New clothes make life fun. Even if it’s just the act of putting on something new and standing in front of the mirror, you feel good when you do it. Clothes have this effect on people, and if you shop sensibly, you can save money and make yourself feel better at the same time.
If you’ve ever heard of how to dress for an interview then you’ll know that even though we’re told not to judge a book by its cover, we still do. Clothes play an important part in society. They even send signals to other people and tell them how to treat us.
It’s important to look your best. But you don’t have to spend a fortune to do so.
In this article, we’ve compiled eight easy ways you can save money when buying new clothes. If you follow these tips, you’ll be sure to look your best while keeping your expenses in check.
- Thrift Stores Are Your Friend
Macklemore was right when he sang about thrift stores. These shops sell second-hand clothes at a huge discount. If you look around, you can find some vintage gems.
If you like fashion from prior decades, the best place to find clothing will be thrift stores.
- Coupons Help You Get What You Want
Coupons are a great way to save a little extra money on things you would have bought anyway. And they’re available pretty much anywhere.
Just use your phone to search sites like GetYourCouponCodes or a similar site for the particular brand you want. You’ll most likely score some helpful coupons.
- Avoid Dry-Clean-Only Clothes
The problem with dry-clean-only clothes is the cost of cleaning they accumulate over time. They might seem like great items that you’ll only wear occasionally, but you’ll have to take them to the laundry at some point.
Dry cleaning bills are considerably higher than machine washing. If you factor in the cost over a year, you’ll see that it’s just not worth spending money on dry-clean-only clothing.
- Buy Clothes When They’re out of Season
A great way to save money on clothes is to buy them out of season. If you’re going to purchase summer clothes, do it in winter. All the clothes from this summer will be on sale. You’ll be ready when spring rolls around and you can ditch those sweaters.
If you’re planning to buy winter clothes then do it when summer is approaching. You’ll get all the clothes that are pricey now much cheaper then.
- Take Advantage of Clearance Sales Online
When you’re thinking of buying clothes for another season or even for the current one, be sure to check out online retailers. Almost all brands have an online shop now. Check their sites for clearance sales or off-season clothing going for a lot less than they would have retailed for.
Don’t go to these sales without a list. The whole point of these sales is that it gives you a chance to buy things you need at a much lower price. But if you go in thinking you’ll get anything that you fancy, you’ll end up wasting money that you could have spent elsewhere.
- Buy Most Clothes You Own from Generic Brands
You don’t need a branded white t-shirt you’ll only wear inside your jacket. The same goes for socks or underwear. Most inner clothing should be selected based on how comfortable they are, not on which brand they come from. Calvin Klein is notorious for doing this, charging a premium for their underwear.
It’s not wrong to buy a fancy coat or a dress from a designer brand you like. Just be sure not to buy any of the other items they might try to sell you.
Solid color items are always in style. Go for simple cut clothing with solid colors. They’ll always be in fashion.
- Don’t Buy Workout Clothes
Wear worn-out t-shirts and comfortable shorts for working out. You don’t need designer brands or even generic brand workout clothes.
Unless you’re a professional athlete or are in a sports team, you simply don’t need them.
After all, workout clothes are not something you need to be fashionable in.
- Know When to Rent and When to Buy
There are times when buying something expensive is actually better than renting it more than once. For example, take an expensive dinner jacket. Renting one might cost you around $80. If you rent it on three different occasions, you’ll have spent $240.
Now, compare this to buying a dinner jacket on sale or second-hand. You can spend much less money, and you get to keep the jacket forever.
Think of it as an investment, because clothing is an investment. The hard and fast rule should be that if you plan on wearing something more than two or three times, you should buy it instead of renting it.
The clothes we wear speak volumes about us. They tell others where we come from, what our heritage is, and what we want out of life. As such, your clothes should not be randomly put together, rather they should tell a story about the person wearing them.
We hope these tips will help you to look and feel your best. Happy shopping!
