I personally like
going shopping for clothes since I like wearing clothes that look nice on me.
Moreover, my closet is filled with so many of my clothes collection to the
point where I don't even have enough space for new ones. Trust me; I love good
looking clothes a lot. I feel more presentable and confident when I wear
clothes that look nice and fit for me. It actually makes me feel good about
myself. However, the problem arises when you are on a budget and pursuing the
early financial freedom you dream of. How can you save and invest if you are
spending a lot of your money shopping for clothes? Studies show that average
adults spend $200 per month on clothes. That's about $2,400 a
year when you multiply the monthly spending by 12 months.
That's a lot of money spent on clothing, but looking more fashionable isn't
always about wearing the trendiest and most expensive clothes. Moreover, you
don't have to spend much to look fashionable and trendy. It's all about being
smart with your money when you go shopping for your clothes. I'm going to
cover this topic in this article on how you can save money on clothes in order
to look fashionable. Also, I will include tips and hacks to look great in your
outfits.
1.
Buy Clothes at the Right Time (Discount & Out of Seasons Clothing).
I know buying that
amazing denim jean right now can be very tempting. But purchasing that denim
jean at the right time can save you tons of money on clothing. It's just a
matter of time before you see that denim jean is in the sale rack. You just
need to wait patiently when the store has sales seasons (Trust me! they always
do). Never buy clothes that are in the "new arrivals" section.
Usually, these clothes are still priced at their retail prices. You want to
purchase clothes that are in the sales section. This way, you can get clothes
that are discounted more than 50% of their original price.
A great way to
monitor discount seasons and not to miss those random sales (and get bonus
coupons) is to sign up for stores' newsletter on their retail online website.
If you have signed up for the store's email newsletter, you'll be the first to
know when their sales begin. The store might also include coupon code in their
sale announcement email. You can Google search to find more coupons for the
store. By combining the sales product with a coupon, you can save as much
as 50% to 75% of
their original cost.
Before you make any
purchase online, remember to know the size of your clothes. Different brands
usually have different sizes and measurements of their clothing. So it's best
if you try them out when you go to the mall. This way, you will know the
correct size of clothing that suits perfectly on you.
This is what I did
when I shop for my clothes at Banana
Republic online store. Before purchasing clothes from
their website, I went to their retail store to try out the clothes. This way I
know the size of clothes I need to purchase.
I like the clothes
that Banana Republic has for sale,
which makes me interested in coming back to purchase more of their merchandise
when it's on hot sales. The materials of their clothes are appealing and
durable, but most importantly, the cutting of their polo shirts fit just perfect
on me. I purchased many of their polo shirts online when they have big sales. I
was able to get a piece of Banana Republic's polo shirt at a price range
of $10-$18 when
the original cost can vary from $40-$65. This means you don't have to buy your clothes
from Wal-Mart to save money. You still can get high-quality brand clothing at a
fraction of the price when they are on sales. You just need to be patient and
delay your gratification before purchasing your favorite brand.
In total, I have
purchased over 45 pieces of Banana
Republic clothing over the past few years. I didn't
purchase all 45 plus of their clothing at once. Instead, I
slowly purchased the ones that are on big sales since the year 2015. After a
few years of shopping at Banana Republic when
they have big sales, I was able to have a collection of
their clothing. Be wary; don't just purchase clothes just because they are on
sale. Not all sales are equal. You need to know when particular brand clothing
is at the absolute lowest price. Since I love to monitor Banana Republic's
online store, I developed knowledge when they have the most massive sales. This
is the reason why I can get high-quality clothing at a fraction of the original
price.
2.
Shop at Discount Stores or Factory Outlets.
There are many
discount stores and factory outlets in the United States. These stores sell
overstock and phase out due to shopping season pieces from other retailers for
a fraction of their price. You can find these discount stores and outlets on
the internet as well. They have online shops where they post their products on
their website. These products can be branded merchandise that can cost you more
if you purchase them from a retail store. However, bear in mind, never assume
something is good just because of your find those clothes at discount stores or
factory outlets. Some retailers offer the same discounts without all the
digging required. Moreover, retailers usually have extra benefits, such as
better return policies.
I personally have
shopped at a discount store on the internet when shopping for shoes. I was able
to purchase branded shoes at a fraction of its original cost. These stores or
outlets carry many different well-known brands in their inventories. It was a
great experience shopping at these places. Not only I was able to get a great
deal, but I was also able to wear branded shoes that look nice on me.
3.
Take Care of Your Clothes Better.
Another way you save
money on clothing is to take care of the clothes you already have. Follow the
instruction label of the way to wash the clothes. Wash your clothes on the
gentle cycle in cool water and avoid using the dryer machine to dry them.
Instead of using the dryer machine, have your washed clothes hang outside in
the sun. If you live in a country where the weather is cold, you can still have
them hang somewhere in your house. For example, when I was living in the United
States, I hang my washed clothes in the bathroom (there is a clothes hanger). I
know it will take a longer time to have the clothes dry up; however, by
avoiding using the dryer machine to dry your clothes can help preserve your
clothes longer.
