DRESSING ELEGANTLY ON A BUDGET

DRESSING ELEGANTLY ON A BUDGET

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During this economic recession learning how to dress on a budget has become more important than ever before but it's not that difficult to achieve with just a little bit of re-planning of the items of clothing which you already have and a small amount of money to spend on some important missing pieces. Always remember that looking good doesn't always have to entail spending lots of money as there are several rich people out there who don't seem to use their mirror before they step out the front door!!!

The first thing to do is to look at your existing wardrobe and see what you have that can be built on, such as an ever classic navy or beige blazer. It may be a little old but can be revived by a visit to the dry cleaners and old tarnished buttons replaced by some new shiny ones. If you don't have one they are pretty easy to find in second hand shops.

Wear this blazer with a crisp pair of jeans, white linen shirt or t.shirt and a tan leather belt and tan boots. Finish this outfit off by wearing a chunky wooden necklace and bangle or an animal print scarf (as in the photo) and with this outfit you can go anywhere including a night out.

To make this blazer work more for you buy a white jean skirt, a blue/white horizontally striped t.shirt (the yachting type) and a flat pair of red ballet type shoes and wear this outfit with a red bead necklace. You can mix and match all these items between themselves and come up with a total of 4 different outfits. Blazer/jeans, white jean skirt/striped t.shirt,white jean skirt/white shirt and jeans/t.shirt.

Items in your wardrobe that you haven't worn in over a year should really be thrown out as they are only occupying valuable space and as there are even more people in need these days they should be given to a charity.

There may however be certain pieces that although not having been worn in a long time could be adapted. For example old trousers can be cut above the knee to be turned into shorts.Blouses can have their sleeves cut off and so be transformed into tops for the summer. Dresses can be cut at the waist and made into a new skirt and a top to be worn with your white jean skirt.

Clothes that you are still very fond of but don't wear any more because they are so old and faded can be given a new lease of life by dying them into a more fashionable colour and the same thing can be done for shoes.

But if you have to go to a really special event like a wedding and don't have anything which you can adapt which would be suitable there are many second hand shops where you can pick up really good designer dresses at incredibly low prices. They may have only been worn once or twice by rich women who are continually renewing their wardrobes so make sure you visit these stores when you have a strict limit on how much you can spend because you are sure to always find a great bargain.

And lastly they always say that it's not what you wear but how you wear it so always try and keep your outfits simple and stick (where possible) to neutral colours such as beige, white, navy. You can wear outfits of all one colour or mix and match between these colours.

It is also better to have fewer clothes that all mix and match together well than an abundance of clothes of all sorts of colours that just don't seem to go with anything.