Ever since this post about Clara’s clothes, I’ve actually gotten a surprising amount of requests for a post about how I save money on my own clothes, what my staples are, and how I generally get by without spending a ton of my momdrobe – er, I mean wardrobe. And although I’m hardly a fashion plate (that idea makes me snort-laugh) I do love a deal, so here’s a rundown on how I save money when I’m shopping for myself along with some sneaky sale tricks I’ve learned along the way and a few general dressing rules that seem to work for me (slash keep me from buying stuff I’ll regret/never wear/stare angrily at in my closet).
And I’d love to hear from you guys when it comes to how you score deals and try to resist buying things you don’t need/wear – so please drop in on the comments with all of your wardrobe words of wisdom!
Tip #1: Just ask. About a year ago I found a dress with no price on it at Old Navy. I asked them how much it was and they said it was an online-only return that ended up in their store, and they could sell it to me for 50% off. Just like that, a $30 dress was $15 – plus I could stack another mailer coupon I received on top of that. So worth just asking about it, right? Note: Please pardon this crazy face. I do that sometimes. Gathering all of the pics of myself for this post was beyond awkward.
Tip #2: Organize your clothing coupons. I use this method, which helps me know what I have and use them before they expire. Definitely helps me save some loot.
Tip #3: Know the rules. Many stores have special deals that run for cardholders. For example, you can get 10% off every Tuesday when you use an Old Navy, Gap, or Banana Republic card – on top of any markdowns from other coupons, discounts in the store, etc. I recently spent around $25 at Old Navy to get $65 worth of stuff. How? Well, first I used something they call Super Cash (it’s like Old Navy bucks that they give you after you buy stuff to put towards your next purchase, so I had a $20-off voucher to use if my total was over $50) but I also was shopping on a Tuesday so I got an additional 10% off, plus I was buying one item that was an online-only return, so that was 50% off plus 10% off on top of that! In the end I saved $40 just stacking discounts, shopping on the right day, and remembering to use my Super Cash voucher before it expired.
Tip #4: Figure out your favorite haunts. That’ll help you learn their store/sale policies, and it’ll also save you time since you’ll get to know:
- what sizes work for you in those stores (for faster shopping/fewer returns)
- which cut of jeans you love/wear most (and which ones you don’t so you can avoid them)
- when their end of season sales will be (and what they might have there, based on what you found the previous year, etc)
We’re also huge fans of outlet shopping, so when we go to the beach (usually around Memorial Day and Labor Day) we hit up the outlets where it’s not unusual to get things for 50-70% off. If I were forced at gunpoint to make a list of my favorite haunts, they’d be:
- Gap (great for staples like jeans)
- Old Navy (I usually love their tops)
- Banana Republic (I troll their sale rack for tops, skirts, and dresses)
- Banana Republic Outlet (this is where I grab long-term quality items, like a black trench coat)
- J Crew Outlet (I got a great pair of teal skinny jeans there for $35 thanks to tons of sales)
- DSW (nearly all of my shoes come from there)
- TJ Maxx (they’re awesome for discounted designer bags that last forever)
Tip #5: Don’t water down your wardrobe. I like to look at it as an “overall closet average.” Say I have ten outfits I love love love in my closet. I’d call them all favorites and on a scale of 1-10 I’d score them all a ten. That makes my overall closet average a ten. Then say that I see a sweater I kind of like (let’s say I’d give it a seven). And it’s on sale, so it’s tempting. The way I completely resist grabbing that sweater – which I’m guaranteed to like less than everything else in my closet – is to think of my closet average. Right now my overall closet average is a ten. If I get that sweater and it’s a seven, it’ll bring my entire closet average down, and I can just picture myself choosing other things on my hanging bar over and over again since it wasn’t something that I love love loved from the start. That helps me hold out for things I really truly love and stops me from grabbing anything I probably won’t wear or appreciate as much. Everyone loves a good closet GPA, haha – and it keeps that dreaded closet-clutter at bay (you know, when you have a bunch of stuff, but feel like you have nothing to wear).
Tip #6: Know what works. I’m a whopping 5’2″ – and I have the opposite of a long model-esque neck (it’s short like the rest of me) so I’ve learned that I look best in a v-neck. Somehow it makes me look like I have more of a neck and lengthens me in general, so I’ve learned what works for me.
