Finding the perfect style to suit your everyday life can be difficult, especially when you need to save money. Whether you work in an office, as a shop assistant or are a student most people like to put a little effort into their daily outfits, with an increasing amount of cash being handed over to get the latest trends. However, it is likely that a new £50 sweater is made in the same factory that produces a £10 version. This does make you wonder if it is truly worth it to splash the cash on an item with a label. So, just what are the thrifty tricks to create the ultimate look without breaking the bank?
Accentuating accessories
Let us start with the basics. You only need a few items in your wardrobe to be able to create a variety of gorgeous looks. A white shirt, for example, can be styled from something plain to a head-turning top. The clue is to be creative with your accessories as they are a lot cheaper than clothes, so are ideal for being a thrifty fashionista. A leather belt and a chunky necklace go a long way with a white shirt to create a great multi-purpose look. It’s great as a working daytime look suit or could be made more casual with jeans and boots for a girls’ night out.
Selective shopping
Another factor to be considered on the journey to crafting a thrifty look is choosing where to shop. Charity shops and supermarket clothing isles can be a treasure trove of fashion goodness. You never know when you will find a bargain buy so keep on the lookout for when you’re getting your food shopping! I found a fantastic vintage section in my local charity shop and all of the items were priced at less-than high street prices. Plus the money goes to a good cause so that’s a great place to start when you’re looking for a few unique items to funk up your basics. Plenty of thrifty resale sites (such as Depop, Gumtree and Shpock) keep popping up on the web so browse these sites to find bargain fashion buys. 
Sewing Saves
Outside of clever shopping, you could go one step further and start to explore the world of sewing your own and fashion design. A few sheets of fabric are a lot cheaper than clothes and you can start off by sewing simple patterns onto T-shirts. Once you have practiced the technique, be adventurous and find out how to make dresses from scratch too. Following a pattern is a big help when you’re making an item of clothing from scratch, with the added bonus that you can get the perfect fit for you. And the sewing machine isn’t just for running up patterns; it can be used to adjust ill-fitting items you already own, or to add embellishment (such as ribbons or patches) to breathe new life into your favourite jeans or jumpers. Knowing how to shorten the hem of a skirt or take in a dress at the waist is a great help when you’re shopping secondhand or in charity shops, as you’ll feel confident that you can make something fit you perfectly, even if it isn’t quite right straight away.
It is vital that you feel completely comfortable with your fashion choices. You can craft yourself a thrifty little outfit, but it may not be right for your personality, so be careful. If you know your true self, there are plenty of saving opportunities and nifty tricks you can use to accentuate your style. Don’t be afraid to stick to your favourite colours or to follow the style associated with your birth sign. I’m a Sagittarius and a quick Google search unearthed some great tips about colours patterns and styles that are supposed to suit me best. For example, if you are a Scorpio woman, you can reveal your fiery character by hinting at the sensual side linked with you sign. Try to inject some dark reds into your wardrobe – this could just be a simple scarf or belt – or explore daring patterns like leopard print which oozes passion and can be bought cheaply as samples from fabric shops.
So you see, you don’t need to have a huge shopping budget to achieve your dream wardrobe! A bookmarks folder full of online thrift stores, a few sewing hacks and an in-depth knowledge of what suits you best will be all you need to create a look you love and a wardrobe that makes you feel confident – no matter how little you spend on it! Let me know your top tips for saving money on fashion my leaving me a comment below.
This blog post is an advertisement feature that has been written in collaboration with a sponsor. The pink links in this post indicate a sponsored link 🙂
