As much as we might love a wardrobe full of designer clothing and shoes that would make even Carrie Bradshaw envious, for many of us, it isn’t going to be in our budget. With many high street stores taking on designer trends, you can look stylish for less. The key is choosing the right thing when it comes to cheaper clothes and making a few adjustments if needed. So here are a few tips to get a designer looking wardrobe for less.
Take It To A Tailor
This isn’t talking about a full tailored suit or getting something tailor made. But the most inexpensive of things can be made to look better when it is made to fit you better. A cheap ten dollar skirt can look better than a four hundred dollar one if it is made to fit you well. So for some items that you have, it is a good idea to take them to a tailor and have them adjusted. This isn’t necessary for every item of clothing, of course. So have a think about what will look best tailored.
Swap Buttons
If you have bought a cardigan or a shirt quite cheaply, then the chances of it having some cheap and nasty looking buttons is going to be quite high. So if you want to make things look more expensive, then simply replace them. A more expensive looking material, like metal, mother of pearl or bone, can make the item of clothing look like it cost a lot more. And for the cost of a few small buttons, it is going to be worth it. Look online for some cute stores for buttons, like on Etsy.com, or even look for some vintage ones from old clothing that you no longer need. You’ll be surprised just how much of a difference it makes.
Don’t Wear Damaged Items
If you have an item of clothing, like a white shirt or a silk slip dress, and it gets a stain, you need to see about getting rid of the stain completely before wearing. If you have removed most of the stain but not all of it, then it can instantly make your outfit look cheap and nasty. So look out for little snags or stains, and if they can’t be fixed, upcycle them, sell them or give them away.
Shop With Coupons
If you want to save money when you shop for your clothes, then it makes sense to pay as little as you can for them, right? So don’t buy a piece of clothing before checking what money you can get off it. Look for coupons on sites like DontPayFull.com, and you could make some good savings. Often, shopping online has more offers than going into a store, as they offer money off for first purchases, for example. You can also look at cashback websites to get some money back from your purchase, meaning paying less in the long term. Really worth doing.
Think About Materials
There are just some materials that look at lot cheaper than others. So just be smart when you choose to shop for cheaper items. Materials like polyester can look a lot cheaper than cotton or linen materials, for example. For things like shoes, you need to be wary of cheap looking faux-suede. Sometimes it can look quite nasty, especially compared to faux-leather. Nowadays, the latter can actually look quite convincing. So do be wary of what material you choose if you want it to look luxurious.
Choose Classic Pieces
If you want to look good in what you wear, then it is a good idea to choose classic pieces. It can be hard to make a crisp white shirt and some dark denim jeans look cheap. Compare that to a floaty top and some lighter distressed jeans, and the quality can vary quite widely. So do be aware of the pieces that you choose. Colours can also play a big part. Is a gray peacoat going to look more luxurious than a yellow one, for example? Again, choose classics that will go more, and it will look better. It is all about creating a capsule wardrobe!
One last point is that you should only wash your clothing when you really need to. When you overwash cheaper materials, they can become quite bobbly, and that can instantly make them look cheaper. So if you have cheaper materials, then only wash them when they really need to be washed. Don’t just wash them after one use, unless they need it.
feature photo by Maurice Malbrunot on flickr