I have tons of
clothes in my wardrobe closet. I didn't purchase them all at once but
purchasing them slowly when I found a great bargain while shopping. This result
in me to slowly build a collection of clothes such as t-shirts, polo shirts,
jeans, dress pants, dress shirts, suits, and many more in my wardrobe. I also
store my clothes collection neatly and organize them in my closet. This way,
not only it keeps my clothes in excellent condition, but easily accessible for
me to choose before deciding what to wear. If you readers are curious about how
I organize my closet, I have included a picture of my clothes closet below. I
always maintain my collection of clothes so that I can preserve them from
getting damaged. For instance, when ironing my clothes to make them look crisp,
I always turn the clothes inside out. This way, the heat from the iron won't
damage the front of my clothes and still have clothes that look crispy. Wearing
clothes that have been ironed will make you look more professional and sharp.
On the contrary, seeing persons with wrinkle clothes makes them look
unprofessional and gives a negative impression.
4.
Avoid Wearing Your Outside Clothes All The Time.
By wearing different
clothes every day can help preserve your clothes much longer. If you keep
wearing the same clothes, you will tend to require keeping washing them after
use. This can result from having your clothes damage faster if you keep washing
it. My
suggestion is to have a collection of clothes so that you can wear different
clothing each day. The reason why my collection of clothes is still in good
shape is that I always wear different clothes when I decide to go out.
I have clothes that
I will wear when I'm heading out, and simple plain cheap t-shirts that I wear
when I'm just at home. To avoid needing to keep washing your outside clothes
all the time, it's best if you have a dozen of simple, cheap generic brand
t-shirts that you can wear just when you are at home. You can buy these simple
t-shirts at wholesale that will only cost you about $2-3 per
piece. This way I avoid wearing clothes that are more expensive and worn when
I'm going out for dinner with friends.
5.
Skip Expensive Workout Clothing & Home Clothes.
You don't need to
have expensive workout clothes when you are working out at the gym or when you
are just hanging out at home. It's best if you have t-shirts that are for your
work out at the gym or clothes to be worn at home. You can easily find these
t-shirts at your local department stores such as Target and Wal-Mart. In
addition, you can also buy t-shirts in wholesale. That way you can purchase the
same clothes at a cheaper price. You can get these simple generic brands
t-shirts at an average cost of $2-3 per piece if you buy a dozen at a time.
You can then use these t-shirts just for your gym time. You'll get the same
workout whether; you're wearing a fancy yoga outfit or an old T-shirt and
sweatpants. There's no use of wearing fancy clothing for a workout. After all,
you are at the gym to exercise, and you'll be sweaty after your workout. Even
after you wear expensive clothing, your clothes will be soaked with your sweats
and will still look terrible after a good workout.
I personally have
bought dozen of simple plain white, black, and grey generic brand t-shirts in
wholesale. When buying them at wholesale, I was able to get each piece at a
lower price compared to purchasing one by one. I wear these clothes when I'm
heading out to the gym to exercise. Moreover, I also can wear them when I'm
just chilling at home or go to sleep. There's no point in wearing expensive
attire if you are hanging out at home. No one will see you wearing these cheap
generic brand t-shirts. These plain shirts are not only cheap, but they are
comfortable to be worn. Most importantly, I don't need to worry if the clothes
are damaged since they are really cheap, to begin with.
6.
Exercise & Eat Healthy to Maintain a Great Body Physique.
One great way for
you to stay with the current clothes you already have is to maintain your body
physique. If you gain weight, especially in your waistline (belly fat), you are
going to end up having to buy larger clothes. This is because your jeans or
your shirts won't fit you anymore. In addition, getting fat makes you look to
have a negative image, and you won't look fashionable even if you are wearing
expensive clothes. By routinely exercising in the gym can help you from gaining
weight. Exercising not only help you from gaining weight and having your belly
fat showing up, but it also helps you to save money from needing to purchase
larger new clothes. Exercising is healthy and is a great activity you should
have in your daily schedule.
Moreover, an excellent
daily routine exercise and staying healthy may actually help you save money.
A study from the Journal of the American Heart Association shows
that, on average, exercise may save people between $500 and $2,500 a
year. They found those who exercise regularly spend less than non-exercisers at
the doctor each year.
Furthermore, you
should also watch your eating diet. Eat foods that are healthy for you so that
you won't gain weight, especially in your waistline. Try avoiding those junk
foods such as eating fried fast foods (burgers, French Fries), sugary soda
beverages (Coke, Sprite etc.), candies, snack foods, sweet desserts, and
anything that is considered to be unhealthy. By watching your eating diet, you
not only prevent yourself from gaining weight, but you also have a healthy
lifestyle. It can definitely save you money from visiting the doctor often, but
also maintain a fit body physique that allow you to wear those jeans or shirts
that you already own. Also, maintaining a fit body physique make you look more
attractive and fashionable in any clothing. Imagine wearing a fit polo shirt,
but your fat belly is showing up. You won't look in the clothing even if you
are wearing an expensive brand polo shirt.
