How To Refresh Your Wardrobe Without Going Broke

I’m no stranger to a closet cleanout or wanting to virtually overhaul your style. It’s normal for your style to evolve as you move through different seasons of life. You wouldn’t keep wearing your ripped jeans and oversized tees if you wanted to be more elegant and you probably wouldn’t continue to wear Ann Taylor dresses to relax at home once you’ve retired.

Doing a wardrobe overhaul or “Closet Cleanout” doesn’t need to be an expensive task. If you can be a little creative and strategic, you can update your wardrobe without making your bank account give you a sideye or derailing your financial goals. Refreshing your closet let’s you try new things, but also will make you take a hard look at the pieces you already own. Here are my tips for refreshing your wardrobe on a budget.

1. Declutter your Closet

Your very first step should be to declutter your closet. This will let you see how much of your wardrobe you want to keep, how many things you want have altered, and how much needs repairing. Look at every since item in your wardrobe and decide if it still fits who you want to be. If an item doesn’t fit put it aside to be donated or sold. If something has seen better days it’s okay to toss it. If you haven’t worn something in over a year it can probably go too.

After decuttering your wardrobe you’ll have a better idea of the pieces that you’re missing and what pieces you’ll want to buy to create the outfits you’re going for. And the best part is that it makes space for the new things you will buy.

2. Shop Smart to Save Big

Now that you know what pieces you’re looking for it’s time to shop. You have to know where to go to get the best bang for your buck. The cheapest item is almost never the best choice. The same goes for the most expensive item too, but we’re talking about being on a budget here.

Thrift stores, consignment stores and online resale websites are good places to look if you want something vintage or designer for a fraction of the original price. Keeping an eye out for sales at your favorite places to shop or shopping after the current season can get you some pretty amazing deals.

I love finding a great deal especially if it is on designer pieces and I’ve gotten pretty good at finding designer clothes for less. Bookmarking my favorite sites, searches and pieces has helped me score some high-quality pieces without causing me to cry over my credit card bill.

If you want to know more about what I’m shopping I share the pieces that I love in my newsletter and sometimes on LTK. I know online shopping can be a little daunting so I like to share why I love something and how I use it in case it’s up your alley too.

3. Customize Your Pieces

Sometimes it’s more economical to customize pieces you already have than to buy brand new ones. Hemming your pants or a skirt to be more flattering, tailoring to fit, or adding embroidery can transform something old or ill-fitting into something that you love. It’s great if you can do these things yourself, but if you’re not particularly skilled a tailor should be able to help you out.

If you’re up for going the DIY route, its easier with a high-quality sewing machine like the pfaff sewing machines. With some sewing basics, you can sew on a few fun pops of color and other detail, and you’ve transformed that otherwise plain white blouse into a one-of-a-kind piece that will never go out of style.