Let’s talk! When I was in middle school I realized that I didn’t have a ton of clothes like a lot of my friends. I’ve always been into fashion since I was about twelve, however, in middle school was when I began to compare myself to my peers. What I noticed was that they were more stylish than despite the fact that I loved fashion. During that stage, I had no idea that I was being prepared for my 27-year-old self where I would be a digital stylist helping women not only shop effectively but maximize items that they already owned. In middle school I had a capsule wardrobe, however, I did not know that this was an actual term. I just thought that I needed more clothes so I can show everyone else how much style I truly had. I would spend the weekend with my mom and grandma at thrift stores. It was then my mom taught me that it’s not necessarily about where you buy the items that make you stylish but how you style them. This is where my love for thrift shopping came in.
I begin to maximize what little clothes I had creating multiple outfits that in my opinion were kind of cool. I learned early on that you can dress stylish regardless of the amount of money you have it’s all about being creative and resourceful. With social media and the internet being one of the best places to grab inspiration from, it can also cause us to covet a certain lifestyle that is beyond our means.
Today I wanted to share some ways you can dress the way you want without a ton of money. So let’s start with thrift shopping, shall we?
Thrift Shop Like a Boss
If you are into being more kind to the earth and big on recycling then thrift shopping is a great starting point. With so many sustainable friendly clothing brands we know that most of those brands have a higher price point. Which is what makes fast fashion so accessible. Please keep in mind that I am not anti-fast fashion. In fact, a good chunk of my clothing comes from fast fashion brands, discounted retailers and thrift stores. I shop in moderation meaning I will go on a huge shopping trip at the beginning of every season as I find this method to be much more cost effective for me.
I say shop within your means but in moderation. Sometimes we can over consume things that we may never use or wear. Which is a totally different post and I’ve talked about this in the Purposefully Styled Challenge you can check it out here.
With thrift shopping, you really have to be patient and understand that certain times of the day and certain days of the week are the perfect time to thrift. Which is why I recommend certain strategies.
Strategy #1
Always have an idea of what you are shopping for, you need a plan! It’s so easy to get lost in the thrift stores, especially if you have never been before. You may not know where to look or be overwhelmed by all of the stuff. So before I go thrifting I like to search and pretend shop on some of my favorite retailer's sites. I will find items that I love that are trending and either add those to a moodboard, make a mental note of it, or create a shopping list. Another thing that I recommend is to shop through your closet first. Find items that you have not worn in a while, at all or would like to wear again soon.
Figure out ways you can style each of those pieces and make a note of things you need to purchase while shopping. This method could work in any store, not just thrift shopping.
Strategy #2
Maybe you are not one to shop and you just need an easy way to help you put outfits together! I do recommend searching for similar items that you already own and head over to different retailer websites to see how they styled those items. The best part about this is that most websites focus on that specific piece so you won't be overwhelmed by other things. Searching for inspiration on Pinterest is a great start but it can also lead to you feeling overwhelmed and back at square one.
Strategy # 3
Invest in a style guide ebook. Style guides ebooks are often hard to come across and you won’t find them on Amazon. I recently launched 90 Days Of Chic * Summer Edition* which shows you how to actually maximize your wardrobe without breaking the bank. 90 Days of Chic follows the capsule wardrobe method, except I show you how to incorporate statement pieces with your basic items. Imagine waking up not knowing what to wear for the day and having an easy guide that shows you how to style a basic t-shirt, maxi skirt or even loungewear?
90 Days of chic solves this problem for you and will show you how to get the most out of your seasonal wardrobe without spending extra money on clothes that you may never wear.
