Fall is truly in the air and here to stay. The colorful trees mean that it is time for us to start pulling out the long sleeves, sweaters, and coats. It can also mean that you may need to replace some clothing. Here are 10 hints to updating your wardrobe on a budget.
1. Go ahead and sort your summer clothes. Eliminate anything that no longer fits, is too worn to continue using, or you no longer want. Donate whatever is usable to a local charity like Salvation Army or Goodwill. Have a garage sale to make some money. Sell your nicest things at a consignment store. And throw out what is no longer usable.
2. Find anything that has spots and remove them. I have found that OxiClean works great for anything my regular detergent isn’t removing. This will help lengthen the life of your clothes.
3. Watch for sales for clothes going out of season. You can find summer clothes this time of year on clearance and a great bargain. Look for winter clothes come spring.
4. Then hit the thrift store. It is amazing what you can find there. My mom has gotten a Christopher and Banks jumper at our favorite one for $5 whereas you would pay $40 at their store in the mall, and it was in brand new condition. Talk about savings.
5. Don’t forget about the consignment stores. While they are more expensive than the thrift store, they are less expensive than regular price.[ad#In-Post Links]
6. Check out garage sales especially in the upper scale neighborhoods! It is amazing what people decide to sell especially if they have “plenty of money.”
7. Have a clothes swap with your friends. You each bring a dish for a potluck along with clothes to trade. Try them on and see what fits. Each of person walks away with new to you clothes. You can even throw in a modeling show of your new finds!
8. Go with the basics. Watch for sales and get your basic tops, jackets, pants, and skirts in primary colors that you can mix and match. This allows you to create multiple outfits out of the same clothes.
9. Accessorize to change the same outfit from casual to business to dressy.
10. Marry a rich man! Okay this was the punch line… I had surveyed my cake decorating class of ladies for their input, and this was our comic tenth one. The real 10th one is use coupons. Get on your favorite stores mailing list both snail mail and email and make use of the coupons when shopping.
As you can see, the key is to be wise in making your decisions and watch for sales and other bargains. If you do so, you can have a beautiful wardrobe without breaking the bank!
About Jocelin Boutet