You don’t have to choose between being frugal and being fashionable. It is, in fact, possible to look good without spending a fortune.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve run into a fair amount of people who assume shopping at yard sales and Goodwill means a person is OK with looking frumpy. Nothing could be further from the truth! It is possible to look great without spending a lot of money!
Here are a few tips to make it happen.
Know Where to Spend Money
Sometimes the frugal thing to do is spend the money to buy quality. When you buy clothes, look at cost per use, rather than overall cost.
When we interviewed Kathryn Finney of the Budget Fashionista on Frugal Coast2Coast, she gave a great example of this concept. She said if you live in New England, where the weather is very cold in the winter, you might want to spend the money on a great quality winter coat.
Why? Because you’ll wear it year after year, day after day. Even if you spend a lot of money on the coat, the cost per use will be low, because you wear it so often. You want a coat that will last years and continue to look great, so you’re best bet is to invest a little money in a great coat.
The bottom line is, if you’re planning on wearing something a lot and over a lot of years, pay for quality, and then take care of your clothing. You’ll save money in the long run.
Know Where to Scrimp
I like to buy classic styles, but I don’t avoid trends all together. Sometimes all you need to bring an outfit up to date is a trendy accessory like a scarf or a great handbag.
If you’re adding an accessory or an article of clothing that is likely to go out of style next year, don’t spend a lot of money on it. I buy most of my accessories on sale at Target, Walmart, and Fred Meyer. That way I can look up to date, but I don’t kick myself for spending too much money.
Don’t be Afraid of Second-Hand
I love shopping at thrift stores and yard sales. Yard sales are especially great, if you happen to find one with lots of clothing your size.
I like to hit the wealthier neighborhoods, because a lot of times people just get tired of their clothing and get rid of it, sometimes at prices like 50 cents an item! And a lot of times the items aren’t out of style yet, either.
The same is true of shopping at thrift stores. People are willing to let go of some really great clothing. Sure you have to search through the coal to find the diamonds, but it can be worth it.
One thing I like to do is run my hand along the clothing on the racks. Lots of times you can feel good quality, before you can see it. When you feel something that feels like it’s made of good fabric, stop and take a look at it.
These are just a few of the many ways you can save money on looking great. If you’re interested on hearing more on this subject, tune in to Frugal Coast2Coast tonight at 8:30 EST/5:30 PST. We’ll be interviewing Audrey McClellan of Mom Generations, who used to work for Donna Karan. I’m sure she’ll have a ton of great advice for looking great on a budget!
What’s your best frugal fashion tip? I’d love to hear it!
Photo by J@MES.
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Thank you so much for this reminder! After having four kids in six years, and not sure if God has any more planned for us at my ripe old age of 41, I’m slowly updating my non-maternity wardrobe. I’m fortunate to have a Goodwill near us which gets donations of good quality clothing. I picked up a pair of Anne Klein pants, perfect for mass on Sundays, for $1.75. All I had to do was get them shortened for $15. On the days that I take the time to dress nicely and wear makeup, even if it’s casual, I feel much better about myself. It’s the little things!
I agree, know when you can spend and know when you should save. If there is something you really want to buy, save up and get it. It will feel even better when you reached your goal, and everyone deserves to treat themselves at times.
I found a great winter coat (long) in perfect condition at Savers, a thrift store in our area. On Labor Day it was half price ($6) versus $250 in the store. Hooray!
I’ve found these tips to be true as well. I frequently search through second-hand stores to find name brand clothing that fits my style. And yes you have to really search, but I’ve found some great items for only $2 usually. I guess I better start frequenting wealthier yard sales now. :)
In a way, I prefer thrift store/consignment shops to the mall. The prices are fabulous and if you hit the right stores, the quality is there.
If I shop the mall and come home without finding what I’m seeking, I’m disappointed. At a thrift store, well, some days are just off days! No big deal!
There’s a great thrift store near me and they regularly have half-off ladies’ clothing and also 99 cent tag days. I’ve come home with some AMAZING things for cheap! YAAAAY!
I buy my stuff at the end of each seasons with 50% and more off. I still have to wait until next year to wear it but most clothe last more than a year in term of fashion anyway ;-D
I bought in store “A” and spent 50% less than my friend did in “B” store, we bought similar things. It prove that your point is right about knowing where we spend our bucks
Great tips! I used to be a thrift-store fiend! Now, I often just try to wait two months. Things go on sale, so I get a great deal or, when I see it again, I realize that I don’t really need it!
I rarely buy the clothes for that season. I always buy clothes for next season. I do a lot of surveys online, and the gift cards I get I usually will use some of them to pay for my shopping trips. I will always wait for a good deal on top of a good deal (i.e even if the item is on sale, I’ll look to have a coupon for it to even make it cheaper). I have a Macy’s card and I make a purchase with the store card (which lets me use the 20% off in addition to all the sales), and then I pay the card right away at the register so that I don’t get any finance charges.
For every 10$ I spend on my clothes I think about it 10 mins. If its not worth my thinking, its not worth my buying. :)
In addition, discount stores like Marshalls have great stuff for great prices. I once found a pair of UGG boots, (uh-huh) for 80$. I’ve used them for 3 years in a row now (going for the 4th winter this year). So it makes their price about $20 a year, which is not that bad.
The trick is to never buy in-season clothes though.
I so agree with you. I love nice things…I just hate to pay full price for them! My closet has four 100% cashmere sweaters in it and all were purchased at thrift stores for less than $10 each. You do really have to search for the diamond in the rough, but I think it’s kinda fun actually. Occasionally, I’ll find a great new name-brand item, but it’s not in my size. I’ll purchase it anyway and sell it for a profit on ebay. I sold a $6 new-with-tags purse for $48 on ebay. Not a bad return.
Thanks for the great article!
That is so true! Also the reason why I created my blog- I teach people you can look fly, fab and chic on the cheap. Visit us sometime!