Knowing that helps, because when I see some high-necked sweater or a boat necked t-shirts, I save myself the time of trying them on (and hating them) and I save myself from any temptation to buy something because it’s a pretty color/print/fabric or has a certain alluring designer name (or seductive sale price) since I know I’ll completely regret the purchase if it doesn’t actually flatter my body type. Heck, even my favorite swim suit has a deep V.
And we can’t forget my purchased-48-hours-before-the-big-day wedding dress.
Tip #7: Think about what you can pair things with. This is sort of like decorating. I try not to grab something that won’t go with anything in my closet, because much like buying something that matches nothing in my house, it would necessitate buying lots of other things to go with it. One great trick I have is to remember a few of my favorite outfits or pairings. For example: a denim pencil skirt + black t-shirt + leopard heels. If I see a pretty red pencil skirt when I’m out, immediately in my head I can think about the black shirt & those leopard shoes and know that it could be subbed in for the denim skirt for a different look with a similar silhouette (which I know I already love).
I try not to be as boring as buying the same things in a bunch of different colors, but I also go back to tip #3 (know what works) and remember that I tend to love a few silhouettes since they’re easy for me to wear and work well with my body type (ex: pencil skirts that aren’t too long for my short legs, skinny jeans, v-neck shirts, etc). Here’s another example of how I might grab something that can work with a variety of things in my closet. Take this coral tank top, that I have under this brown jacket…
Here it is under a black blazer at Haven (thanks for the pic Rhoda!). Little staples like colored tank tops seem to be inexpensive and easy to layer, so they might be less specific than a big patterned sweater or something.
Here’s another one in dark plum. For a girl who wears a ton of black, colorful tanks are a nice low-cost way to add some color in without breaking out in hives. Ooh plum, look at me. I’m a rebel.
Tip #8. Pick quality for things you’ll wear all the time. It adds up to longevity. For example, I’m extremely cheap. But in the purse category, I usually buy one and wear it for 2-3 years. Sometimes even longer. So I’m happy to splurge if it means something will be better made and will last that whole time without looking all murky and disheveled. When I say splurge, I don’t mean $500, I mean something in the $120-180 range. I know, it probably sounds super high to some folks, but I actually think if you figure out your cost per wear on a cheap purse, it might surprise you.
For example, say over three years you buy/wear four $30 purses from Target. That actually works out to the exact same cost as getting one great Michael Kors or Cole Haan bag from TJ Maxx for $120 and wearing that for three solid years (something I’ve done for over a decade now, without any issue of things getting worn out or me getting sick of them- you just have to hold out for something you’re truly obsessed with and that love goes on and on). So I guess it goes back to my whole “don’t water things down” theory (tip #5). I just like to buy one great purse that I’m enamored with and wear the heck outta it. It usually takes me about a year to find “the bag” though, so I don’t rush into anything (a few years is a long enough commitment that I take it super seriously and refuse to settle). And then I take a cell phone pic of it and text it to my BFFs to celebrate my purse victory. Dork for life.
Another example of how I try to go for quality would be with coats. I got this trench for $80 at the Banana Republic Outlet (marked down from $150+) a few years ago, and have worn it like crazy. Spring and fall for at least two years now, and it’s still going strong (no ripped lining, buttons popping off, etc). I used to try getting cheaper jackets at places like Target & Old Navy, but learned that they didn’t last as long, which ended up being more money in the long run, so for things like bags and coats I try to go for quality (but I look for that item in an outlet or discount store like TJ Maxx to try to keep costs down).
Tip #9: Spice things up with accessories. Most of my formative learning-my-style years were spent in NYC (I lived there for six years, through college and those first-job years afterwards) so I definitely have an affinity for the “New York look” (lots of black, a big handbag, long lean jeans, blazers, black sunglasses) but I also have always loved to spice things up in two areas: jewelry and shoes. One of my first pair of fancy pointy toed shoes were a pair of pink Nine West heels that I loved with all of my heart. And I’d pair them with a black blazer and jeans for a little dash of color without feeling too matchy-matchy (which might happen if I paired them with a pink sweater of the exact same color). I also had a pair of lime green Roberto Cavalli sandals that I scored for cheap at Century 21 (an awesome outlet-ish store in downtown Manhattan with a ton of clothes & shoes that are marked waaay down). Still to this day I love wearing a navy or black top with jeans and bright red peep toe heels…
I also love bright earrings, so it’s not unusual to see me in a black shirt, jeans, and some big coral or emerald colored earrings. John got me these guys for Christmas and I love them.