Personally, I have
been going to the gym routinely every week. On average, I spend about one hour
to one hour and a half exercising each day (Monday to Friday). On Saturday and
Sunday, I don't exercise since those are my rest days. Having me to be
discipline exercising, and eating healthy prevents me from getting sick easily.
It also helps me from gaining weight (belly fat), so that I'm able to keep
wearing those jeans and shirts that I already have (my clothes collection). I'm
glad that I'm able to wear the same jeans that I purchased a long time ago (the
year 2010). I don't have to buy new jeans because of not being able to fit on
the older jeans that I already have. If I didn't exercise regularly and watch
my eating diet, I would have probably gained so much weight since I'm getting
older (slower metabolism).
Moreover, my age is
getting close to my 30s soon, and if I don't take good care of myself, I can
end up gaining a lot of weight and get sick easily. Part of looking fashionable
and attractive in your clothing is to have a good body physique and a healthy
lifestyle. It helps you from needing to visit your doctor (getting sick) and
having to spend more money on bigger clothes. This healthy tip helps me to save
money that can be used somewhere else or invested.
7.
Quality and Fabric Cutting is More Important Than The Brand.
You don't have to
spend lots of money to look fashionable. This means you don't have to wear that
Hermes or Louis Vuitton apparel to look great. Wearing high-end brands doesn't
guarantee that you will look fashionable or great on it.
What's more important before you purchase any clothing is to make sure that the
clothing has great quality material and fabric cutting that fits right on you.
You still can look fashionable on any clothes that are not expensive brand. The
most important aspect of clothing is certainly how it fits your body. Without
proper fit, your clothing is going to look ridiculous. It doesn't matter if
it's expensive or the latest trend; if it fits like crap, it will look like
crap. This means you don't want to wear shirts or pants that don't fit on you
right (too big or too small). You want your clothes to look just right on you. This
means that the clothes' cutting matches your body size and proportion.
I personally wear
clothes that are the right size and have cut that match appropriately with my
body. The clothes I wear make me look proportionate to my body size and height.
For instance, since my height is short (165 cm or 5ft 4"), I wear jeans
and pants that are either Slim Fit or Straight
Fit. Wearing jeans and pants that have these cutting makes
me look tall and proportionate with the shirt I'm wearing. If I wear baggy
jeans, it can make me look short and not proportionate with the shirt I'm
wearing. Moreover, I also wear shirts that match my body size perfectly. I
don't want to wear a shirt that is too tight or too big for me. With the right
cutting and size, all my shirts look proportionate with my body when I wear
them.
Furthermore, I have
bought jeans and pants that brands are not even popular (local brand). Those
jeans and pants cost me only from $10 to $20 for a
pair after discounts. However, their cutting and fabric material looks great on
me. Wearing clothes that fit on you right can make the illusion to others that
you are wearing something expensive. The reason behind it is that you look just
perfect and proportionate with the clothing you are wearing despite the fact
that it comes from a cheap brand. Another way to make my clothing look great on
me is to have them tailored. I have worn some pants that my brother gave me
(too small for him) and had them tailored to the cutting and size of my body.
Those pants that my brother gave me actually become some of my favorite clothes
collection. I wear them to a meeting, work, and even weddings. I actually feel
great and confident wearing the pants my brother gave me because I know the
clothes' appearance looks perfect on me after getting them tailored.
Final
Word.
It's great to dress
fashionably, especially if you are going out to meet friends or going to work
interviews. Your dressing decisions are important role that contribute towards
making you more self-confident, and enhancing your personality and character.
Despite wanting to dress well, you don't want to get caught up with spending
your hard-earned money just on clothes. You still want to focus on your budget
to reach your financial goal. There are many ways you can dress well even when
you are still on budget. Delaying your purchases till discount and out of
season's sales can help you get the same clothes you always wanted at a
fraction of the price. Discount stores and factory outlets are great place to
find great bargains on branded clothing.
Moreover, avoid
wearing your outside clothes all the time unless you are actually going out. If
you are just heading to the gym or just hanging out at home, you can wear
simple plain generic brand t-shirts that you can buy at wholesale price. Also,
make exercise and eating healthy as your daily routine. This can prevent you
from getting sick easily, and gaining weight. Gaining weight can result you to
require purchasing new larger clothes, and having you not to fit on your older
clothes. Part of looking fashionable in your clothing is to be healthy, have
balanced body weight, and clothes that fit right on you.
Last but not least,
remember wearing expensive brand clothing doesn't guarantee you will look
fashionable. You want to wear clothes that have great quality material as well
as fabric cutting that fit you right. These are the tips on how you can save
money on clothing and still look fashionable. I hope you readers can apply
these tips that I personally used for myself to save money on clothes shopping
and still look fashionable.
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