Looking into your wardrobe, you sigh as you realize your clothes collection has either become unfashionable or no longer fit to wear. It’s a feeling many of us have, especially when living on a shoestring budget. We consign our days to window shopping, looking at the dress wear that we wished we could own, but only if we had the money. So what can be done about it? Is it possible to replenish your wardrobe and still pay the rent? The answer is yes! Check out our essential tips below, to help you to look good, despite your meager budget.
Tip #1: Compare prices online
So what if you can’t afford to shop at some of the more expensive stores online or on the high street? Prices do fall, eventually, and you can often find a bargain online, especially when you look on resale sites, and regular sales are happening on the high street all the time. Sometimes it pays to wait, and while you may not always keep up with the very latest fashion trend, you can still buy something that suits you at a discounted price.
Tip #2: Don’t ditch your old clothes just yet
When going through your wardrobe, there may be items of clothing you can no longer fit into. This is a shame, especially if it’s an item you are particularly in love with. While you could give it away to a charity shop or a friend, you could also alter it to finally make it fit you again. There should be a clothes alteration store near you, so look for places near you, such as one of the Stitch It zipper repair and clothes alteration stores, and salvage some of your ill-fitting outfits.
Tip #3: Have a clothes party
A great excuse to get together with your mates, a clothes party is also a great opportunity to try on each other’s outfits, and swap and share them. So, if you have been eyeing up that lovely outfit in your friend’s wardrobe, organize a social gathering and give that pretty garment a new home! Perfect, especially when your friends share your fashion style. And you can all have a good knee up and have fun modeling each other’s outfits as well.
Tip #4: Sell your old clothes
There’s little point having outfits in your wardrobe that you never intend to wear again, so if your best mate turned up their noses at that lime green dress you shared at the clothes party, you may as well consider selling it instead. There are some online sites, such as Material World, that will pick up your outfits from you, and offer you a trade-in price. There are others, such as eBay and Craigslist, where you can advertise your clothes and charge your prices. With the extra cash, you may be able to buy that new dress from Zara you always wanted.
Tip #5: Head to the menswear department
While this is a bit of a stereotype (though probably true), women spend more time buying clothes than men. Clothes stores and manufacturers capitalize on this, charging women exorbitant prices while selling men’s clothes for less. The cheek of it! Still, don’t get down about it, as there are some items of menswear that look great on women, so follow the link and widen your options.
Bottom line
It is possible to breathe new life into your wardrobe, so we hope you find our tips helpful. Let us know if you have any further advice for our readers – perhaps you have found a great online store that sells fashion at bargain prices, for example, or you may have found a style that will look good on anybody, regardless of budget. Give us a shout and do us all a favor. Thanks for reading, and happy (cheap) shopping!
