7 Tips for Looking Great on a Budget

There’s nothing easier than looking great if your budget is unlimited. If you can spend thousands of dollars on designer clothes, shoes and accessories, you WILL look great – you better look good if you spend that much!  But what if you have to stick to a budget? You can still look good, it will just take a bit more work. Here are ten tips for looking great on a budget:1. Go casual. Most of us can’t spend huge amounts of money on our wardrobe, but would still like to look good and to keep up with fashion trends. One solution is to shop at discount stores, but there you will often have to compromise on the quality and look of the clothes you find. Another option is to find retailers who sell affordable, yet high quality womens casual clothing. Note that “casual” does not mean sloppy, and that these clothes are often extremely flattering and can be combined with more tailored pieces.2. Shop on sale. Even the most expensive retailers eventually have to get rid of old merchandise. If you are willing to wait until items go on sale, and risk not having the items you want in your size, then a good strategy is to only shop designer boutiques and department stores when items are on sale. 3. Shop off-price retailers. Off price retailers typically feature high quality merchandise in prices much lower than those you’ll find in department stores. The drawback: you will have to spend time finding the quality items amongst the many lower-quality items in these stores. 4. Buy just one designer item each season. If you have just a few classic, timeless designer pieces in your closet, you can base the majority of your wardrobe on more affordable, casual women clothing, and upgrade your look with a designer piece such as a tailored jacket or a high quality leather bag. 5. Wear black. Black is extremely forgiving. It not only makes you look slimmer, it also makes you appear elegant and sophisticated even if your clothes are not very expensive. However, try to avoid wearing all over black! This is depressing and not very modern. Colors are fresh and modern now, so at the very least try to add a colorful accessory to an otherwise all-black ensemble. 6. Buy classic, timeless pieces. When you do have the budget for a more expensive piece, never spend it on a passing trend that you won’t be able to wear next year! That would be a huge waste of money. Instead, opt for a classic, timeless piece such as a tailored blazer, a crisp white shirt or a black pair of high quality trousers. This is a great way to slowly build a high-quality wardrobe of basics, and then you can add a few more affordable, trendy and colorful pieces every season. 7. Insist on quality. Even when you buy casual women’s clothes, you should still insist on quality and find designers who make clothes that are both affordable and look good. Carefully examine the fabric, the stitches and the way the garment looks on you. There ARE women’s clothes out there that are well-designed, well-made, and affordable.