My Ten Tips for Being Fashionable on a Budget

courtesy of artcommentsDo you ever get jealous of some of the people you know, who never seem to wear the same outfit twice, or always have the latest styles hanging on the store rack?  You don't have to have a lot of money to be fashionable.  Twitter Moms has asked the bloggers in their community to share ten tips for being fashionable on a budget, and here are mine.

1.  Dress up some of the solid color clothes with fashion jewelry.  You can pick up pieces on sale, and then mix and match them for a new look every time, with minimum cash outlay.

2. Use coupons.  If you sign up for a store's e-mail list, you can often get coupons many times in the year just for being on it.  Use them.  You will be able to get the latest styles for $$ or % off.

3. Shop Online.  This works well for those who are a standard size.  If you don't need to try clothes on, you can get super good deals by shopping online.

4. Need to indulge a shopping pleasure but don't have a lot of money?  Lucky for you, colorful socks and tights are in.  Make a statement for under $10.

5. Shoes.  You wear them all year round, and feet don't generally grow.  Scour those sale racks at the end of the season and pick up boots or womens sandals for the next year for pennies on the dollar.

6. Go to the Thrift Store.  If you've never done this before, you might be surprised.  Many pieces still have tags on them, and you can score designer labels for just a couple of bucks.  For the cost of a dry clean, you may pick up a classic piece for as much as 90% off or more.

7. Have a few pairs of classic pants (black tailored ones, jeans) and then pair them with this seasons shirts.  Shirts are generally cheaper than pants and you can afford all the latest ones if you aren't buying pants each season.

8. Take the latest pictures from your magazines to your Target, Wal-mart or K-mart.  You will likely find similar pieces that the celebrities are wearing for less than $20.00.  Hollywood look for the budget conscious.

9. Establish a Budget for clothing.  If you really want to wear the designer labels, and don't have outlet shops near you, make your self a monthly budget for clothing.  Decide how much you can afford to spend and stick to it.  If you decide you can spend $100 a month on clothing, but those designer jeans are $175, wait till next month to buy them, and then get a $25 shirt to go with them.

10. Want those stylish jeans that are in season this year, but don't know if they will be next year?  Get a cheaper pair and decorate, rip or bleach them yourself.  Then when they aren't fashionable any more, you won't be kicking yourself for spending so much money on them.