Here’s more dangly earring evidence (this shot is from back in NYC when we first started dating).
And here’s Exhibit C, with even more earring action going on. It’s just a quick way to add some “I’m-trying-a-little” to my usually questionable mom uniform. Haha.
It might not be a perfect equation for everyone (big bold earrings + basic black shirt + skinny jeans + some sort of shoe that works for being a momma but still doesn’t look too frumpy & is occasionally a bright color or print) but that seems to be the sweet spot for me.
Tip #10: Don’t try to make everything the star. I think this is sort of a sister tip to the one above, and it’s also one of those tips that rings true for how we decorate our house. Much like you don’t want every item of furniture and accessory competing for attention (you want some to fall back while others are free to be the focal point), you probably don’t want everything on your body to be vying for attention. It’s why I love slipping on my favorite pair of skinny jeans and a plain black top, just so my big crazy earrings or bright shoes can be the stars.
Another way to interpret this could be that if you have an awesome printed dress, a nude shoe could be a nice way to play it up. And we’ve all heard the “you shouldn’t wear a big statement necklace with big statement earrings” rule, which definitely seems to ring true for me. The way this tip saves me money is if I have an event in mind and I know what dress I’ll be wearing and I’m searching for shoes or jewelry, I can pin down whether the dress will be the star, and if it will I’ll get shoes and jewelry that won’t compete (instead of coming home and trying everything on together and hating the outcome).
Tip #11: Do your own thang. Don’t follow any of my tips word for word since goodness knows I’ve read tons and tons of clothing advice that might ring true for someone else, but is laughably terrible advice for someone like me with my body type. So while I know it’s incredibly clichéd to tell you to embrace who you are and just wear what you like, but at the end of the day, it’s kind of the best advice of all.
And now since someone will ask for it, here’s a pic of me with my hair down. I do it sometimes, but not often, just because I’m a ponytail girl. It helps me keep the paint and the peanut butter and jelly outta my hair. Haha.
Now it’s your turn. Shower me with your tips and tricks when it comes to stocking your closet on the cheap. Where do you save and splurge? I’m sure it’s different for everyone, so I’d love to hear what works for you guys!
Natalie says
I pretty much have the same thought process as you. I watch for sales at my favorite stores and I’m willing to spend a little more on staples. I generally tend to stick to places like H&M for items that are a little more trendy. I also love to hit up TJ Maxx, Marshall’s and Burlington Coat Factory for great deals.
Sue says
I LOVE the “Overall Closet Average” idea! I have way too many items in there that are dragging my average down! :-) There will be purging ahead, for sure.
Right now we have no money in the budget for new clothes, but I am blessed with a local thrift store that has frequent half off sales. Some of my favorite outfits have been purchased for .50 per item – gotta love it!
Jen says
Are you getting your chandelier earrings from one specific place, or do you just pick them up as you come across them? Love the orange pair!
YoungHouseLove says
Some are from Target or Old Navy and some are from etsy and towneandreese.com.
xo,
s
Lindsey d. says
I buy classics at higher prices (like jeans and dresses), but pair them bright, trendy pieces on the cheap from Old Navy and Target. With one exception. I swear by Gap’s Favorite tees. They are thick and keep their shape. I just wish they had a lot more colors. They are pricier than tees from Old Navy or Target, but last so much longer.
Jen says
Great post! Your ex-NYC girl wardrobe made me laugh because as that is also my staple go to look after living in Brooklyn for a year (I also have a couple of go to shoes and bags from Century 21).
Megan says
OMG! I am a ponytail girl. I thought I would be all bold and fun and chopped off my hair. I.AM.DYING. I NEED my ponytail back. When I was teaching I would show up with my hair down and kids would think they had a sub. Yes, I am that dependent.
