A chic wardrobe doesn't have to cost a fortune. In fact, retail markup is ridiculous -- often as much as 200 percent. And that's not necessarily for the highest-quality merchandise! We all want to dress well, but do we have to pay through the nose to look good?
Nope. We just need to adopt the penny pincher's shopping strategy: Buy quality, not quantity; buy off-season or on sale; and take care of the clothes you have so that they'll last.
Before You Buy: Planning a Fabulously Frugal Wardrobe
To plan your new wardrobe, start with your current clothing. Take all the clothes you own out of your closet and drawers and make three piles:
- Pile 1 is for the ragbag. These clothes are irreparably damaged or stained. (Remove and save the buttons before tossing them.)
- Pile 2 includes clothes that are hopelessly outdated without being retro, clothes that no longer fit, and clothes you haven't worn in the past year. Sell these items at a garage sale or give them to charity.
- Pile 3 gets the keepers -- pieces you still wear that look and feel good on you and are in good condition. Now you're ready to figure out what you need to buy to complete a wonderful working wardrobe.
Fashion Plus Musts
For a dynamic working wardrobe, you'll need a well-made blazer or two, two skirts and two pairs of slacks. The skirts and slacks should not all be the same color, but they should all go well with the jacket. Solid colors will be more versatile and date less quickly than patterns or plaids will, but you don't have to think only in dark solid colors. Look for fabrics you can wear year-round, such as lightweight wool, challis, sturdy cotton, linen and silk, and buy the highest quality basic pieces that you can. By investing in well-made basics, you'll actually save money, because the clothes will last longer and look better even after numerous cleanings. Always check the label on a new garment for the care required to avoid spending more on dry cleaning than you have to. It's well worth the money to dry-clean a suit, but do you really want to pay to clean shirts and blouses, too?
The Rule of Three
When you're considering a clothing purchase, be sure each piece passes the rule of three: Can you think of three things to wear it with, three places to wear it to and three ways to accessorize it?
For example, you spy a poppy-red, washable silk blouse on sale. You can wear it with your linen suit and a scarf for the office, with a paisley challis skirt and your antique gold earring and necklace set for dinner out, and with black wool slacks and a brocade vest for high casual entertaining (three outfits, three places, three accessories). If you can't quickly come up with three pairings, places and presentations, forget it! It's just not worth the cost.
Excerpted from Penny Pinchers Almanac: 1,743 Surprising Ideas for Getting the Most Value Out of Your Money, Home and Possessions (Reader's Digest, 2003).
Want more frugal shopping tips? Subscribe to the ThirdAge Budgeting & Saving Insider.
