Ways to Update Your Wardrobe on a Budget
With money becoming scarcer and social distancing keeping people inside, the idea of updating a wardrobe can seem like a task for another day. However, looking good on the outside has never been more important to feeling good on the inside. Your style doesn’t have to take the hit just because you’re budgeting now—it just means you need to be a little more creative with what you do have. Here we’ll look at a few ways to update your wardrobe on a budget.
Know Your Closet
The first thing you’ll need to do is inspect your collection of clothing and understand what you already have. Plenty of us have clothes in the back of our closets collecting dust, and those very clothes could be the next key piece of an outfit. Make sure that none of your clothes have imperfections that you can easily fix yourself. Try on pieces you haven’t worn in a while to make sure that they fit, and don’t be afraid to get rid of pieces you know you’ll no longer wear. Selling these extra items can help supplement any new pieces of clothing you need after going through all your outfits.
Stay on Task While Shopping
Once you’ve gone through everything in your closet, you should have a good idea of what you actually need. Make a list of the items you know you’ll need to shop for, and stick to that list as much as possible—don’t get distracted by everything else. Try to stick to buying seasonal items while they are out-of-season and cheaper. Consider the clothes you do have while you’re shopping, and don’t buy a new expensive jacket or pair of shoes if you have nothing to wear with them. Keep layering in mind when you buy pieces that you’ll pair with the clothes you have at home.
Focus on Key Pieces
Updating your wardrobe doesn’t mean starting from scratch. When buying new clothes, try to stick to pieces that make a statement and are the focus of the outfit. This way, you can use items you already have to build new outfits around these key new pieces. These items can be as extravagant or as subdued as you like, but it will be easier to dress around something more neutral in style and color.
Don’t Be Afraid of Second-Hand
Thrift stores get a bad reputation a lot of the time, but they can be a huge boon to your wardrobe. Not only will the clothes you find be much cheaper than retail items, but sometimes you’ll find vintage items and designer clothes for way less than they would be somewhere else. Thrift stores have extremely eclectic mixes of clothes, so make them a regular destination when you are looking for something new to spice up your looks.
These methods of updating your wardrobe on a budget will have you looking your best while keeping your pockets full.