Guest Post: 10 Frugal Fashion Tips and Tricks

Today's post is brought to you by Valerie from Fast Frugal Fashion and it is full of great tips to help you with fashion on budget. When I have to do more clothes shopping, hopefully not for a while, these tips will come in handy! :)

Hi there! I’m Val from Fast Frugal Fashion and I’d like to pass along some frugal fashion tips and tricks that I’ve picked up over the years. Here we go!

1. Have one purse for Fall/Winter and one purse for Spring/ Summer, that way you only have to change over purses two times per year. Know yourself as far as features you want: size, zip/snap, strap length, & what kind of inside pockets you like and stick to those traits on any purse purchase. This keeps you from making impulse buys.
2. Invest is good quality, washable, solid colored separates that are easily mixed and matched. I find JC Penneys, Old Navy, Kohls, H&M, and Cato are good sources.
3. Know your Big 3 – 5. Ask yourself which stores you’ve had the best luck in over the past year and stick to those main vendors. They need to be on your beaten path. Mine are: Kohls, Old Navy, Walmart, Karma Resale Shop, and Cato. I do make a special trip once every quarter to H&M/JC Penneys. To save time, consider doing some advanced scouting online as most of these stores have websites. When you see something you love online, you can then zero in on those certain items when visiting the store and less time is wasted.
4. Don’t be shy – if you see a woman whose sense of fashion you admire, ask her where she got that particular piece, or a more general question might be “What’s you go to source for work clothes?” She may have a favorite store that you’ve never tried before that could become one of your favorites.
5. Keep a list of pieces you are thinking of acquiring - on a post it note at eye level next to your closet. The mere act of writing it down turns your brain into a heat-seeking missile and soon enough you will find what you need at the right price.
6. It’s OK to splurge occasionally - such as this time when I actually spent three digits on this purse. I typically like to spend less than $50 (hopefully $25 or less) on any given piece, but sometimes it worth it to go to three digits such as on a designer purse, a business suit, or a pair of real leather riding boots. (Items you know you will wear/use again and again and that will last at least a decade.)
7. Know what looks good on you - in terms of color, cut, solid vs. patterned. Back in the 1980’s there was a concept known as “Color Me Beautiful” in which you were rated as a “Spring”, “Summer”, “Fall”, or “Winter” depending on your hair color and skin tone. Find out what season you are! This will keep you from wasting money on clothes that don’t flatter your coloring.
8. It’s OK to buy placeholders. In my particular situation, I really wanted to buy some riding boots but didn’t want to go 3 digits on them. I found an imitation leather pair at Kohls and I really do wear them quite a bit. Now I can set a savings goal and then buy a real leather pair this fall.
9. Be sure to check the clearance rack at every store you go into. To limit impulse buys, keep in mind the post-it note you have posted by your closet door and what colors/cut look good on you.
10. Make the leap from Goodwill to a resale shop.  I used to go to thrift shops exclusively but once I discovered resale shops/clothing exchanges I was hooked. While you will pay more per piece at resale shops, I find it less overwhelming than thrift stores. Therefore I can whiz in for a quick 20-30 minute look-see and usually strike gold. As a busy mom of two I don’t have as much time to shop as I used to.

It is my belief that how we look on the outside affects how we feel about ourselves on the inside. Looking good makes us feel good! I hope these tips and tricks are helpful to you in your fashion journey.  Remember, you’re beautiful!

Note: If you are interested in guest-posting at Shoeaholicnomore, email me at shoeaholicnomore[at]gmail[dot]com!