How To Dress Well for Less

Looking good doesn’t have to break the bank. Why do some people always look like they’ve stepped straight off a catwalk? And how do you achieve that “perfectly put together” look? The answer isn’t necessarily to spend a lot of cash – in fact, there are plenty of celebrities out there who prove that having a lot of money doesn’t translate to dressing well. Sometimes quite the opposite… We've all seen the celebrity in head-to-toe designer brands looking terrible, which just proves you don't have to be rich (or rely on expensive credit cards or a personal loan) to look fantastic. If you want to dress well for less then there are a few key lessons to learn. Dress your body as it is Understanding your own body shape is the key to making smart fashion purchases. We waste so much money on clothes bought without any real thought given to how it will look on us, as opposed to the model or in the store. Getting to know what suits your body – right now, without diets or wishful thinking – will enable you to dress well and spend less. Get the right size, whatever that size may be. You don’t have to wear what “flatters” you (focus on what feels good instead) but if you’re making choices informed by real life then you’re not going to waste money. Look for out of season bargains Bikinis in December, knits in June, strappy sandals in January – if you’re looking for the items that no one else is focused on then you’re going to find some great bargains. Constant sales mean retailers are always keen to shift seasonal stock when it’s not at the top of consumer’s buy lists and this is the ideal time to pick up pricey pieces for less because the discounts are high. Look after what you have Avoid wasting cash by taking care of the clothes you already own and saving your money for new, as opposed to replacement, items. From mending hems to dry cleaning your knitwear you can make your investment pieces go much further if you look after them properly. Buy outfits rather than items Dressing well depends on being able to put together multiple looks from your closet without spending a lot. To do that you need consistency of purchasing i.e. making choices based on whether they create an outfit, as opposed to just buying something in isolation. The simplest way to do this is to find your colours and stick to them. If you know that hot pink, grey and mustard yellow work for you then buy items that will complement those shades and you’ll always be able to put something together. Browse before you buy There are so many different ways to buy fashion today, from online auction sites to high street retailers. Take your time to browse before you buy and you might be able to find items much cheaper elsewhere. Buy less and buy quality Disposable, fast fashion has encouraged us all to think we constantly need to be buying more. However, if you want to dress well for less then the opposite is true. Instead of constantly buying new, cheaper pieces save your money and buy one investment piece that has the quality to make it timeless. As Vivienne Westwood said "Buy less, choose well, make it last."