paNASH Style tip: How do you update your wardrobe with little to no money?

Some of the tips I am going to be sharing in the upcoming weeks will be those that I hope you will find helpful in dealing with the current economic situation. These tips will include money-saving tips to update your wardrobe, tips in conducting a job search if you have been laid off, and more. I encourage you to share some of your own tips that you have found useful by adding your comments here.

Lori

The first step in updating your image is to start in your own closet. First, go through and get rid of items that are outdated, stained, damaged beyond repair, and no longer fit (make sure you don’t just throw these items in the trash; take them to your local clothing donation center). Next, before getting rid of items that you haven’t worn in more than a year (especially those items that still have tags on them) you need to start putting together new outfits with what’s left in your closet. It is this part of the closet clean-out where most people need assistance because they don’t realize all the possible combinations that are lying dormant in their closets.

One of my favorite things in my career as an image consultant is helping my clients save money by creating new outfits from their current wardrobe. This is done by pairing separates, jackets, shoes, and accessories together that clients would have never thought they could put together. Those items that have been sitting in your closet with the tags still them will finally find their place in the rest of your wardrobe. “Shopping” in your own closet is one of several ways to get more bang for your buck. You will have several new outfits without ever spending a dime!

Starting in your closet can also help you save money when you head out to department stores and boutiques. By starting in your closet, you can determine what you really need and make a list of the necessary items missing from your current wardrobe. Having a list in hand when heading to the stores will prevent you from making impulse purchases on items you don’t need.

Please share:
- What are some things you are currently doing to make your wardrobe stretch further during these tough times?

-What’s been one of the best bargains you’ve found? (I once found a $500 Tahari jacket for $35 and a pair of $215 Deener jeans for $5! And yes, they were brand new, never been worn.)