One of my favorite songs on the radio is “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis because it is so catchy and it has a really great overall message – you don’t have to spend a lot of money to look good! A few weeks ago, I went thrift shopping with a friend and had a wonderful time. It is amazing what kind of clothes you can find with such great prices!
I absolutely love fashion, clothes, and accessories but I have found ways to express my love for fashion in a frugal way. I am overjoyed to offer you a few tips on fun and frugal fashion this week. Whether you’re a budding fashionista or you could care less about fashion, I hope that you will find a few helpful tips about shopping and keeping your style in tip top shape!
- Get Inspired: Fashion magazines, websites, and blogs are great inspiration for reinventing your style and your closet. Lucky Magazine is all about shopping and the subscription is very cheap. For online inspiration check out frugal-fashionistas or The Fab & Frugal blog.
- Reinvent Your Closet: If your style feels flat and you’re out of money the best thing to do is to take some time to sift through your closet. How many new outfits can you create by mixing and matching some of your old pieces? You may even find that gem that stuck in the back of the closet!
- Tailoring: If you really enjoy an old piece of clothing or a pair of shoes it is often easier to get them repaired than buy new ones. Just make sure to find a good tailor and/or cobbler.
- DIY: Update something old. Put new buttons on an old jacket. Dye your old jeans. For inspiration check out these DIY fashion blogs. I recently added some sparkle to one of my dresses using a silk sash and vintage pin that I already had in my closet.
- Real Vintage: There is always talk of “vintage” style, instead of investing money in “vintage” clothing why not scour some of your mother or grandmother’s old clothes and accessories? Some of my favorite jewelry came from my great aunt; it is fashionable and it tells a story.
- Clothes Swap: Clean out your closets, grab some friends and have a clothes swap. Your old clothes will find new life and you might just find a new treasure!
- Borrow: In college I had an “open closet” policy, many of my friends borrowed my dresses for dances or dates. If you have a special event coming up, consider borrowing instead of buying new and encourage your friends to do the same.
- Invest In Quality: Although it can be alluring to buy a lot of pieces from a cheaper clothing store, instead of just a few from a more expensive store it is often better to invest in quality over quantity. Invest in quality, versatile pieces that you can reinvent for any season. Then you can buy a few, cheaper, seasonal pieces.
- Sales: My mom is a fantastic shopper and her cardinal rule is to beeline for the sales, you can see the other items when they go on sale. Collect coupons, many stores will let you combine deals just keep an eye on the small print. Limit yourself to shopping during big sales, just be careful not to overbuy.
- Thrift Shops: Thrift/Second Hand Stores can be hit or miss, but often they are chock full of good deals if you are willing to sift through everything. My favorite second hand store in the Twin Cities is Second Debut 2. The one I went to last week is called Turn Style. There are many great boutique and chain thrift stores you just have to do a little research to find them.
Join the Conversation: What is your number one frugal fashion tip?
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