Amanda says
When you mention your favorite skinny jeans, are they GAP? I’m always on the lookout for great jeans and love hearing which brands people favor. Right now I’m a BR Factory Outlet and Nordstrom Rack scouring girl – finding great buys on Joe’s and 7 jeans and all sorts of shoes.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! They’re awesome.
xo,
s
Abby says
I love the closet GPA idea! I don’t love all of my clothes right now and its frustrating to find something to wear in the mornings. I threw 2 pairs of pants down on the floor this morning in a fit of rage because I couldn’t find anything to wear and that fit. I like the idea of having 10 outfits that make me feel great instead of 20 that I don’t love.
Lauren G says
I love this post! I have the same old navy top, the blue one with the red birds? So many people have asked me if I got it at anthro, and I’m so proud to answer that I got it on clearance at old navy :) My husband has no shame in asking for disounts at retail stores. One time, I was trying on a dress at BCBG that was on a 30% sale rack and he asked the sales associate for 50% and she actually said “yes.” It just goes to show, all you need to do is ask, the worst that can happen is they say “no.” He does it with TV’s, clothing, furniture, cable bill, whatever. The crazy thing is, it works a good amount of the time (we recently got an awesome TV and he insisted they take the equivalent of sales tax off – score!)
Gabriella @ Our Life In Action says
I love it – your wardrobe is classic with pretty little bursts of colour.
My wardrobe consists of mostly black (because I hope that it makes me look slimmer) but I am trying to follow your lead and add more little pops of colour. My husband thanks you profusely. ;-)
Thank you for sharing. :-D
Gabriella @ Our Life In Action says
P.S. – I too am 5’2, so tricks on how to look taller – definately appreciated! :-)
Lexi says
Ebay, people sell new with tag items on there for half the price! I stock up on all of my kate spade there :)!
Sarah says
Preach it about the handbags, sister! My husband let’s me splurge on higher-end bags (Cole Haan, Coach, anything around that $300 price point) because I use the heck out of them for 2-3 years. It’s an investment piece.
And I love #5, I want to go home and grade my closet!!
Kylie says
I totally evaluate cost per wear before and after making a purchase. If you know that you love it and will wear it often, it’s worth spending more (I realize “more” is relative to personal budgets). It makes me feel good to know that an item is practically a dollar or cents per wear.
Lisa says
I’m definitely frugal when it comes to clothes as well.
This is my first pregnancy, and I’ve tried really hard not to cave and buy maternity clothes if not needed. I’ve tried buying items that will work now (at 24 weeks) and afterward. I’ve only caved to getting a basic pair of maternity skinny jeans and a black pair for work (so much more comfortable!). Other than that, I’ve been wearing regular dresses, long shirts and tanks and saving money!
I also have a Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic card and it definitely comes in handy. I’ve never had a card before, but it’s been perfect for me. :)
Great tips by the way! I agree with everything you mentioned, and I just recently got on the dangly earring kick. :)
Erin {Home Everyday} says
Thank you for sharing this. You are absolutely right about loving everything in your closet. You’ll never have one of those “a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear moments” I’ve been revampiing my wardrobe since the spring as a.) I’m not pregnant or nursing for the first time in like 5 years b.) I’ve lost weight and c.) I’ve become a stay at home mom so I don’t need many “dressy” outfits.
Thanks for sharing your tips, they will come in handy.
Kelly says
This post is great. As for shopping for my style…it’s a bit difficult because, well, basically, I have no style! Ha! Is “no style” a style at all?
But you look awesome all the time!
Rachael says
I regularly shop our local Buy, Sell & Trade page on Facebook. I know what size I wear in each brand, so I just wait and see what others are getting rid of: American Eagle jeans for $4, a formal dress for a wedding for $12? Can’t beat it!
Vanessa says
I’m also a BIG fan of thrift store shopping. I actaully buy 85% of my wardrobe there now. Lots of name brands like Calvin Klein – a gorgeous LBD for $5! Or Ann Taylor and Talbots cardigans for $3 a pop. Every year I splurge and buy a brand new black cardigan because I wear them so often – truly one of my staples. I tend to invest in shoes because they really take the wear and tear of my ensembles. Places like TJMAXX or even Macy’s and JC Penny on clearance have good deals. I also always have a good supply on black and white tshirts – they are my go to under a cardigan or jacket. I love Mossimo t’s from Target and at $10 a pop I can stock up and not break the bank.
