Getting Your Fashionable Groove Back

Are you stuck in a fashion rut? I hate that! When I have no ideas about how I am going to rock the next season, I pull out these ideas to get me revved up again. It's the only way to prepare oneself for inevitable mixing and matching (plus creativity) that's required when you've got a smaller budget that really requires you to think hard about how to match (and match well), and know exactly what you need to buy for right now.

Here's what I do to buy a lot of essentials without breaking my budget at all:

1. Make a spreadsheet. If you can handle yourself on Excel and you have enough time, chart your wardrobe and see where the holes are. If you have enough jeans and t-shirts already, perhaps you are missing some hoodies, cardigans, shrugs, and vests as well. Play around what you've already got and group it into sections by color and age.

2. Determine your budget and your allocations. The worst thing about shopping on a budget isn't saving money, but finding pieces you love can be torturous if you later crunch the numbers and realize you can't afford them. Split up your budget, whether it's $100 or $500, into sections according to need. For example, if you have a $200 budget, you can save $50 to buy $10 t-shirts at Old Navy, $50 to buy 3 pairs of jeans at Target on sale, and $100 for one blazer, two skirts, and a blouse.

3. Avoid splashing out on investment pieces before you buy what you need for winter. Let's just say, that awesome new blazer is going to be extremely lonely if you don't have anything to pair it with. Start with a few pairs of basic undies, a convertible bra after price comparison and using a coupon code, and then grab the rest. Colorful tees are an awesome jumping off point, and you don't need more than a few pairs of jeans as long as they are not extremely distinctive. I like Target's Xhilaration jeans line, but their Mossimo junior's jeans are just as good--and frequently on sale.

4. Don't forget about one inexpensive pair of heels. They will make your pants lie better, with a more elegant rise and break, and quite often, your skirts and dresses will end up looking a lot more ladylike than with flats. If you cannot afford to buy a new pair of shoes at Payless, Target, or Endless, unearth a plain black pair of peep toes and bring them to the cobbler's for a re-heeling and a shine.

5. Use fashion mags and blogs for new inspiration. If you have to go closet-diving, try to find the best way to make it work for you: mix things up and make new looks from your existing wardrobe. I like to bring a friend along so that they can help invent new looks without me having to work so hard. *Wink*

Related Tags: Old Navy Coupons, Payless Coupons, Target Coupons, Endless.com Promotional Code

Comments

[Jonna Oraca]

thank you for the information. i agree with you it is so stressing if you cant organize your budget for the wardrobe. and the worst part is settling for your old ones. =)

Christmas is fast approaching... Cant wait to get shopping on the Great Sale on Holidays
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