How to Dress Fashionably on a Budget

It is so easy to get carried away on a fashion shopping spree. However, if you are on a tight budget, you may end up paying dearly if you are not wise with your choices and buying habits. Dressing fashionably while on a tight budget is possible; this article offers some suggestions.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Budget
• Calculator
• Discount coupons
• Discount stores
• Bargains
• Fashion accessories

1. Know your budget and stick to it. Decide on how much money you are willing to spend without breaking the bank. When budgeting your money, set aside portions that you would use for your basic needs like food, shelter and other bills to pay. Yes, clothing is also a necessity, but if you can hold off on buying a new dress until you have saved enough money, you will not feel guilty about it.

2. Buy quality not quantity. Instead of buying a dozen cheap dresses, save your money on a couple or more really nice ones that are made of quality materials. Oftentimes, people think if they buy cheaper clothes they are saving money. Though it may seem at first glance, since your money bought more pieces, it does not always mean that you are saving a lot. There are clothes that get worn out after only being used a couple times.
   
   Cheap clothing materials sometimes shrink when you wash, so you would end up buying new clothes again if you see they do not fit you anymore. Buying quality over quantity will save you more money in the long run since they tend to last longer.

3. Avoid high-end stores as much as possible. Never get tempted to buy a brand name that would cost as much as your paycheck. You can window shop and check out the latest trends, then go to a lower-end department store that carry clothing that maybe similar in fashion but cheaper in price. You can put together an outfit for a fraction of what it would cost to buy at a high-end store.

4. Wait for a sale. If you are eyeing a very nice dress that just came out and the price is somewhat hard to stomach, wait for it to go on sale. Department stores are known to slash prices on almost a weekly basis. Wait until your item goes on sale before you buy it. Never buy full price if you know that department store will put it on sale a month later. You would feel bad afterwards knowing you could have gotten it at a much lower price. Trends stay a lot longer than that so don't worry, your favorite dress will not go out of style right away.
   
   When going to a department store, check out the clearance racks first. There are items being discontinued that are priced between 50-75% lower than the original price. You may be able to pick up a couple of good ones and still have money left over for a new pair of shoes and some accessories.

5. Avoid buying imitations. They tend to look cheaper since some of them are not made of quality materials. The imitation makers only copy or imitate the design and logo but not the quality. At times, imitations can cost more than the average clothes and accessories. Also, think of who you are really fooling. Your friends and family know you cannot afford the real thing so why even bother trying to impress them? You would not want to end up as the laughing stock when they see you wearing a GUCHI instead of a GUCCI.

6. Mix and match clothes. Buy a couple of nice blouses, blazers, cardigans, skirts and pants. Buy different colors of similar styles then mix and match them.

7. Buy a classic black dress and mix and match with blazers and cardigans. That dress will give you a lot of mileage over the years to come. There is something versatile about a black dress; it can be worn several times at any occasion while making your look slender.

8. 
   A couple of brooches on a blouse. (Photo credits: monettenriquez_flick_CreativeCommons2.0Generic)

   Use accessories to give your outfit a fresh look. Buy a couple of nice belts and scarves that you can use as accessories that can change the look of your outfit. People would think you are wearing a different outfit even if what you added is only a scarf or a belt. Wear a necklace or a choker; put a brooch that you can pin on your V-neckline dress.
   
   Other accessories you can use to update your outfit: handbags, hats, hair pins, gloves, corsages and jewelries.

9. 
   The classic little black dress. (Photo credits:Missie/Wikimedia_GNUFreeDocumentation_CopyrightFree)

   Wear vintage clothes. Rummage through your parents' and your grandparents' closets; you'll never know what treasure may be hiding in them. There are also discount and thrift shops that sell vintage clothes. Fashion comes around after every few years or decades. A 60's style mini dress has gone back and forth several times through the years. Imagine Audrey Hepburn at the beginning of the movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's" wearing a black classic dress. That dress had been copied by designers several times and it doesn't go out of style. Some vintage clothes become such a classic that you would want to hang on to them a lot longer as they do several more rounds throughout the years. Your next generation would appreciate you for doing so.

10. Borrow clothes. If you are going to a party and you need to dress up, try borrowing clothes. Chances are, you may not need to wear similar clothes again, and so investing your hard earned money on these clothes is something you would want to avoid. Borrow a dress that you would wear for an office formal dinner from your parents, siblings, relatives and friends since they would not be at the same party as you are.

11. Rent clothes. There is nothing wrong about renting clothes if it can save you a lot of money. If you are going to attend a wedding or any formal gathering where you need to wear a very nice outfit, renting it is not a bad idea. Chances are, you'll never wear that same outfit again, and so renting would give you the look for very little money compared to buying one.

Tips & Warnings

• Buy online. There are online shops that offer internet only prices with free shipping and handling.
• Avoid splurging too much.

[DressVault]

on 10/30/2008 BORROW a DRESS for 15% of it's VALUE!

GO TO: http://www.DressVault.com

DressVault.com is the fashion business of mutually beneficial relationships.
An online-closet service, facilitating lending and borrowing of dresses
(all dresses are owned and listed by site-members).

MEMBER-SERVICE OPTIONS:
LEND your dresses
BORROW dresses
BUY dresses from lenders (if the option to buy is listed)

[thenannysden]

on 9/13/2008 Great! I always tend to do quantity over quality and end up regretting it. I LOVED these tips! Thanks!

[MidniteWriter]

on 6/28/2008 I like the rent and borrow ideas. How many of us buy an outfit only to wear it one time or outgrow it? You can also rent handbags! What will they think of next?

[ElleZsen]

on 12/17/2007 Really great tips. Was very helpful having this in the back of my mind while shopping. Much Thanks

[Healthygirl78]

on 12/17/2007 Great article. One comment that particularly range true was "When going to a department store, check out the clearance racks first. There are items being discontinued that are priced between 50-75% lower than the original price" -- that is so right!!!! Check out Macy's, Dillard's, and Hudson & Belk, particularly AFTER the New Year-- I've seen 80% off, even!