Day 23: Find Clothes for Less
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This post is part of the 31 Days to Radically Reduce Your Expenses series. Visit this page for even more ways to slash costs and eliminate unnecessary spending!
I’m not a fashionista by any means, but just like hair, clothes can make or break my confidence. I don’t know about you, but I feel so much better when I’m wearing a cute outfit that flatters, rather than something that doesn’t fit or look right!
While I would love to splurge on a whole new wardrobe, the fact is, we don’t have extra money set aside to do so. Remember, how everything just keeps breaking around here? Plus, I’m super picky about not paying full price, and it takes a lot for me to find and exchange my cold hard cash for a new top. {I’m the girl that would much rather spend money on books!}
But I do need to add a few extra pieces to my closet, as the majority of my clothes are starting to completely wear out. Today’s post came at the perfect time, and next on the agenda is to plan a thrifty little shopping trip for myself. If you need a couple new outfits too, here are 6 ways to score them for much less!
How to Find Clothes for Less:
1. Mix and Match What You Already Have – It always surprises me how creative I can be with pieces I already have. It takes just a little effort, but I’ve found some favorite new outfits just by stepping outside my comfort zone and pairing items I never would have thought to pair before. Look at Pinterest fashion boards/outfits for inspiration {I know I need all the help I can get!}, and make sure to read Andrea Dekker’s post on how she created her new mix and match wardrobe. So so simple, but super cute!
2. Stick to the Clearance Rack – My mother taught me from an early age to walk straight back to the clearance section anytime we went shopping for new clothes. Her frugal practices stuck, and now, if I can’t find anything I like on clearance, I immediately move onto the next store. Sometimes its hard to pass up pieces I know and love, but I also know I would regret the price tag later!
3. Shop Thrift Stores and Consignment Shops – I never had much luck in any of the thrift stores in our NY neighborhood, and I think it’s what turned me off to used clothing in general. I’m just now starting to venture out into the shops in Florida, and am actually finding a few new things that I like! Thrift and consignment shopping take a bit of patience, so be sure to go when you have a few hours to really dig.
4. Buy Online – In just the past few years, buying used clothes online has become really popular. Sites like ThredUp offer services where you can both sell and buy your clothes straight from their website with huge discounts up to 90% off. I love the idea of buying “like new” clothes without ever leaving my house!
5. Use Coupons (and Coupon Codes) – Sites like RetailMeNot.com are a MUST to check for coupon codes before buying anything online, and sign up for your favorite retail store email lists to receive discount codes every month {especially around your birthday}. Sometimes, if you leave your online shopping cart full for a few days, the company will email you a coupon as an incentive to check out!
6. Host a Clothing Swap – I have never done a clothing swap before, but this is something I would love to do! So many times we just feel icky about our own clothes, even though they would look perfectly acceptable on someone else. Host a party with your friends, and ask them to bring along all the clothes they would like to get rid of. Provide snacks (of course) and start shopping swapping!
Today’s Challenge:
If you need a few new tees, jeans, skirts, or dresses, plan a trip to your local thrift store and browse there first. Choose colors that easily mix and match, and have fun planning a new wardrobe for less! Tell me all about your favorite places to shop for clothes in the comments below, or tweet @KalynBr00ke using the hashtag #ReduceYourExpenses!
{Go to day 24: Celebrate Birthdays on a Budget}
More Must-Reads:
- Classic Wardrobe Styling: 4 Looks to Inspire Your Look, and Save Your Wallet
- 6 Ways to Get Free (or Almost Free) Clothes {AD}
- 10 Smart Ways to Save on Clothing {LWSL}
Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.
Like so many cost savings schemes — “it depends”. Many areas outside of NYC (or other big urban areas) have loads of very good thrift stores (Goodwill, Salvation Army) AND they have 50% sales weekly. IF you (and your family) will tolerate used condition clothing, knowing someone else wore it — IF you are OK with stuff that is a bit (or a lot) out of style….plain styles….odd sizes or prints….off-brands — then you can find a lot of usable clothing VERY cheap. I mean, like jeans for $3 and sweatshirts for $2 and t-shirts for a buck.
Ditto for garage sales and church rummage sales. You can assemble a whole wardrobe for a baby (who doesn’t care what it wears) for a few dollars! But a teenage girl with her own taste — that’s a problem. If you or your spouse require stylish professional clothing or suits — that’s a problem.
For ME — it’s slashed my clothing budget (modest already) by 85%! I am perfectly happy with used plain blue jeans, cotton shirts, sweats and hoodies. I have no problem finding my husband good quality shirts, pullovers, jeans, khakis — all name brands — for $2-$4 each. This is a fraction of even the sale rack at Walmart.
There are a few things even I won’t do though — so consider that everyone needs socks, SHOES , underwear, bras and stuff that frankly is a little gross buying used. In that case, I look for the clearance racks and stuff that is marked down not just ONCE, but a couple of times — 75% at least.
I have found that buying online is not a bargain, because of the high cost of shipping today. Maybe would work for designer items, but not for basics.
Andrea is inspiring, isn’t she? I recently ordered from Twice and LOVED it! I lucked out and found a 50% off my first order on Twice’s Facebook page, so that really made my money go a long way.
She is very inspiring! Excited that you were happy with your purchase from Twice, and I loved your new wardrobe. Thanks for sharing!