Is it possible to be a fashionista on a budget? Absolutely! While many of your dream fashion items are probably out of your price range, you can still rock an amazing style without paying an arm and a leg. Here’s how!
- Know your style. To be a fashionista, it’s important to develop your own sense of style. Whether that leans towards the latest trends, high-fashion, edgy, or quirky, try to develop a look that expresses you. This can help you save money because then you’ll only shop for what you like. Knowing what you won’t wear will stop you from wasting money on items that won’t fit anywhere in your wardrobe.
- Invest in timeless pieces. Interestingly, being a fashionista on a budget does require some more expensive investments. If you invest in a few timeless pieces, you’ll have long-lasting items that you won’t have to replace any time soon. While you might spend more up front, by splurging on classic items that will never go out of style, you won’t waste your money on something you’ll throw out next season. Research fashion trends over the years and look for items that will never go out of style. For example, a little black dress or a chic blazer will always have a place in your wardrobe. But a dress with cut-outs will probably look quite tired in a year or two.
- Invest in wardrobe essentials. Clever Girl Finance recommends investing in wardrobe basics in order to be a fashionista on a budget. Again, by investing in these pieces, you can save money by spending money. While you’ll pay more for a few quality basics, you can then mix and match these to create dozens of quality looks. Like classics, basics, such as white button-down shirts or relaxed denim jeans, are items you’ll use again and again.
- Keep an eye out for sales. The best way to save pennies and still enjoy fashion is to keep an eye out for sales. Sometimes, it pays to spend a lot at a sale and then refrain from buying anything else until the next sale. Just be mindful that you can’t splurge in every sale, and you’re only saving money if you were going to buy those clothes in the first place. It’s not saving when you buy items you would never have bought on sale, and then still need to buy the items on your to-buy list at full price!
- Look for vintage and pre-owned items. There’s nothing wrong with pre-loved items! Several brick-and-mortar stores, as well as online stores, stock vintage and pre-owned clothing for a fraction of the price of new items. And when the old clothes are in new condition, it’s a win-win. This is particularly helpful when buying designer items, which are wildly expensive when brought brand new.
- Don’t shop with a credit card. Shopping with credit is a good way to wrap yourself up in debt. Getting buried under debt will take you further and further from financial freedom, which is the best to be when you love fashion. Credit sounds good at first, but the interest you have to pay when you don’t pay off your bills in time can significantly increase your costs each month.
- Avoid luxury brands. Do designer items help you to look more fashionable? Sure. Are they necessary? Absolutely not. You can still look like a fashion guru without red-soled shoes or a single Louis Vuitton bag in sight. Spending big on designer ware can take away your resources from fashion staples and classics, which are always going to be more important in giving you a full and complete wardrobe.
- Sell items you won’t wear. If you have items that you don’t wear but are still in good condition, sell them! Many fashion gurus highlight this as their top tip for fashion on a budget. There are lots of platforms out there for selling second-hand clothes online. While you might not make back what you paid, getting anything back is better than simply throwing the clothes out. And what you’ll get for the clothes is often worth the hassle of finding a serious buyer.
- Don’t waste money on items you’re not sure about. Shop by this rule of thumb: if you’re not absolutely sure about an item, don’t get it. Don’t buy clothes that you’re on the fence about, because you’re likely wasting your money. And if your goal is to be a fashionista, that money could be put to much better use. When you can’t decide on an item, make a note to come back to it at the end of your shopping trip, or even on another day, If you still want it then, and you can’t stop thinking about it, get it. If not, you know it wasn’t right for you!
- Choose clothes that fit you. Clothes and shoes that fit you will always make you look more fashionable than those that don’t. Often perfectly tailored items look more expensive and refined. So by wearing correctly fitting clothes, you can look like you spent more money on your outfit than you actually did. It pays to find a tailor who will alter your clothes to fit to perfection. This often won’t cost a lot of money but will allow you to look like you splurged on luxury clothes.
