If you ask me, finding clothes for work is far easier for "tweeners" than finding trendy or fashion-forward wear. Here's where we have LOTS of options at every price point.
Today, I'm going to start off with the el-cheapo end of the scale (up to $50-ish). Having a limited budget is no longer any excuse to not find a decent suit or dress for work. Bargain hunters will also find some great pieces at great prices. These are all places where I often shop for work clothes.
Burlington Coat Factory--Billed as a discount chain, it does have some recognizable labels from elsewhere like BCBG and Tahari. In fact I saw on a couple of occasions gorgeous Calvin Klein suits...alas, the biggest they had was size 10. But many are obviously made to sell at the chain. Frankly, it's one of the best places to find complete suits cheap (average $49.99), as well as separates like blouses and trousers. The quality varies but you can find some awesome deals, like a pair of brown trousers for $12.99. Plenty of stuff up to size 18 misses.
Target--Grab Isaac Mizrahi's wonderful line (up to 18/XXL misses) while you can, because he's splitting for Liz Claiborne soon. Generally, his line is a little on-trend and a little classic at the same time, making it just conservative enough for the office. And the pieces are easy to mix and match. Aside from that, Merona has put out a lot of great pieces for work too, including skirts and dresses (up to 18/XXL misses). I've written a bit about the ongoing Go International line, which can fit up to 16 misses even though it officially goes up to XL/13 juniors. For example, I just bought a very nice Jovovich-Hawk For Target skirt in size 13 that fit me just fine.
Wal-Mart--The careerwear-oriented George line has put out some great blouses, suits, and skirts. A few months ago, I got a complete nice-looking suit for under $40. It doesn't look cheap at all and it fits great. The line is also easy to mix and match. I'm not crazy about the dresses--they're usually made of that horrid stretchy-jersey stuff that sticks to your every hump and bump--but everything else is worth checking out.
Steve & Barry's--Specifically, the Bitten line. Jackets, trousers, and dresses sell for $19.95, while shirts run for $9.95. (Plain tees for summer run for $7.95). Fit can be erratic, so try before you buy, but for what you get, the price is unbeatable.
H&M--H&M is tricky for anyone over size 14, since the clothes tend to run a little small. But I've found skirts that run true-to-size and have had little trouble with large or extra large shirts or jackets. Euro style on a budget.
Old Navy--For years, ON was known as a store to shop for casual stuff but lately it has put out more work-appropriate wear ranging from chinos for the business casual set to lovely pencil skirts. It's also a great place to find summer dresses. ON has carried up to size 20 misses for several years, so it's always been a "tweener" friendly stop.
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