How to Build a Wardrobe on a Budget

Before going out to the mall and spending a lot of your hard-earned money on new clothes, here are some easy ways to help you build a great wardrobe on a budget:

Make a list of clothing items you need in your wardrobe
Decide what articles of clothing you want to wear on a daily basis (don’t forget shoes, handbags, and jewelry). For example, if you work in an office where you have to dress professionally, you may need to purchase a suit or at least dress pants, skirts, and blouses. Also include clothes for the weekends, evenings out, and casual events.

Buy Wardrobe Basics
Wardrobe basics will match a variety of items in your closet. Some basic staples everyone should own include: a tailored suit, pencil skirt, white blouse, boot cut jeans, trench coat, just to name a few; these items are great because they can be worn a variety of ways. We have a list of Wardrobe Essentials everyone should own.

When purchasing basic wardrobe staples, it is a good idea to spend a little more money and purchase clothing that is of good quality. Even though you will be paying more, you will be wearing it often, so you can justify the expense.

Only buy clothing that will match at least 3 items you already own
Before you buy anything new, make sure it can be worn with at least three other items you already have in your wardrobe. That way, you won’t have to buy more clothes to match what you just purchased.

Fit is Everything!
There is nothing worse than having a wardrobe of expensive clothes that do not fit you well. When buying clothing, it is very important the fit flatters your body shape. It doesn’t matter how much you paid or the designer name, when you buy something that is too big or too small, you look sloppy and unprofessional.

Take your time and buy clothing that complements your body shape. Keep in mind that sometimes you will need to have certain items tailored in order to get the perfect fit.

Don’t be in a hurry to purchase a lot of items at one time
Sometimes you will get lucky and find everything you need for a great price at one store, but you can save money by doing comparison shopping at various stores. You might even want to check online. - there are quite a few website that offer discounts on designer clothing.

Always Shop the Sale!
Eventually everything goes on sale - before you buy anything anywhere, make sure you find out if that store is going to be having a sale. Some stores have a preview day, the day before the sale, where you can shop and avoid the big crowds.

Sign up for Shopper Programs and Store Mailing Lists
Also, you can save money by joining shopper programs and signing up for the mailing list for your favorite stores. Along with notifying you of upcoming sales, some stores will email you coupons that you can print out and use to save money. If you have a store where you love to shop, go to their website and see if they have an email list you can subscribe.

Don’t forget about the Outlet Malls!!
You can find some really amazing bargains at the outlet mall. Before going to the outlets, read our article: How to Save Time & Money at the Outlet Mall.