Frugal Fashion for Beginners!

Each season we are bombarded with the “latest fashion” and all the shops are filled with the new stuff. There is a lot of peer pressure to conform. Who cares…take some Frugal Fashion advice from the MeanyGoat and look smart while saving yourself plenty of money!!!

Frugal Mindset:

Your Frugal Mindset should already be warning you that fashion is just a ploy by the big stores to make big bucks. Fashion itself is an art form and everybody is free to develop their own style, so why not develop yours rather than go along with the crowd? Modern clothing is mostly very well made and so will actually last for years if you look after it…the fashion industry wants to make you feel like a social outcast unless you are wearing the latest colors & style each season. For people with a frugal outlook this is an immediate conflict, but also an opportunity. What happens at the end of each season? There is a sale and everything left over goes for knock down prices. Just snap up those bargains!!!

The Rules of Frugal Fashion:

•  One in, One Out: You really don’t need more stuff so if you are buying a new shirt or blouse make sure that it is replacing an old one. Get the old one, recover anything useful from it like buttons and then take it to the charity shop, recycling depot or use it for rags. Frugal Fashion means less not more§
• Shop for your True Size, not the Size you would like to be: There is no point buying something that is too small for you in the hope that the miracle diet will enable you to somehow squeeze into it. Make a list of all your sizes for shirts/blouses, trousers, jeans, dresses, socks, underwear etc and take it with you when you go shopping. Try stuff on and if it doesn’t fit then don’t buy it.
•  Dare to be Different: If you are interested in Frugal Living then you are already different! Be yourself and buy the clothes you want to wear and not the ones that the magazines say are “in fashion” and the stores have at top price. The latest fashion is always the most expensive choice.
•  Hunt out those Bargains: The end of season sales are a must but most stores have an “end of line” section where great stuff can be picked up at a fraction of the original price. Don’t buy any bargain item unless you know it is your correct size…and you actually like it!
•  Customize your Clothes: “Designer Look” is often just a standard item with something posh looking stuck on. Beads, ribbons, belts & buckles can all be easily added to new or existing clothes to jazz them up. If you have a talent for that it can be a lot of fun. Become a frugal fashion expert and perhaps even sell your clothes to friends.
•  Trawl the Charity Shops: There is no stigma about shopping in a charity shop but you do need to spend time sifting through things to find the bargains.
•  Look after your Clothes: Modern clothes ready do last for ages and if you look after them with a bit of “routine maintenance” like sowing on buttons then they will continue to look like new for years. Do not wash your clothes too often since this will rapidly fade the colors. If it isn’t visibly dirty and it doesn’t smell then there is no need to wash it (More time and money saved…)
•  Store your Clothes Sensibly: Sort them into types, hang them up, fold them neatly….do what ever you want but make sure that your clothes are stored nicely so they keep in good condition and also so that you can SEE WHAT YOU HAVE GOT !
•  De-Junk Once a Year: One a year get all your clothes out and literally go through them one by one. Sort them out into piles…stuff to keep, things that are worn out and items that you havn’t worn all year. Be ruthless! After doing this for a couple of years you should find that most things are in the “Too Keep” pile with a few “Worn Out” and just one or two that you have not worn at all. Work out why you never used them…recycle or charity shop them and move on in your life.

Be Happy with Yourself:

Whatever your style or background it is really important that your Frugal Mindset enables you to make choices that will improve your level of happiness, and this certainly applies to Frugal Fashion choices. By freeing yourself from the conventional rules of fashion, and embracing Frugal Fashion, then you can save money, be happy and look good all at the same time. It really is all about YOU and the choices that YOU make. According to some statistics widely available on the internet from the US Dept of Labor the average US “Consumer Unit”, which is 2.5 people, spends around $2,850 a year on clothes. That works out at around $1,140 a person. Unless you are buying specialist sports wear then you should normally target to spend less than half that amount. Follow the MeanGoat’s Frugal Fashion Rules and keep a record for the next 12 months and see what you really spend. Don’t be fooled by the latest Recessionista craze either….stick to your Frugalista ideals!!