Julie says
I’m AWFUL at accessorizing with jewelry (I one of two necklaces with my girls’ names pretty much every single day), but I do like to accessorize with scarves. I just wish I could feel good about rotating such a few # of clothes to work. Being a HS teacher I just don’t feel like I can get away with it. (Like HS girls are going to notice that my black pants are actually 3 different pairs???)
Robin @ our semi organic life says
I got some great deals this weekend at the thrift store. My rules are: name brand, fit well, washable (no dry clean only), no shoes, & cute! It’s suprising how much you can find if you just take the time to look. I only look at pants, skirts & tops. This weekend I got a cute LOFT top (spring-y but hey) for $2! I’ve gotten nice Ann Taylor skirts, brand new w/tags Old navy blouses, JCrew sweater, stylish long black trench even.
mariela says
I shop for clothes at Target, Kohls (their Lauren Conrad line is awesome) ON, GAP, BR, and AE or Aerie for their sweaters. I always look on the clearance racks to find great deals, and try to always bring a coupon with me.
Amanda says
Sherry, you are one pretty lady. I love your thoughts on how you dress. I think the most important thing is really to stay true to yourself, just like you said.
Jocelyn Pascall says
I like to splurge on more structured pieces, like jackets and dresses. Things that I don’t necessarily wear all of the time, but that will still look good for years to come. When it comes to everyday tops, etc. I love to shop at Nordstrom Rack. Not sure if they have those out by you, but they are amazing. (The shoes there are great too.) I have also recently scoped out some really amazing consignment shops in my area that only take items that are in really good condition. I’m telling you – you can find some really great stuff, that is current and in-style, at a fraction of the cost. I also like knowing that I am helping someone else out too, who is trying to make some money selling their stuff.
Jane @ The Borrowed Abode says
These are excellent tips! I’m finally learning to go for only the items that are a “10” rather than amassing tons of the super cheap clearance-y items that are all 6s or 5s.
I don’t know if you’ve ever hit up The Hall Tree or Clementine in Carytown, but when I’m in Richmond I love to stop in – great consignment stores with fabulous pieces.
Ashley@AttemptsAtDomestication says
Great tips! I’ve always been more of a looker and less of a buyer when it comes to clothes, but lately I find myself tempted more and more so these are a big help for me and my shopping on a budget!
Emily says
Love this article! I am of a similar mindset with shopping for clothes – quality basics, things that I love, and then a few transitional pieces & fun accessories.
The biggest tip that I would share is that if you have a hard time finding a certain piece of clothing that fits, say jeans, or a nice blazer, don’t just settle for some that fit “okay” and end up buy a dozen that are “okay” and were on sale. Hold out until you find the perfect item and pay the price, or shop around for coupons or better deals on that exact thing, and splurge on it. For me it’s jeans – I swear I tried on 200 pairs of jeans before I found the perfect pair. They were spendy (at least for a frugalista like me – $120!!) but I love them to death, they go with everything, I only own 1 pair (have to dress up for work during the week – boo), and they fit like someone used me to make the pattern.
Steph S. says
Not watering down your wardrobe is GREAT advice. Often I think we have this need to have more, more, more. More is not always better-true with decorating I guess too. I buy pretty much all of my clothes at this favorite consignment shop the next town over, or TJ Maxx. Like you, I invest in quality jackets, jeans (I’m 6 feet), purses, and shoes. DSW is THE place for shoes. Last fall, I spent $150 on a pair of black boots that I LOVED and will wear for years to come. I typically make one big purchase like that a year. Everything else I hunt around for and cheaper quality for trendy items like tank tops and shirts is ok by me.
