Affordable Fashion Looks For A College Student On A Budget
As a senior in college, I try not to spend too much money on clothes. With how quick the trend cycle changes, I know how hard it is to want to keep up with the latest looks, but not having the budget to do so. We have our schools to so graciously thank for robbing us blind. Little do a lot of students know, there’s a way to be both stylish and practical with your money. Here are some affordable fashion tips, perfect for any broke college kid:
1. Cultivate Your Wardrobe Staples
Once you develop a capsule wardrobe, you’ll have a lot of neutral pieces to build outfits off of. For those that have never heard the term, a capsule wardrobe is simply a collection of fashion essentials. You can find affordable fashion for your capsule wardrobe, all of which is likely to be at thrift stores. First things first, you’ll want staple pairs of blue jeans, black jeans, and white jeans. These should be basic, having no extra details to them.
Linen shirts are another versatile and affordable fashion staple to have. Again, these are commonly found at thrift shops, so check there before you drop more money at a department store. Button-up linen shirts are usually cheap when purchased secondhand, and you can score a ton of high end brands. I got my Ralph Lauren one for around $5! You should definitely get a white button-up shirt, but also consider a blue and white striped or solid color one. I LOVE my blue and white striped button-up—I’m able to recreate so many Djerf Avenue looks with it! At the end of the day, your capsule wardrobe should be stocked with clothes you know you’ll get good use out of. Try to get pieces that are well-made and look like they’ll a while.
2. Don’t Throw Anything Away
Waste not, wear not. Instead of throwing your clothes away, keep them stored away somewhere safe. I always regret getting rid of clothes I no longer wear. Again, the trend cycle works in mysterious ways. Something might go “out” for a period of time, then make a long-awaited return years later. For me, it was my overalls. I got rid of them a couple of years ago, and now that they’re trendy again, I wish I hadn’t. If I still owned a pair of overalls, I would have styled them like in the picture above. All of this just goes to show how annoying the trend cycle is. (More the reason not to fully participate it, and wear what makes you happy!).
To save you from spending money on the same item again, hang onto your clothes. Of course, if you truly don’t see yourself wearing something, you have every right to toss it. But don’t throw anything in the trash: send your old clothes to a thrift shop, or to an organization seeking donations.
3. Plan Your Splurges
If you’re really in the mood to splurge, be logical about it. What I do is set a goal amount of money to work up to. Say I want to save $3000, and I’ll dedicate $100 to a piece of clothing I really want. Before I hit my goal, I need an image of what I want to buy with my $100. Maybe it’s a pair of leggings from Lululemon, or a fancy dress I found online. I’m currently saving up for this Djerf Avenue berries dress, which I couldn’t resist. Isn’t it adorable? Whatever the case, you should have a clear sense of what you want to splurge on so that you’re not wasting your hard-earned money. You can even create a vision board on Pinterest to plan ahead.
For those of us who are trying to save money, splurges shouldn’t be a weekly thing. Every so often, it’s important to treat ourselves. But everything should be done in moderation…otherwise, your splurges aren’t much of a treat. Instead, they become part of a routine—a routine that will take a hit to your bank account, at that.
4. Have A Fashion Partner
It’s a rare privilege to have a friend (or family member!) that has the same size and style as you. What better means of affordable fashion is there than borrowing clothes from someone else? Sure, you can’t necessarily keep the clothes you’re handed. But who needs more clutter in their wardrobe, anyway? Arrange a system with your friend where they borrow something from you, and you borrow something from them. It might not work seamlessly, but it’s worth a shot. Just make sure to give everything they lend to you back to them.
At a certain age, you’ll start to recognize how stylish your parents actually are. I have raided my mom’s closet so many times in the past week, we might as well just switch wardrobes. Even though I would classify my style as somewhat feminine, I love borrowing clothes from my dad, too. All of his baggy sweatshirts and baseball hats help me perfect the model-off-duty, clean girl type of look. Don’t knock it till you try it—explore the clothes they have!
5. Practice Sustainability
Shopping ethically is shopping smart. Don’t waste your time and money sifting through the messy, unsustainably-made clothing at Forever 21. Fast fashion companies only keep growing and growing with each purchase we make there. Take a moment to educate yourself on conscious consumerism. To become a conscious consumer, you should first ask yourself what clothes you really need. Yes, that uber-expensive, busy-patterned dress might be in style at the moment, but do you actually like it? Do you think you’ll wear it in the future, even when it’s considered untrendy? If you answer “no” to both of these questions, but the dress back on the shelf.
You should also conduct research on the companies you buy from. They might claim to be sustainable, but that’s just coming from them. Check other sources to see if your favorite stores are being authentic, or if they’re just greenwashing. I’ve heard only praise for Girlfriend Collective, a black-owned, ethical clothing brand. Aliya Wanek and Two Days Off are other solid options, from what people online are saying. I try to mostly thrift, as some sustainable brands can get a bit pricy. Depop and Vinted are great for thrifting online, though beware of up-sellers. If you’re having a difficult time finding sustainable places to shop, just remember: quality over quantity. It isn’t terrible if you buy one or two pieces of clothing from a fashion fashion company, but don’t get weekly hauls.
Affordable fashion isn’t as difficult to find as it seems to be. Evidently, you just need to know where to look. With affordable fashion, we should prioritize both our budgets and how ethically we’re shopping. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: thank God we have thrift stores.
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Feature image source: https://pin.it/6hQkbY1
