Whether searching for business or uniform attire, you can find good men's used work clothes at a number of resources either online or at local thrift and consignment shops. Sometimes, you can even find free stuff!
Finding Men's Used Work Clothes Online
If it's a uniform you're looking for, you can't do any better than to start at the Web site Used Work Clothes. Items that might have ended up in ragbags can now be found easily and for a lot less than you'd pay new. All the clothing comes from rental companies. You can get pants, shirts, jackets, coveralls, jeans, shorts and khakis. Some stuff is even brand-new. The prices are low and they often run deals, such as five pairs of pants for $19.95. You can't do much better than that.
Similarly, there is Used Work Wear, although this is a wholesale site, so you have to make a minimum purchase, such as 5 dozen pairs of pants at $1 per pair. However, this can be ideal for a small company that wants to outfit its employees and save a lot of money.
The most popular online sources for men's used work clothes, whether for white or blue-collar workers, are Overstock and eBay. The trick with both of these sites is that you have to be specific with your searches to yield something worth having. If you need white coveralls for painting, for example, you want to enter a search for exactly that, and try to give a size as well. You may need to be patient, but when coveralls are available for as little as $5 a pair, it's worth the wait.
If you're looking for something location-specific, such as a uniform worn by a state worker, try a site search based on the location name. Some states will have outlets to buy used uniforms at steep discounts.
Finding Local Used Clothing Shops
A quick search online or even in the phone book will get you to the old stalwarts in men's used work clothes, such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army. There are also great selections at newer, more targeted second-hand shops like Out of the Closet. They make more of an effort to organize clothing by category, so that it is easier to find something specific.
If you're not sure of the best used clothing shop in your area, search a site such as Yelp, which serves a lot of major cities and has customer reviews of shops. You may be surprised at what little diamonds there are scattered around you. A chain vintage or second-hand shop like Buffalo Exchange will have a great selection of things from suits to heavy-duty work wear, and often at rock-bottom prices.
Vintage shops are usually pricier, and you run the risk of a suit being too much of a costume or fashion piece to wear to a workplace that requires business attire. However, if you look carefully, you can find classic pieces that can be worn any time, and at reasonable prices. Moreover, don't be afraid to pair a vintage necktie with a modern suit, especially if it has a matching handkerchief. It shows you have pizzazz and good taste.
Scoring Deals for Free
The fast-growing online group Freecycle can yield you amazing stuff and all you have to do is go and pick it up. Dedicated to keeping stuff out of landfills for as long as possible, Freecycle allows people to post offers and wanted items on a list that you can either receive via email or access at leisure. Don't be shy about listing the need for work shirts - you'll be pleasantly surprised how quickly someone will contact you with just what you need.
