(I’m reposting this guy from August of last year due to a flurry of recent budget-conscious reader e-mails … hope some of these tips will help anyone in a similar bind!)
A lovely anonymous commenter popped this doozy into the suggestion box:
I’m not sure if you’ve covered this before, but maybe a post or two about how to revamp your style *without* shopping. Using what you already have. I feel like my clothes are frumpy and unflattering sometimes, but I don’t have the cash to add new pieces right now. What can I do??
Now you might think that a self-confessed shopoholic such as myself would balk at such a question. But no! I LOVE it! Because there are a billion ways to retool your look without ever spending a dime, and I implement my favorites whenever I get bored with what I’ve got. So let me get the ball rolling, and then turn the mic over to you lovlies for a few more cheapie ways to up your style without emptying your wallet.
Create Thematic Groups
We tend to parse our clothing very rigidly. This skirt goes with THAT top. Those shoes can only be worn with THESE pants. And yet, who makes those rules? Who’s to say that our clothes can’t bust out of their prescribed cliques and make friends with items from other parts of the wardrobe? To facilitate this cross-pollination, create some capsules. Color and era are both great jumping-off points.
Pull out all of your green garments and accessories. Create a green monochrome look, some analagous looks utilizing blue-greens and teals and purples, try putting green with an unexpected neutral like white or navy.
Pull out all of your 80s-reminiscent items. Take your neons and pyramid studs, your cropped tees and jelly shoes and construct outfits around them. Use only one retro item per outfit, and make sure to utilize clean, classic, era-less basics as the building blocks.
Explore Belting Alternatives
I know that belting isn’t for everyone, but still believe it to be one of the most effective weapons in the Fight Against Frump. And belting a dress or tunic or button-down can completely transform your entire look. If you don’t have an arsenal of awesome belts at your disposal already, see about utilizing any leftover cloth/grossgrain ribbons from old gift packaging. Nothing is more J.Crew than a ribbon belt! Long necklaces can work, too: Just find something to clasp them shut like a complementary brooch. And, of course, scarves make wonderful belts … especially if you’re a little squishy around the middle and find that structured belts just reconfigure your middle-flab. For tips on HOW to belt, review Audi’s fantastic guest post!
Raid a Friend or Family Member’s Wardrobe
Moms and sisters who wear roughly your size are ideal. Friends and roomies, too. But really any lady you love is likely to lend a few key pieces. And if you’re the lone petite or plus in your family or social circle, hit folks up for accessories. Boyfriends and husbands can help in this department, too: Discarded neckties can make funky belts, old dress shirts can be cinched into tunics, and oversized cardis are all the rage now. Yes, you’ll have to return these items eventually, but they’ll tide you over until the cash starts flowing again.
Hack
Unless you’ve got sewing skillz, alterations cost money. But taking the scissors to old, unflattering garments is TOTALLY FREE. Obviously, this is not gonna work for your spendy work slacks or frilly silk blouses, but it’s ideal for frumpy skirts that hit at the ankle, boxy tees that no longer flatter, and dresses crafted from gorgeous fabric in styles that simply don’t suit. Hack the skirt off at the knee, throw it in the wash, and you’ve got a darling, frayed-hem cutie. (Works best with twill, corduroy, and denim.) Transform that outdated tee into a funky, 80s-inspired layering piece. Slice up that dress into long strips or large squares and you’ve just created some brand new scarves.
These are just a few ways to reinvigorate your look without decimating your savings. Anyone else care to chime in with a cheap-as-free wardrobe revamp method?
Image courtesy jek in the box.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
great ideas all! don't forget this one: find some outfits you like online or in mags, etc. and 'shop your closet' to duplicate the look/feel.
i've been sewing the last 35 years – you'd be amazed the things you can do with minimal sewing skills. so don't overlook taking an intro sewing class!! they are often offered through adult schools at low prices. Have Fun!!!
Great post. I would add clothes swapping with friends and any clothes exchange places where you can get new stuff for free. It's the basis of my whole wardrobe and good for the environment too.
Good ideas! Also, if cutting a garment makes it more flattering but you don't have the time to sew a new hem but like a finished look, stitch witchery or other heat activated hem tape is really easy to use! When I need a little inspiration, I watch movies with beautiful costumes. -Even if they aren't practical for my life, I am bound to see something that sparks an idea, be it a color combo or a hairstyle, etc. that I can pull together from my own closet.
These are some good ideas for those times we want a wardrobe pick-me-up but lack the cash. I especially like the idea of pulling out your things and regrouping by color, or whatever else takes your fancy, just rethinking how ones items go together.
I love the hack suggestion!! I do this ALL of the time! haha! I am so terrible at alterations, so I just cut everything up. Sometimes it works for me, sometimes it doesn't!
I suck at the belting potentials part. I have to seriously consider that.
If you tend to wear the same couple staples everyweek, it really helps to choose the craziest thing you own, and style it as many ways as you can in a week. I reach for my purple tights all the time now, even though I initially thought they were a "bad buy".
Sal,
This topic = more of the reasons WHY we love you!
My stuff (forever) was pretty minimalistic, good quality, classy but predictable
Then, I gained LOTS of weight. Fast forward 9 years, I lost ALL the weight!!! My body may still not be flawless, but it is perfect for me, and I'm so grateful.
Today, I'm finding my "all-black-cammo" garb worn since I was 12 years old (long, long time ago) simply isn't cutting it anymore. My spirit has been increasingly soaring with a desire to add colors of earth and skies. Slowly, I'm changing things up. It's scary and exciting to reinvent oneself. . . but I'm up for it.
Yours and Audi's site have reminded me to apply my art appreciation in how I adorn my body. And how I love that layering option, particularly during the winter season! What is most evident is that I no longer feel I'm discounting myself, no longer trying to make my body become invisible and just blend.
No need to toss everything at once. As I phase out wearing so much black, I get to play with remixing! Wearing a beloved silk scarf in new ways = what used to frame my neck can now also stand in as an awesome "belt" for a simple cotton tank dress. And don't get me started on tank dresses. Again, you and Audi have TOTALLY revamped my thinking and options there too.
Thanks Sal!
I loved the link on belts and how to accessorize with belts and belt-like objects. Up until reading that, I would never have thought I could get away with wearing one.
Something else that works for me when it comes to wardrobe revamps are hats. I usually invest in new ones, but I'm not adverse to thrifting or making my own. Mostly I'm forced to buy new because hat wearers tend to hold on to their chapeaus.
There is just one caveat. Hats are like other pieces of clothing. They have to fit and flatter to look good. You can't just jam something on your head and go.
I thought it was eye opening the first time I read it and can only say the same again