You'll be amazed at how you can change up your outfits with a few well-chosen shirts!

Now to the bottom of the situation: shoes! Shoes are going to depend on the type of office you work in. Closed-toe shoes are generally more acceptable but if you can get away with open-toed, go for it! Once again, I hunt the bargain places to find name-brand shoes for cheap and I am not above shopping at Payless or places like that for shoes that match only one or two outfits. Its better to spend a little on high-quality shoes that will go with many outfits since cheaper shoes will look worn much sooner. However, if you want a pair of red shoes to go with that amazing sweater that matches your slacks perfectly, go cheap since they won't be worn with many outfits.

Finally - accessories! For work, accessories can be tricky. After all, you want something that really sets off your outfit but you don't want to look like you're ready to go to the club. One-strand necklaces and simple earrings are best. Don't overload your body with tons of clanging bracelets or huge drop earrings - even if that is what the latest trend is. Remember, you are a professional! Those things are better left for play time. A great pearl (or fake pearl) necklace goes a long way. One way I like to "punch" up my outfits is using scarves. Not only do they look great and they are perfect for pulling colors together in an outfit, they are inexpensive and easy to care for! One of my best outfits to impress is a knee-length black dress with a brown blazer, leopard print scarf, small earrings... I look awesome (turn some heads at the convenience store even) but professional at the same time! Its the scarf that does the magic!

As a woman, to get ahead in the business world, you have to look great, be professional and work harder than your male co-workers. I know its a modern world and a lot of people say those stereotypes are not true anymore but I'm here to tell you, they are still there!

A good rule of thumb to move ahead in the work world is to dress as if you have your boss' job. Now, don't go and try to steal his or her job away but dress like management and you will be considered for management.

I started in my company 3 1/2 years ago at the bottom of the ladder. Dressing right, acting professionally and going above and beyond what my position required got me into management within a year. I now know for a fact (the owner told me!) that dressing the part was a major consideration for my promotion. Your boss will look at you and think, "That girl wants to go places! She has ambition! We better watch her and see if we can't move her into management!"

Look for my next lens on beauty secrets on a budget... all those skin care, hair care and nail care tips that won't break the bank!