In today’s world, fashion trends come and go in the blink of an eye. It can be hard trying to keep up with the latest trends, or even change a style without spending excessive amounts of money that you don’t necessarily want to spend. With enough creativity, though, and the right shopping tips and stores, you can change your wardrobe and even make it look more stylish without spending your entire savings. Here are a few of my personal tips:
Look Before you Buy
Spend a day just looking at clothes. Look at different online shops or Pinterest for inspiration. Add anything you find to a cart and come back the following day. Oftentimes you will notice that a top you thought you would always wear ended up not being as cute as you thought.
Use Thrift Stores/Accept Hand-me-downs
Thrifting is a simple and easy way to get clothes for cheap. Wearing hand-me-downs is a fantastic way to save money. Although many people don’t like the idea of wearing hand-me-downs, they are a creative way to try out new styles and could revive old fashion trends. Take your time looking through thrift stores and other clothes you may receive. Some good thrift stores are:
- Goodwill
- Plato’s closet
- Salvation Army
- Poshmark
Make/Create a Capsule Wardrobe
By having a versatile closet, it allows you to have multiple different styles of clothing. A capsule wardrobe is a collection of many different garments and accessories with timeless value. They can be easily mixed and matched to create many different outfits. This may also mean buying the basic clothing and accessories like a polo. This won’t mean your wardrobe will be boring!
Use old clothes/ DIY and Upcycle
Any old clothes can be reused and turned into something new. You can sew, cut, or stretch garments out to change their form, style, etc. Upcycling not only gives you new clothing, it also lets you express your interests and creative skills. You can always do your own things or look at a YouTube video for inspiration or a tutorial.
Sell ones you can’t wear
Any clothes that you think are impossible to revise, you can sell. I know this may seem like more effort, but it is worth it when you consider the money you will be making back. You can simply do a yard sale or sell it online on the many different websites there are.
Take care of your clothes
This seems like a silly thing to do, but it isn’t. In the long run, your clothes will last longer. Having style means respecting your clothes. Follow the care instructions listed on the label, wash clothes inside out to prevent fading, air dry delicate items, and always check for loose threads or buttons. Clothing looks best when it’s presented in a well-kept manner.
Don’t impulse buy
The easiest way to save money is to simply buy less. If your closet is already full, there is no need to buy more. I know it may be tempting to get the new trending shirt or shoes, but those clothes tend to sit in the back of your closet. Think, will I actually wear this more than once?
Clothing swap
If you are willing to, and know people who would, you can always do clothing swaps or even go to a shop that does this. You may know a friend who’s style matches a piece of clothing you don’t use anymore, so try swapping with them. It gives you the opportunity to get new clothes and for other people to get new things. You may not find things the first time, but eventually, you will discover the perfect items.
