Look Great on a Budget
Yes, Clinique and Calvin Klein are great...if you have money. For the rest of us, off-brand products will have to do. The good news is that they can make you look great if you know what to buy and where to buy it.
Steps
- Ignore trends. They change almost by the hour so it will be costly. Instead, focus on defining your own individual style. Being unique is hotter than being a carbon copy of a fashion magazine.
- Only wear what looks good on you - if you're long-waisted with a soft tummy, don't wear low-waisted pants. Instead, go for a pencil skirt - classic, and thus always in fashion, plus (bonus!) you get the illusion of a perfectly proportioned figure. A mix of trendy pieces and classics always looks classier and more elegant than an entire wardrobe of fashion-magazine items.
- Go to the drugstore for beauty and hygiene products. The options there are greater than that of most supermarkets, and cheaper than that of most specialty stores.
- Be thrifty with hair products. If you must splurge, do so on conditioner. Never use any more shampoo or conditioner than a dime-sized amount unless you have long hair. And be sure to also cut off split ends.
- Check out thrift stores. They can be a huge, mostly untapped resource. Go to ones in college towns where young people move often and may get rid of clothing only a year or two old. Also look for outlet stores. Again, even though the clothing is cheap, look for things that look great on you, not just things that "fit ok."
- Buy the basic things. Get some basic items like white t-shirts, skinny jeans, things that you can pair with other accessories and clothes to make them seem new and different every time you wear them. Don't buy a shirt if it only goes with one outfit.
- Be creative: altering and mending old clothes/clothes from the thrift store can be great fun. Check out the section here at wikiHow.
- Don't go for the super-expensive jeans. Others will never see a difference between a $25 pair and a $125 pair. However, be aware that sometimes you do get what you pay for: at least some of the price of designer jeans reflects the quality of the cut, the stitching and the fabric.
- Invest in good timeless pieces: splurging on your favorite jeans or boots can be an investment for years.
- Don't worry about where you shop - the important thing is whether the item fits, is flattering and a good color. Even low-priced bargain stores (even Walmart!) can accidentally make something good, so always have an eye out.
- Shop for off-season clothing. Look for end of the season clearance sales. Also look for before and after Christmas sales but be aware that, even at a deep discount, some clothes may not be worth the price. Know ahead of time how much you intend to spend on something and try to stick with it.
- Look for versatility. For example, look for a button down shirt that looks good open over a t-shirt or buttoned under a sweater. Extra points if it also looks good tucked into dress pants or a skirt for fancy occasions!
- Make sure your new clothes are machine washable. Trips to the dry-cleaners can eat up money for gas and service, and no one likes doing their laundry by hand.
- Go to a discount chain for your trendy shoes - you can get cheap, fun stuff there, because you don't need it to last more than a season or two. But for basics you'll wear every season (basic pumps, black boots that you can wear and look good in the winter, simple strappy sandals), buy good-to-excellent models that are seriously comfortable, in real leather rather than fake, and buy the oils and polishes too so you can keep them in good condition. Try remnant department stores like TJ Maxx for good-quality shoes at discount prices.
- Stick with the basics for makeup: mascara, lip gloss, blush, concealer, and maybe some liner and shadow. Especially if you have problems with acne or dry skin, a good-quality foundation for sensitive skin (applied with a very light hand on the sponge) is a worthy place to splurge, and really contributes to a polished look. Bad foundation makes the prettiest woman look trashy and tired, and good foundation lifts your whole look.
- Use men's shaving cream. It's much cheaper than women's lotion and gels. Shaving with shampoo or conditioner also does the trick.
- Have a black, a brown, and some summery shade (white is classic, but a pale gray or a subtle metallic can actually be more versatile) of purse - they don't need to match your shoes.
Tips
- Consider forgoing a gym membership and work out at home instead. Unless you're very serious, some dumbbells, exercise instructions off the internet, and a jog around the block are just as good.
- Try not to buy clothing unless you actually need it. Just because something is on sale doesn't mean you're saving money unless you would have bought it anyway.
- Use what you already have. A $7 bottle of shampoo is cheaper than a $3 bottle of shampoo, if you already own it.
- Buy what's on sale (Only if you need it). Variety is the spice of life.
- As terrible as Goodwill and the Salvation Army are made out to be, they are a terrific places for cheaper clothing, even compared to thrift stores.
- If you can sew (and even if you can't) don't be afraid to alter clothing. If you have an old pair of jeans that are beat up on the bottom but the waist still fits then rip out the inseam and make a mini skirt. Got a pair of pants that are too long? Hem them yourself. If you can't sew use those iron on strips or (for a temporary fix) use duct tape to tape them up on the inside. Also, try rolling then up so that the cuff is on the inside.
- Search the web to find out what products are available. Just because it's not heavily advertised doesn't mean it's not good.
- At thrift stores, if the purse you HAVE TO HAVE is there, but it has a rip in it, offer a lower price on it. Generally, they'll let you have it to make you happy, so you'll come back, or even just to make the sale. Most clothing is slightly marked up from value, even at thrift stores. Don't be afraid to bargain.
- Download beauty apps and tutorials for only a dollar or two for an affordable way to get instructions on how to look hot.
- Don't forget about your friends! You can borrow, use, and swap their clothes.
- Remember, it doesn't matter how expensive an item is if you wear it a lot and it's expensive then it was worth your money.
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