Jen Migonis says
I am the same way, Sherry, with the staples. Dark wash skinny jeans, blazer (H&M surprisingly has some ones that wear well for years and cost me about $60) and a pop of color on the shoes. I buy primarily Coach bags for about $100 at the outlet with their weekend 20% coupons and I’ve used them for YEARS (one black, one brown and one red). I know shift dresses work wonders for my body and found that I can score them for $60-$100 at J. Crew, which sounds like a lot, but when I wore them all the time for work or church it got the cost per wear down to tiddly winks. :)
Emily says
There’s a new store in my area called Clothes Mentor — it’s a chain that I equate to “Plato’s Closet for adults.” I am IN LOVE with it. The inventory is always changing and is organized by color which is so handy because I gravitate towards greens and pinks and almost always stay away from purples and browns. Their deals aren’t as quite as good as Goodwill, but the clothes are always in tip-top shape and are a current style, not something someone pulled out of a closet from 15 years ago. I scored a PERFECT strapless knee length hot pink dress for a beach wedding for $20. No way would I have gotten out so inexpensively in a department store!!
Sarah K says
I LOVE the closet GPA. I believe I will be instituting that in my own head / closet!
I also follow the expensive BUT gorgeous TJ Maxx purse rule. I have two though, one small every day purse and one large (as in can fit my laptop and all my travel stuff) which I use for work and travel. Both are starting to show their age, which makes me super sad, and I’ve started hunting for their replacements. I do occasionally pick up a fun summer purse to break things up. This year I got a fun navy striped on from Old Navy for $15 after coupons!
Great post!
Sarah
Gina_AcuteDesigns says
Great tips, Sherry!
My tips – Thrift stores! know you guys hit them up for home stuff, and the clothes can be gross, but you have to look.
Also, I try (it’s hard to do, but I TRY) to buy less but better quality. Old Navy is so tempting and gets me again and again, but I have more expensive Banana Republic sweaters that I can wear for years.
Lindsay says
in my head, i tell myself that i will only buy something if i absolutely love it. and when i follow this rule i’m happiest. (case in point: obsessed over cream michael kors leather tote for 2 YEARS before picking it up at 25% off).
but the reality is that i work 6 days a week and i see a lot of the same people. i just don’t have the funding to have that much clothing that i love. so i must admit i dilute my closet average with a few “nice but not WOW” tops from here an there.
do i feel better wearing the clothes i LOVE? yep – but sometimes you gotta compromise.
Jess! says
My girlfriends and I do regular “clothing swaps” where we clean out our closets of the things we rarely wear anymore, and then get together to trade the clothes. Whoever hosts that day provides nibblies, and we go through the bags of cast-offs piece by piece, telling a story of the item (if it warrants it), laughing ourselves silly, and at the end of it, most of us go home with at least 1 new item (while the rest gets donated to goodwill or the salvation army or something). It’s a great cheap way to hang out, have some laughs, get some new clothes (satisfying that ‘i want something NEW’ impulse that we all have), and do something good for charity.
We have also extended it to books/magazines/accessories/purses/hair styling items and shampoos/conditioners since there’s always something that someone buys and doesn’t like, or a perfume that someone gave you that you can’t stand… but don’t want to waste by throwing away.
some of my favourite clothes have come from the swaps, so it’s totally worked out for me over the last few years!
Lynn @ Our Useful Hands says
I come from a house of 4 brothers so it took me longer to acquire (and not be made fun of) the style I have today. I am of the school of thought that you put on a few pieces of jewelry and then just before you head out, take one off. So I am not walking around like one of those women in First Class on the Titanic, I follow this method religiously. I also ask myself when picking something up “Will I love you forever?” and if the answer is a “Meh.” or “Kinda but not really.” then I put it back to be found by the next girl. I am also a year-long shopper for the perfect purse. Currently I rock the pocket wallet. Love your tips!
My best, Lynn
*when living in NY did you ever make your way out of the City up to Monroe and The Woodbury Commons? Sick deals every time I went…
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah I took the bus there a few times!
xo,
s
Maureen says
Ha! My husband runs security there! Small world.
Laura says
The closet GPA thing is ingenius. I need to work on it. I’m a sucker for a $2 clearance anything.
I also couldn’t agree more about Old Navy for tops and sweaters. Gap Factory is great for khakis (work pants) and jackets. This past summer I scored an $85 cropped denim jacket for $10 at Gap Factory. Tuesdays are always good clearance shopping days EVERYWHERE.
Stephanie says
My biggest tip is TJMaxx & Marshalls. Go into them all. Go into them often. Flip through the racks and try on what you like. 95% of the time the trip will be a bust, but sometimes you strike gold. I got jeans for $7 before, and I’ve bought shirts for $3. I even got a Cynthia Rowley jacket for $50.
