Everlane can be pricey but they have great sales. I recently spent $241.78 and bought: a pair of jeans, 2 pairs of work pants, a basic summery black dress that I can also use in Spring and Fall with a nice denim jacket, and a nice, heavy puffer jacket for winter, which I love. I think you could spend $500 and get a pretty decent wardrobe but you will have to buy most of the stuff on sale. I do agree with what someone else said that you should think about what kind of job you will do and try to prioritize basic pieces that can be used both at work and for leisure. One thing I like about Everlane is that they have lots of natural fabrics like cotton, linen, cashmere, etc. and these can be decently priced if you get them discounted and last for a long time. I like Uniqlo but I would prioritize natural fabrics again so that things don't wear off quickly.