Reinventing Your Wardrobe On a Budget
Do you ever look at your closet and feel like you have nothing good to wear? It’s a common occurrence for most people after spending five or six years in the same old t-shirts or worn out jeans. Maybe you’re staring at a personalized name belt buckle you haven’t been able to wear because you belt is too big now. Or maybe you got a new job with a different dress code and you need to revamp your working attire to something more professional. Whatever the reason, revamping your entire wardrobe can be an expensive undertaking if you don’t know where to look.
Plan It Out
When you’re trying to reinvent yourself, you need to have a plan. This will help you to decide what items to buy and what items to leave, which will save you money in the end. The first step in forming this plan is to go through the clothes you already have and choose what to toss and what to keep. Once you see what items you already own, you can make a list of what you need. Maybe you have tons of nice blouses, but no professional pants. Or lots of sleeveless shirts, but nothing for winter. Draw up your list divided by categories such as pants, outerwear, shirts, or accessories, and try to limit each to the bare minimum you would reasonably need each week.
Shopping
Once you’re out of your closet and heading to the stores or online shops, you want to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck. The best way to do this is to check for coupons and discounts on RetailMeNot before finalizing any purchase. It’s also helpful to know which brands fit you best and have the best quality so you can be confident about your purchase. If you purchase a pair of $70 pants, but they fit you perfectly and you know they’ll last for five years or more, you’ll probably feel much better about the purchase than if you’d bought pants that didn’t fit quite right or were made of cheap material. When it comes to your clothes, focus on the basics for your wardrobe and then pump them up with accessories. Neutral colors or simple patterns make great base layers for a flashy necklace or delicate earrings that can bring you from looking nice to being totally fashionable. Finally, if you find an item you love of good quality but it doesn’t fit you perfectly, don’t be afraid to buy it and bring it over to a tailor to fit specifically to your measurements.