I’m the kind of girl who needs a stacked closet to survive. I am constantly cleaning out my closet to make room for new clothes. It’s why I pretty much only exclusively bargin shop.
Oh, another good tip. Don’t be afraid to see the potential. Most clothes won’t fit perfectly off the rack. There’s no shame in taking clothes to a tailor and getting something changed. Personally, I need to get ALL dresses take in on the straps. I must have unusually small shoulders.
Or even adjust yourself. I bought a really pretty white tank but it had all these tacky “pearls” on it. So I went to town with the scissors cutting them off and now I wear it all the time.
And having someone to swap with is always nice. My mom is a little smaller than me so often if I buy something and decide it’s just too small, I will have her try it on. We have pretty similar styles and she does the same for me if something is too big. It works out. And if I ever lose enough weight that it fits, I can have it back!
LONG reply. I’ll stop babbling now. I just LOVE shopping. :X
Cindy M. says
Just the other day I printed out my Pinterest fashion pins and analyzed the common threads. Apparently I love pencil skirts, tailored shirts, solid colors, simple sweaters, statement jewelry and great shoes. Now I know what to look for – and what to avoid on my shopping trips!
abby says
Closet GPA = GENIUS.
You have inspired me to clear out my closet this weekend and I’m excited about it! :)
Crystal @ 29 Rue House says
I follow a lot of your tips too – but love your Closet GPA idea! I work in a fancy pants establishment so I don’t feel comfortable wearing my fun earrings anymore (my favorite!) but I sure do miss them. It is hard justifying spending money on them when I only have 2 days a week to wear them. I’m also the same way on purses – only buy them if I LOVE them and it will take me forever to find a new love.
I don’t usually thrift for clothes, shop TJ Maxx or Marshalls. I don’t usually have the patience and it is hard to find what works for me. So that is a tip – don’t waste your time at stores that don’t work!
Liz says
I JUST did an infographic on this very concept: the economics of your shopping habits. I broke it down by cost per wear instead of the price tag, which is why your examples about your purse and jacket are spot on.
Infographic here: http://beinggeekchic.com/post/31410519604/the-economics-of-your-shopping-habits
YoungHouseLove says
So interesting! Love all the info everyone!
xo,
s
Alissa says
I realized a year or two ago that I had many items that only got worn a few times per year because I had so many things to wear. Even if it’s a cheap $10 shirt, when you have twenty $10 shirts you can’t wear them all enough to get enough meaningful use, so cost-per-wear is pretty high.
I pared down the QUANTITY in my closet, and now almost everything is worn at least once per fortnight. I really feel like I am getting my money’s worth from my wardrobe.
Jenn says
Hi Sherry- thanks for the fun post! I’m with you- I love an edited closet. Too many choices overwhelm me and I’m less apt to put something together that’s really cute. I’m just curious- how often do you guys go clothes shopping? Is it seasonal, or more just when you find you need something?
YoungHouseLove says
It’s usually only when we need something. I’ve gone like half a year without buying anything and have grabbed things on multiple occasions of I’m lacking something useful (ex: maternity clothes).
xo,
s
Ashley says
Thanks for this post! I never even thought of the “closet average”. That’s a great way to look at it! A lot of my regular wear comes from TJ Maxx/Marshalls, Stein-Mart and off the sale rack at Macy’s. I tend to buy trendy stuff that I know will be out in a year or two on the cheap, and then with more classic pieces I spend more and try to go for higher end brands.
One tip I would pass along is to use eBay. I often get great deals on designer stuff on eBay. For instance last year I got a 100% wool sweater dress from Calvin Klein that retailed for $100+ but I paid $25. And I recently got a Banana Republic wrap dress for $20.
Another tip would be to look for irregular items. Like a shirt where the hem stitch is crooked but you can’t even tell. I’ve scored some great deals on things that are irregular just b/c it’s slightly imperfect but regular department stores won’t sell it.
Patti says
I think Rule No. 5 is gonna change my life lol! Thank you!
