So how do you do it? How do you keep up with the latest fashion trends without maxing out your credit cards or dipping into your kiddos college fund? Keep reading and I’ll share a few tips that have worked for me over the last several years.
- DON’T chase trends
Chasing all of the latest fashion trends and crazes will surely put you on the next bus to the poor house. I wish I had a jaw-dropping statistic to share with you about the trappings of basing your whole wardrobe around trendy pieces. Instead of spending your hard-earned dollars on that pair of floral print Birkenstocks, (come on, will you really wear them 12 months from now?) invest your money in classic, staple pieces that you are prone to wear more frequently, i.e. a coat, handbag or shoes. Classic pieces are usually of good quality and can be worn season after season, which means you save money.
2. Shop off-season
I might need to make a category on this blog for “things my mom told me”. She taught me at a young age that shopping off-season is a great way to save money. For example, that Burberry puffer coat that you’ve been stalking all winter…okay, that I’ve been stalking all winter long, would definitely cause your bank account to go into cardiac arrest if you were to purchase it right in the midst of winter. The best time to get an expensive item like the puffer coat is at the very beginning of the spring season, when the stores push all of the new seasons fashions to the front and cram all of the winter items to the back on a crowded rack. That cramped rack is your gold mine where you can find items from last season at a heavily discounted price. Try your luck!
3. Outlet malls are NOT a fashion faux-pas
Some people think that outlet malls are where once “in-season” clothes go to die. I don’t buy into that theory and have actually found some great pieces at the outlet mall. Maybe it’s because I don’t subscribe to the idea that wardrobe pieces go out of season. Just to clarify, I don’t mean that I would wear a pair of shorts and open toe shoes in the winter. I’m referring to style seasons. For example, two springs/summers ago, neon was everywhere. Now, pastel colors are popular. Does that mean I still don’t break out my neon J. Crew clutch? Absolutely not!I buy items that complete my look and that I won’t mind wearing no matter the style season.
I hope these tips will help and not hurt your bank account the next time you go shopping!
XOXO,
shannon b.
shannonbstyles 