I always hear people arguing the point that dressing up nicely is for rich people. For people who flush their money down the drain. For people who can afford to splurge. It drives me mental when I hear this. I mean, what? We live in the 21st century – the century of sales & bargains, we can all dress on budget!
Tip #1: Sales are no longer a seasonal thing. Yes, you get the occasional big sale – the Boxing Day one, the summer one… But when you stop & look around you realize that sale is on pretty much all day, every day. Browse the House of Fraser sale for the best dress bargains – they always have the most ridiculous discounts, usually even bigger than the brands themselves!
Tip #2: Depop & E-bay are your best friends. They are no longer tied to second hand items – in fact Depop in particular houses many quirky independent shops selling unique items for (often rather laughably) low prices!
Tip #3: Don’t be afraid of Aliexpress! Many brands such as Zaful and SheIn also have their discounted (I guess we would call them outlet) stores on Aliexpress where you can get some rather ravishing deals!
Tip #4: Buying higher quality pieces. This might sound like I’m contradicting myself right now but believe me, this is not the case. Good quality doesn’t necessarily imply that it’s so expensive you won’t be able to touch it without your heart skipping out of your chest. You can find someone good quality pieces that won’t break after two wears for just a little more than a sale price. Basics are usually quite affordable even in more expensive stores, just give it a try!
Tip #5: Finally – don’t buy just trendy pieces. They go out of fashion very quickly which might mean you will be spending more money on clothes more frequently than you’d like to. Try to invest into timeless pieces (god, this is so cliche!) – you won’t have to be replacing them every season and therefore spending less money as a result.