Frugal Clothing For The Smart frugal Shopper

Finding frugal clothing to buy that won’t break the bank but will still make you feel like a million dollars is not a pipe dream but a reality with a little careful planning.

My partner and I are terrible clothes buyers, we always have been. We wear clothes until they absolutely fall apart and both of us just aren’t the sorts of people that really enjoy clothes shopping. Does that make us good frugal living examples?

However this means that we end up with only a few items of clothing left in good enough condition to wear, meaning that we have to go on one big frugal clothing shopping trip. However there are benefits of this type of big shopping trip.

The Big Shop - The Frugal Shopping Way

We time our trips to the sales seasons – This is a really great way to buy all the latest styles but at a fraction of the cost they were only a few short weeks ago.

The January sales are really good to stock up on winter woollies for the next cold season. That way you are not forced to go out and buy warm clothing at their full price as soon as it starts to get chilly the following autumn.

It helps to coordinate your wardrobe – I used to find when I didn’t go frugal clothing shopping in my teens that I would buy a piece of clothing here and there and something else the week after, and end up with a wardrobe where nothing went together.

This forced me to go out and try and find something else that would match and make an outfit. (When I remember some of the terrible combinations I used to wear it makes me shudder).

Budget – It also allows me to have a budget for my frugal clothing shopping sprees and prevents me from over spending. It is a good idea to set your self a yearly amount that you consider will come within your budget for your clothes buying.

It can be all too easy to buy clothes willy nilly but when you have a budget figure to keep to, it stops you and makes you think twice, do I really need this item?

What’s in your wardrobe?

Before you embark on your frugal clothing plan, it is essential to know just what you do have lurking in those wardrobes. Hands up how many of you have items of clothing in your wardrobe that you haven’t worn in years.

Yes I thought so, I was just the same. For some reason I was hanging onto a Boy George tee shirt that I used to wear in my teens. I can’t really imagine myself wearing it now that I am nearly forty (well only if I want to embarrass my partner).

If we know what we already own we won’t be tempted to buy a similar item and your clothes budget will stretch and stretch to last the whole year.

Tips on sorting out wardrobe

• If you haven’t worn something for a long time ask yourself why not. If the answer is that it doesn’t fit anymore, it’s not something you feel comfortable wearing now, or simply don’t like it anymore, then give it to a charity store or sell it on ebay.

• Keep classic items that still fit, like the little black dress, even if they are old fashioned. It is always possible to accessorise a classic item to make it appear to be the latest style.

• Thin your selections so that you have a wardrobe of clothing that will actually get worn. Ask yourself do I really need twelve summer dresses and eight jackets?

Where to get frugal clothing

Many more of us are now becoming more aware of reducing our waste and recycling items. This includes clothing and many more people are either selling their old clothes or are giving them away to charity shops.

This is great news for our frugal budget and we now have far more choice on style and quality than we may have done a few years before. The best places to look for cheap clothing are:

• Ebay – Great for all sorts of types of clothes, you can even pick up a designer label here at a fraction of the cost.

• Charity Stores – It’s amazing what fantastic clothes you can get at these stores. I’m always being asked where I bought my clothes from, as they are so nice.

• Garage Sales/Car boot sales – A bit more hard work and hit and miss, but with a little perseverance you can pick up a real bargain.

• Ex-catalogue shops - Catalogue clothes are so expensive, so it’s great to be able to buy them at a fraction of their cost in their returns shops.

• Discount Stores – Primark, Walmart and other similar stores are great to get your high street fix but at a discounted price.

Things to remember when going frugal clothing shopping

• Always buy easy care clothes – you don’t want the constant expenses of dry cleaning bills.

• Buy classic clothes – buy clothes that won’t go out of fashion next season.

• Protect clothes – When you buy clothes made from material that is delicate like silk, protect them before you wear them by sewing underarm protectors to prevent sweat stains etc.

• Accessorise – a few well-chosen accessories can change and adapt many different outfits.

• Buy the best quality that you can afford – clothing made from good quality fabrics will last for many years.

Share share alike

One of the things I grew up with was sharing and swapping my clothes with my family and friends. This is something that can be continued into adulthood under the guise of coffee mornings and other informal gatherings.

Why not arrange with your neighbours and friends a swapping clothes party, keep it fun and informal and everyone will not only go away with some new item of clothing fro free but a nice time will have been had by all.