It’s early March, which means people already started looking for Spring’s trends and must-haves. Sadly, you are on a budget; spending money on clothing means starving for a whole week.
Do not panic; there are myriads (ok, a couple) of ways you can have a new wardrobe by next week, without spending a single penny. Recession does not have to prevent you from updating your style this spring, and here’s how:
Wardrobe Inspection
Get everything out of your closet, look at each item closely, put it on, check quality, fit, color(is it faded?), function and versatilit . If it’s a hopeless item toss it, no second thought, if you can somehow save it, put it aside. You need to be cruel and honest; if its an item you never worn-even when it was in fashion- you are not going to wear it three years later.
Swapping party with (stylish) friends
Gather the most stylish of your friends, ask them to bring over clothes they don’t like/wear/fit them. Have an afternoon dressing in each others’ clothes. Get those items you REALLY are going to wear. By the end of the day, you are most likely to have enriched your wardrobe by 5-8 items. Not bad, right?
Go on a discovery trip ..into your mum’s closet
Ask kindly, or sneak in one day, whatever works for you. Scavenge around her current and older wardrobe. She must possess clothes or accessories you can easily put in good use.
Steal your boyfriend’s shirts, belts and leather bags
Did you ever felt jealous of your boyfriend’s effortless style? Its time for revenge; from old t-shirts, baggy jeans and checked shirts, get as much as you can hold and run! Now you’ve got the perfect excuse for borrowing (let’s call it that) his leather office bag!
Imagination + Inspiration +Unforeseen Combinations!
By now, you will have about 20 newly found clothes and accessories. It’s time to experiment, laugh and create!
First, get clips from fashion magazines, websites and anything you find classy and tasteful. Then, start playing around combining old with new, formal with informal; androgynous with bohemian, anything goes.
The idea is discovering new combinations out of things you already have. You’d be surprised at how versatile clothes and styles can be. Do not be afraid to try seemingly ridiculous patterns, these are often the most stylish and inspired.
Lastly, if you hide a craft goddess inside of you, why not repurpose or tailor some items for better fit and for different occasions. It can’t be that hard transforming an Old t-shirt into a tank top, can it?
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