How to Look Fabulous while Being Frugal
Think you need to spend a lot of money to look good? Think again! It’s entirely possible to look fabulous while being frugal. Here are some tips on how you can look great without breaking the bank.
Go Shopping…in Your Closet
If you’re like a lot of people, you probably have stuff hidden in your closet and bureau that you forgot you had. Go shopping – pull everything out and take a look. Include shoes (even those dusty ones from the back of the closet). Put together outfits by creating new combinations.
For example, if you have a skirt and top outfit but the top is stained or damaged, look for another one that works with the skirt. Twin sets are another place to look – maybe the cardigan or top is too worn to wear, but you can take one or the other and put together another set. It won’t be monochrome, but it will be uniquely fabulous!
Clean It Up
Remember those dusty shoes we mentioned? Go ahead and pull them out, along with stained clothes. Give shoes and clothing a second chance. Treat clothing stains with a commercial, oxygen-based treatment and run them through the washing machine.
Shoe stains can often be lifted with store-bought cleaners or baking soda and a brush (baking soda helps odor, too). Use shoe polish on leather shoes. Suede shoes can be brushed with a stiff brush. Water stains, ironically, can be washed out with water. Brush on the water in a thin coat, paying special attention to the edges of the water stains, and allow to dry.
Give clothing a new life with ironing and stitching up small rips and tears. If you can’t do that, look into iron-on patches.
The point is to take a little time and clean up your clothes rather than just giving them away and buying new ones.
Don’t Shun Used
Some people get all kinds of compliments on yard-sale outfits and consignment shop finds. Don’t forget your existing wardrobe as you shop for used clothes – you may find the perfect shirt to go with a skirt, or a top that will look great with one of your existing pairs of pants.
Don’t forget about online options, too. The internet offers an enormous selection of used clothing on eBay and other online venues. You can often find name-brand items for a fraction of the price, and sometimes they have not even been worn or worn only once.
Hair and Accessories
Save money by coloring your hair at home (if you color it). Put styling aids like curling irons and hot rollers to use rather than paying for a salon job. When you get your hair trimmed, see if you can get just a trim, nothing else. It costs a lot less. Experiment with styling your hair yourself, or with various up-dos.
Antique stores and yard sales are great places to find used but beautiful jewelry. You can often find unique pieces that will get you lots of positive attention. Think outside the department store!
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