If you’re fashion conscious, chances are that you want to keep updating your wardrobe according to the latest trends. With fashion trends changing in a flash, this habit can get quite expensive not to mention unsustainable. What’ll happen if you want to save money for a trip or for a new apartment? Instead of wasting a whole wad of bills on a new wardrobe, you can start spending more wisely on your clothes. This doesn’t mean you’ll have to sacrifice your personal style. It just means that you will make good investments on versatile wardrobe pieces. Take a look at some tips to help you stay in trend while living on a shoestring budget:

Shop from a thrift store.

A lot of people avoid thrift stores mainly because they don’t like the thought of wearing secondhand clothing. The truth is that you can find a lot of gently worn items and sometimes even brand new pieces at the fraction of a cost. Just as long as you have the patience to check out the racks at a thrift store, you might be able to chance upon valuable finds. Thrift stores can also be the best location for finding outfits you’re only going to wear once, such as a Halloween costume.

In fact, you might even be able to find vintage wardrobe staples and statement pieces. Designers often mimic the trends of decades past, so there’s a good chance of you finding something that looks trendy today. Sometimes you might even find designer pieces normally priced at $80 for just $5. People donate their barely worn brand name clothes because they want to make space for more items. You might just get lucky and chance upon these items.

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Thrift stores are the best place to buy basic items like blouses, tees, and shirts. As you’ll be replacing these items often, you’ll need to spend as little as possible on them. Otherwise, you could also buy statement pieces you can base your entire wardrobe around. A faux leopard coat, for instance, could be a great thrift store find.

Spend on investment pieces.

The most basic budget styling rule is to invest in basics. Take inspiration from the latest trends and find something worthy of buying. An investment piece is something you’ll be wearing often and can handle regular wear. Coats, jackets, pants, shoes, and bags are some of the pieces you can invest in. Whenever buying an investment piece, think of the long term and whether the item will still look trendy a year from now.

Instead of buying a piece that is way too trendy, opt for classics. Think classic pumps in suede or leather for shoes. As for bags, opt for something without too many embellishments or hardware as it may be difficult to maintain their quality and style quotient a few years down the line. The Hermes Kelly bag is an example of a handbag classic. But it’s way too expensive for a lot of people to afford, so get a similar design from a high street brand.

Stock up on costume jewelry.

It’s the accessories you wear that transform your entire look. From a basic pair of jeans and tee ensemble to a minimal cocktail dress, you can use accessories to create different outfits. Start collecting inexpensive costume jewelry that can create distinctive looks and add some flair to a boring outfit. It’s much more affordable to buy cheap but trendy jewelry than it is to buy a new dress. So make the most of them.

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You can wear the same dress but make it look completely different using the right accessories. For instance, wear a classic black slip dress with white kicks and a lightweight denim shirt for casual daywear. You could keep the accessories minimal in this case with just a watch. You can wear a belt with the slip dress and throw on a pair of strappy stilettos. All you’ll need is a pair of dangle earrings and a cuff bangle to accessorize this look. You could also replace the accessories with a statement necklace to create a completely different outfit.

Replace old hardware.

A lot of your wardrobe items can look more upscale with a simple touch-up. Think about that old coat that’s been hanging in your closet since you don’t remember when. Replace the old plastic buttons with cool ones like metallic or brass. This can easily make the coat look more expensive than it really is. You can do the same with thrift store items, so don’t hesitate to grab pieces if you see their potential.

Maybe you have a coat or dress that comes with its own sash. Replace the sash with a trendy belt to give the outfit a new look. You’d be surprised at the difference one belt can make. Similarly, just try swapping out the embellishments of any wardrobe item that needs a new look. Take your shoes to the cobbler and get the heels repaired, for instance.

There’s no need to spend your entire paycheck on clothes and accessories. Use the style tips here, so you can have a little extra to save for a vacation. If you do decide to buy the latest trends, try sticking to pieces that you can style multiple ways to create fresh new looks.

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