If you’re eager to update your style and experiment with the latest trends but your budget is holding you back, help is at hand! You no longer need to splash your cash or go into the red simply to unleash your inner fashionista. To stay on trend without breaking a sweat, take a look at these five ways to revamp your closet on a budget:
1. Conduct a Clothes Audit
Most people wear just 20% of their wardrobe on a regular basis, which means it’s likely that you’ve got a whole lot of pieces you’ve forgotten about lurking at the back of your closet. Before buying anything new, undertake a clothes audit and remind yourself what garments you already have. As you uncover these hidden gems, you’ll feel like you’ve treated yourself to a shopping spree – without spending a dime.
If you already have an extensive selection of clothes, take a quick picture of garments on your phone. This will help you to catalog your inventory and make it easy to see what items you’ve already got when you’re browsing the racks.
2. Find a Tailor
Buying couture might be a little out of your price range right now, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy wearing bespoke pieces. Having items altered is a great way to ensure a perfect fit but it can also maximize your wardrobe and give you more choice than ever before when it comes to your style.
If you tend to overlook skirts that are a little too long, pants that are too snug, or shirts that are too baggy and leave them sitting in your closet, a tailor will breathe new life into these garments and ensure they become a staple part of your wardrobe. Having clothes altered can be more cost-effective than you think, so ask friends and family for recommendations and find a tailor or seamstress that can update your closet.
3. Free Up Your Budget
If a significant proportion of your budget is going towards paying off debts, you’ll have less to spend on luxuries, like new clothes and accessories. However, you don’t need to spend over the odds to get yourself out of financial trouble. Instead, create a foolproof financial strategy that will reduce your debts as quickly as possible.
Making minimum repayments on credit cards can mean that your overall debt increases, for example, but you can pay off credit card debt more quickly by paying extra each month. If you’re looking for an easy way to manage credit card debt, try the Tally app. With Tally’s support, you can streamline your monthly repayments, create a personalized payoff plan, and even access a low-interest line of credit to consolidate your debts.
By reducing your interest rate and paying off your debts more quickly, you will free up more of your budget for the things you enjoy!
4. Find Preloved Bargains
If you want to add something new to your closet, you don’t necessarily have to spend your cash on brand-new items. In fact, choosing to buy preloved or vintage pieces can be a great way to stretch your budget and shop sustainably. Instead of buying into the ‘fast fashion’ industry, take the opportunity to recycle and re-wear clothes that would otherwise go to waste.
Vintage stores, thrift shops, and online marketplaces are filled to the brim with on trend pieces at great prices. You’ll find thousands of garments that are in ‘as new’ condition too, so don’t hesitate to look for preloved pieces before you head to a department store or your favorite online retailer.
5. Create a Capsule Wardrobe
A capsule wardrobe is super-helpful if you travel regularly but it’s also an effective way to make the most of your style when you’re on a budget. By choosing pieces that complement each other and can be worn in a variety of ways, you’ll maximize the number of looks you can create with just a few key items.
Select a neutral color palette for staple items, for example, and you can wear them with a wider range of accompanying pieces. Then, rely on accessories to add color and tone to your look so you can create endless different styles without blowing your budget.
How Much Should You Spend on Clothes?
There’s no shame in spending your money on the things you enjoy, providing you aren’t overspending or overlooking the necessities. To figure out how much of your income you can afford to spend on clothes, create a detailed personal budget that takes your regular outgoings and household expenses into account. Once you’ve got a comprehensive budget in place, you’ll know exactly how much of your disposable income you can spend on refreshing your closet – and you can enjoy guilt-free shopping!
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