Hello cosmopolitan fashionistas, come in here and take a look at 5 easy ways that you can use to pay less but dress at the same time.
So the festive season has come and gone, making way for the New Year. Your savings have taken a beating due to all the past Christmas plans, but this year, yes, this year you will really keep your resolution! The resolution is to stick more to the budget and be less impulsive and become thriftier. With these 5 simple steps, you can fight the battle of Fashion ”wants” versus “ needs” and win it! Pay Less Dress More!
- Thin your wardrobe and fatten your wallet
- Separate your needs from your wants
- Get creative and manipulative
- Swap unwanted items
- Care and repair
1. Thinning Your Wardrobe
If you are one of those people that have many clothes and have never worn some of them or have not repeated an outfit, this could be very beneficial for you. The idea is to go through your wardrobe at your own pace and make 2 piles, the right pile you keep and the left you get rid of. If you find this to be a tedious task and tend to be indecisive, invite some friends over for a wardrobe party with some drinks and snacks and they can help you vote to say what stays or goes.
This way you will not feel too sentimental about the clothes in the left pile because your friends will not let you put them back in the right pile. The quicker you do it the better you create room for you to see exactly what needs to go and you can sell these items online on eBay or other sites, as well as thrift shops, yard sales, car boot sales and flea markets. You could also offer them to your friends if they are interested or they know someone that might be. Remember, sentimental clothing is more valuable to you in cash than in trash!
ALSO SEE: 5 Elegant & Chic Evening Dresses For Plus Size Women.
2. Separate Your Needs From Your Wants
After creating wardrobe space and fattening the wallet, the second step is to economically visualise what the real essentials are that you want to buy to fill in the gaps. This means that whatever new pieces you buy have to be compatible with the leftover pieces so you can mix and match your wardrobe on a daily basis.
You can then decide on a price ceiling of how much you would like to spend and from which reasonably priced shops. The best thing to do then is to leave all your credit cards at home and just take cash as well as any vouchers that may still be valid for discounts. Aim for smaller shops so you are not overwhelmed and end up being impulsive. The best time to do this is at the end of season sales or closing down sales.
3. Get Creative And Manipulative
At this point, your creativity comes in handy because you need to practice accessorising and changing the looks of the same outfit but making it appear different each time. Alternate between daywear with shorts, miniskirts and Capri pants to evening wear with mini dresses with scarves, jackets, trousers, and maxi skirts with tops covered by a jacket.
For a more casual look go for the wrap over styles and halter necks as well as sarongs for the beach. Denim is best used especially for the deconstruction of garments into other patterns or for reversible wear. Customise the look by dying them or ironing on diamante stickers or embroidered motifs.
SEE ALSO: Best Ways To Rock Palazzo Pants With Crop Tops.
4. Swap It! Or Donate It!
This challenge is best completed if you are not too concerned with hygiene issues or the value of the item concerned. If you did not manage to get rid of any clothes from the left pile by swapping or giving to a friend in tip 1), you can take it to more upmarket clothing exchange shops that buy and sell designer label clothes.
It could also be very humble to pay it forward and donate to charity so the same piece you enjoyed wearing can be enjoyed by someone else that is in dire need of clothes. Salvation Army shops are always open for that and sometimes there are containers at collection points where you can leave the clothes. If you decide to swap an item while in the process of donating, you might just end up with an item you really liked but could not afford before.
5. Care And Repair
The last hurdle to get over to ensure certain victory is to make sure the new wardrobe is put in order and clothes are folded with accessories in their place. Make sure you pick your work outfit the night before, to avoid dressing in a hurry and ending up with a chaotic wardrobe. Adhere to the washing instructions and separate dark from light colours and hand wash any delicate items or run them in the appropriate cycle. See to it that any damaged clothes that are worth repairing are mended, but only if you are not paying more for repairs than what the item cost.
If you have come this far and can safely say you have done all this then you have won the battle, but it is a struggle and it is easy to slip, so try to be consistent and remember always…..you are what
ALSO SEE: 7 Plus Size Bloggers Redefining Fashion For Plus Size Women.
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