Amy says
I grab a personal stylist from Nordstrom and scavenge the sale rack with them. It’s their (free of charge) service and job to help outfit customers, and they usually know their products really well. They are also good about mixing/matching from different departments (again, free of charge!), so I will get basic tanks and tees in the juniors section, scarves from the kids’ section (don’t judge) and the signature jackets from one of their ladies’ departments.
I work in NONprofit, and sometimes “SALE” means something different to Nordstrom than it does to me – in other words, sometimes “SALE” is still too expensive! But I have found some really great deals and the cost-per-wear on those items is really, really low because I wear them all the time.
Laurie says
I am a HUGE New York & Company fan. If you provide an email address you get coupons. Things like $70 off $150 purchase. Frequently, these can be combined with in-store specials. Best of all, they get new things in constantly so something you love one week will be deeply discounted in a couple weeks. I never buy anything the first time I see it. Most of my clothes come from this store because, as you noted, I know their things fit me, I love the silhouettes and I never have to try anything on. I never have to return anything and their colors continue to work with things I have bought in past years. I am trying to venture beyond my basic uniform of black, white and gray (or light black as my husband calls it!) and I love a colorful shoe with these sedate colors. I could go on and on….this was a great post!! I liked the glimpse into your non-DIY life.
Keisha says
Ditto the thrift stores, I like to go to the ones in the nice suburbs of KC because they tend to have nicer things and more name brands. Looking through the pinned clothes on Pinterest has helped me figure out my style and what staples I need to buy to make my closet work together better. Also, it’s hard being 30, you don’t want to wear junior clothes but don’t want to wear granny clothes either. I have finally figured out my “mom” style, it’s casual but not sloppy. Finding clothes that fit well instead of what is in style is a good piece of advice too.
Jen says
Great post!
You look SO MUCH YOUNGER with your hair down! It really looks very pretty when it is down. I understand it is so much easier to wear up though:)
Monica says
A couple of extra tips:
1. AAA Card – It works to get an extra 10% off at the Gap Outlet and Banana Republic Outlet. It even works at a few other stores but those are two on my fave list.
2. Savings Emails/Rewards Clubs – I created a separate email from all of those places where you sign up for emails, coupons, specials, etc. Once or twice a week (definitely on a Friday lunch break), I check the email to see if there are any coupons that I will need for my weekend shopping. Plus by keeping the emails in a separate account, they don’t clutter my real email. I have also found that some stores don’t even require me to print the coupon to use it. I can just show the coupon or email on my phone and get the discount.
3. Thresholds – I created a system based on prices, need and how it plays into my current wardrobe.
Less than $5.00 – almost always a buy. This totally goes for t-shirts that can be worn to work or dolled up. I always tell myself, “If I can skip the coffee run for one day, I can afford it.”
$5.01 – $10.00 – I tend to ponder and really buy if it is an addition to my wardrobe. I was able to find some jeans at Forever 21 that fit in this range and snatched them up. You can never have too many great fitting jeans.
$10.01 – up – I stew over this range a little, unless it is significant savings or some thing that is a necessity that needs replacing. This range includes work wardrobe pieces, jackets and coats. I was able to score a gray peacoat at the Gap last spring for $15 that was originally $250 and some Born shoes from DSW for $25 that were normally $175 due to in-store savings and coupons.
Sarah S says
I second the AAA card – it’s actually very reasonable to be a member and so far I’ve used it more for discounts on clothing and hotels than I have for car issues- it’s easily paid for itself!
Also – and this is a regional thing – I live in Washington which has super high sales tax, but Oregon has no sales tax and I usually find myself in portland a couple times a year, so if I know I’ll be heading down there I try to wait to buy items that may be on my list and save nearly 10% just by thinking ahead.
Sarrilly says
I love these posts, and I adore your style!
It is the saddest thing in the world for me to buy something cute on sale just because of the incredible price only to discover that I NEVER wear it because it doesn’t really go with what I normally wear! Plus, I have a theory that dressing room mirrors always make you look way better than your at-home mirrors! ;)
Nora Rose says
I need to focus on #5 with my uniform of black pants and cardigans for my office job. I’ve been waiting on a few of my new fall clothes to try to see if I really love them, one piece is already a meh and I’m regretting it. :(
Growing up in the same town as an outlet mall really helps though. ;) I’ve learned that they start their sales early and many stores have them up by Thursday if you want to beat the weekend crowds!