Perhaps the largest misassumption that exists about fashion (and there are a fair few) is that it requires deep pockets. No, we don’t mean that ‘deep pockets’ are bang on trend right now. But rather, that huge sums of money are required to be considered fashionable.
Nothing could be further from the truth. And in 2022, when the focus falls ever more urgently on reducing our waste (of which fashion is one of the planet’s biggest contributors), it’s never been more important to spend less on new clothes and accessories.
Fortunately, destroying the planet is decidedly unfashionable. On the flipside, thrift, make-do-and-mend, upcycling and repurposing have all gained traction in recent years, both as a lifestyle choice and as an absolute necessity.
That doesn’t mean you can’t add any new clothes to your collection. If you’re wondering how to shop more smartly and buy clothes at a discount price, saving money and the planet, then we’ve got you covered…
Buy Used
There are so many charity shops out there brimming with brand names, especially ones in more affluent areas like Clapham Junction and Kensington High Street in London. When you have fickle citizens and rapidly changing styles, stuff gets thrown out with regularity, and charity shops reap the benefit. Go figure.
Vintage outlets are also a treasure trove, selling carefully curated second-hand garments that don’t cost the earth. Why not take inspiration from the movie Pretty In Pink where Andie took it upon herself to shop at thrift stores and put together outfits of her own creation each day?
For those who want to go on a cheap shopping spree for unique items, there is no better place to go than a kilo sale. You can usually buy your weight in vintage clobber at these retro shopping fairs and pay as little as £15 for 1kg of clothes – bargain.
Search For Bargains & Use Coupons
Speaking of bargains, be savvy and keep an keen eye open for promotions, sales and sample sales.
Subscribing to email alerts is a well known way to get the best deals direct from retailers. Google Alerts also has such a gold mine of opportunity to it. Go to “Google Alerts” and type in the alert you want (for example, ”Birkenstock sale”), enter your email address and click ‘create alert’. You’ll now get an email every time Google finds a new occurrence of your phrase and be in the know about all the latest sales and bargains out there.
Alternatively, and even more streamlined in its delivery, Google’s ‘track price’ toggle works in a similar way, both giving you daily price updates on your desired products, and alerting you the moment they go on sale.
You can also find coupon websites offering discounts online for all manner of designer brands. Whether you’re looking for savings on Old Navy clothing, deals on Timberlands or cut price Calvins, a quick Google search will reveal a whole host of websites offering discount codes and printable vouchers.
That said, it’s important to be aware that not all of these sites are trustworthy. Be sure to check reviews before using any coupon site, as there have been instances where people have been scammed by fake offers, which promise savings but delivering spam. Be particularly wary of those you see circulating on social media.
Learn To Love Your Own Wardrobe Again
According to Marie Claire, we only use around 40% of our closets. You can pretty much guarantee that there will be many an item lurking at the back of your wardrobe that you’ve simply forgotten about. Indeed, most women’s wardrobes are full to the brim and sometimes it’s hard to see the wood for the trees.
So spend some time going through your wardrobe and reacquaint yourself with your long forgotten items. And if there is nothing you like, it’s not all doom and gloom – consider selling them and buying something you will actually wear with the profits. You might want to consider using an app such as Vinted or OpenBazaar to facilitate these sales.
Wait For Stores To Offer Traditional Discounts
Sometimes in the pursuit of more modern forms of discount – such as coupons or price drop alerts – we tend to forget that there are traditional times of year when pretty much every store offers huge discounts, making it the perfect opportunity to refresh your wardrobe.
These are some of the most common times…
- The end-of-the-season sale: This is when stores are trying to get rid of all their winter clothes to make room for the spring collection. You can find some amazing deals on clothing, shoes, and accessories during this time.
- The holiday sale: Stores offer discounts leading up to big holidays like Christmas and Easter. This is a great time to buy gifts for yourself or others.
- The clearance sale: These sales happen when a store is discontinuing a certain item or line of clothing. You can find some great deals on items that are still in good condition but no longer being sold by the store.
- The Black Friday sale: This is one of the biggest sales of the year and happens the day after Thanksgiving in the US. Many stores offer discounts on a wide range of items, including clothing, and in recent years, this trend has moved both to the UK and online.
Know Your Best Colours
Learning which colours look good on you is key to saving money on your fashion needs. By doing so, you won’t be tempted to spend money on clothes that you’ll probably never wear, keep your impulse shopping at bay. By having a particular colour palette that becomes ‘your own’, you’ll not only reduce the prevalence of those one-off purchases that only end up gathering dust, but it will be easier to match items of clothing in your collection to form a fully-fledged outfit.
All of this reduces the need to further splurging on clothes, which is why you came here in the first place, right? And with a cyclical approach adopted to both this article and your fashion, we think it’s a good time for us to say goodbye!