10 Ways to Be Fashionable and Frugal

According to California Closets, the average woman only wears 20% of the clothes in her closet on a regular basis. So start sorting out your clothes and clean out your closets using these 5 Easy Steps to an Organized Closet, and then we can be fashionable and frugal!

1. Empty Your Closet – I mean EVERYTHING!
2. Decide What Stays – If you haven't worn it in the past 12 months, donate it or sell it at a consignment shop.
3. Take Inventory – Make a shopping list of items your need.
4. Update Your Closet – Give it a good cleaning and add any necessary closet organizing or storage containers. You won't wear it if you can't see it.
5. Put Everything Away – Organize by color, season, outfit or whatever makes the most sense to you.

Now that we've taken care of the cleaning and organizing, it's time for the fun part!

10 Ways to be Fashionable and Frugal

1. Shop Goodwill, Thrift Stores and Consignment Shops – Shop regularly and take your time! Don't go in looking for a specific item, instead look through everything! My recent Goodwill finds…a brand new Juicy Couture hoodie $10 and a new North Face jacket $6! It's OK to leave empty handed, some days are better than others which is why you need to shop regularly. Read more Goodwill Shopping Tips here.
2. Build Your Outfits Around the Basics – 1 or 2 pairs of perfect jeans, black pants, khaki pants/capris/shorts, white pants/capris/shorts, black suit/skirt, black dress, solid t-shirts or tanks, white blouse. There's no need to have 6 pairs of jeans in your closet when in reality you only wear your favorite pair. These basics will be in style for years, so it's worth splurging on the better brands.
3. Accessorize the Basics – Belts, costume jewelry, purses, scarves, jackets and shoes/boots will make your basics come to life. You could wear jeans and a black tank everyday, and completely change your look with accessories. Look at the picture in this article, her black dress would look completely different without the white jacket and skinny black belt. Accessories are in abundance at Goodwill and consignment shops.
4. Find Designer Brands for a Fraction of the Price – Look for consignment stores, thrift shops and Goodwill stores in the upscale areas of town. We regularly find Brook Brothers, Polo and Cole Hahn at the Palm Beach Goodwill!
5. Sell, Sell, Sell – Get in the habit of continually cleaning out your closet and taking items to the consignment shop. My wardrobe is constantly updated without spending much money simply because the bulk of my clothing budget comes from my consignment store earnings. Frugal Secret: If you purchase items at Goodwill or thrift stores, you'll likely sell them a year later for more than you paid!
6. Don't Be Too Trendy – Purchase 2 – 3 trendy items each season and don't spend big bucks on them. According to Glamour Magazine, the most affordable trends this season are: knit beanies, turtlenecks, lace, ruffles and over the knee boots.
7. Never Pay Full Price – This is an easy rule to follow if you buy discounted gift cards. How about American Eagle gift cards 20% off, Avenue 20% off, Belk 13% off, Burlington 16% off, Charlotte Russe 25% off, Claire's 22% off, H&M 22% off, JC Penny 15% off, Lane Bryant 30% off, Rack Room Shoes 12% off, TJ Maxx 13% off and many, many more! You can also check out our guide on how to get free clothes.
8. Never Pay Full Price Online – If you start all your online shopping trips at Ebates.com, you'll find money saving coupon codes and earn cash back!
9. Set a Clothing Budget – Rather than going on a big shopping spree a couple times a year, set a monthly budget for clothes. It will satisfy your urge to shop, and you'll discover that $50 goes a long way at Goodwill!
10. Make a Fashion Notebook – If you have a hard time putting together outfits, invite a fashionable friend over to put together outfits based on the items in your closet. Then…write it down in your fashion notebook, so getting dressed will be a no-brainer! Example: skinny jeans, cowboy boots, brown tank top, Guatemalan belt, khaki jacket, turquoise jewelry.

Please leave a comment to share your tips for being fashionable and frugal.

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Image courtesy of stockimages, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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In full disclosure, this post contains affiliate links to help support The Budget Diet girl! My advice will always be unbiased and free, but free won’t pay the bills! Thanks!