10 Tips for Revamping Your Wardrobe on A Budget

Broke or on a budget and a new season upon you? I feel you, and I'm here for you, girlfreeeen. There are ways to give your closet a makeover even you don't have the money to shop.  Here's some tips to revamp your wardrobe when your wallet is looking a little frail.

1. Have a friend re-style your closet. 
When you've been looking at the same clothes everyday it's easy to get stuck in a rut. Closet full of clothes and nothing to wear, classic conundrum. Have a friend come over and re imagine your wardrobe! How would he/she style that maxi skirt you've been pairing with crop tops again and again? Have a glass of wine and style some looks out! Take pics to get inspired when your sartorial bubbles are getting flat.

2. Clean out your closet and uncover hidden treasures.
Wait..what? Get rid of stuff when you can't replenish the goods!? Yes! When you gut your closet, you're guaranteed to come across pieces you may have forgotten about. Get inspired by some older pieces you haven't worn in a while that may have gotten lost in the shuffle. You're on a budget what else do you have to do?!

3. Trade the old for the new. 
After you've cleaned out you closet you'll have loads of stuff you don't want anymore, right? Take your duds to Buffalo Exchange, Wasteland, or Crossroads Trading Co. They'll give you cash or store credit for you old threads. You can get a few new pieces or a fist full of cash! Your garbage as a form of currency!! Who knew!?

4. Don't underestimate the power of thrift stores. 
I'm a firm believer in shopping at thrift stores year round, but I know some of you aren't. If you're on a budget, however, you might not have a choice. To make it easier on yourself, keep certain pieces from your closet in mind, and find them mates! If you're not an experienced thrift shopper and you get overwhelmed, ask a pal who is to tag along and help you out. For more tips on thrift shopping look these ten tips for thrifting.

5. Host a clothing swap.
Any excuse to throw a party, right? Get a group of friends together and have everyone bring items they have expired or don't wear anymore. Drink wine and barter your faces off! (I know this is my second tip telling you to drink wine with your friends, but you're broke...no one's judging you).

6. DIY till you dye!
You can completely transform old rags into riches with scissors, dye or thread and needle. Even if you're DIY challenged, simple tricks can totally change the vibe of a piece. Hack off the sleeves of an old sweat shirt, fringe the bottom of a tee, or cut off and embellish some old jeans! You can get some inspiration on my Pinterest board if ya'd like!

7. Closet Crash!!!
Got a mom, dad, brother, boyfriend, or even better: a grandma? Kindly ask their permission to borrow and/or have some items. "Daddy, can I haz white button up?" (It will look totes amaaaaze with skinny jeans). Channel Stevie Nicks with your mama's burnout scarf. And what better way to spend an afternoon than bonding with Nana, talking about her old clothes and costume jewelry?! (And asking for some hand-me-downs).

8. Use gift cards.
If you have to get some retail therapy and you're going to spend the money anyway, buy gift cards at Giftcardgranny.com for cheaper than their actual value. You've saved the money before you even stepped foot in the store! What's more: promise yourself you won't spend more than what's on the gift card when you shop.

9. Channel the transforming power of accessories. 
Accessories are often cheaper than actual clothing. Spruce up a bag with a scarf like this. You can build an entire look around a reasonably priced statement necklace like this one.

10. Think outside the box
Try out styles you haven't before. Tights with shorts? Underwear as outwear!!! Don't be afraid to mix and match things you haven't before. Set aside some time for trial and error when trying out new styles to avoid frustration.

Tribal on Trial: Guide to Purchasing Trendy Patterns

I'm not a huge trend follower. Never got super into the high-low cut, didn't really dig those Jeffery Campbell platforms and I don't think I have once ombre'd myself in anyway. However, here I am wearing tribal jeans. (I see the irony of blogging being super trendy and me being a blogger. Let's move past that). 

Well, yes I went on a bit of a rant about the trendiness of certain patterns (tribal print being one of them) in this post. I can understand how it may seem hypocritical that I'm striking a pose in them here.  However, I'm finding this seemingly hypocritical situation a fabulous opportunity to share my opinion on purchasing trendy anything... patterns in particular. It's best to buy cheap OR invest big. Let's take tribal for example. I got these jeans at TJ Maxx for $20. They don't fit like my Helmut Lang jeans, but when I'm feeling funky, they do the trick. When Tribal is COMPLETELY dead like disco (actually disco lives on in my heart. The Bee Gees are winners forever) I can sell these to Buffalo Exchange and i won't have broken the bank. 

OR

Invest big in pieces that would authentically have a tribal pattern. A bag, a jacket, a beautiful blanket for your home, or a well made rug or a TeePee. I really believe that if something is authentic and well made it's never going to go out of style. See: Turquoise Jewelry. 

anyhoo, 

On the Dior sweater: Is it just me or do other Thrift Store Junkies find that Dior is the most common higher end designer found in thrift stores? Seriously. Sweaters and blazers gallore. Has anyone else noticed that? I mean, I'm not complaining. I love this sweater, and every blazer and shirt I've found for Jonny. I'm just wondering why vintage Dior seems to be the most common designer in thrift stores? 

Sick Dudes: Bill Murray, Macklemore and Others.

 It has been quite some time since I have done a men's post. I used to do regular installments of sick dudes, but somehow it phased out. A homie of mine was telling me the other day he'd like to see me do more posts on man-style. If there's one thing the blogosphere is lacking it's men's style. So, here it is the totally raddest most stylin' dudes of late. 

This is a preeetty strong way to start out the post. I feel if you don't know why this dude is sick you might need to have your peepers examined. It's the little details with him: Velvet textured pocket square: sophisticated. Crisp white shirt sans collar? What a dare devil! Mixing metal accessories? And is that a purple iphone I see? This man is breaking the boundaries of gender specific colors a la Prince. And there is also the minor detail of his perfectly salt and peppered wiley dreads. 

{image: http://thegiftsoflife.tumblr.com}

This was my favorite shot of all the photos of Bill Murray in the latest GQ. He is the sickest dude of all. I'm particularly digging the ease in which he sports the brightest of blue cardigans in this shot. (Also, his shoes and pants. Eeeeeeeee!) 

{image source}

Men, there is no shame is rocking clothing with animals printed on them, but let's face it: the screen printed T's from Urban Outfitters in the style of a thriftstore find are getting a little majorly boring. This guy's shirt is next fucking level. So is his pose. 

{image: The Sartorialist}

This is what happens when Punky Brewster and Dwayne Wayne get together and have a Strong Black Man baby. 

{Image: The Sartorialist}

Yes Macklemore. Yes to your gold chains. Yes to your Air Jordans. Yes to the snake skin around your neck. Yes to the mixing black with brown and pulling it off. And to the hat, yes. Yes. A MILLION TIMES YES!

{Image: Dirty Laces}

Topanga Dressin' and How to Wear Thigh Highs

Well, this is what happens when you start getting dressed and you just. don't. stop. On Sunday we were heading up to Topanga for our friend Seth's birthday party, so I got a little inspired. Topanga is woodsy and mountainy and hilly and green and that's what was on my mind when I was putting this little ensemble together. I guess I was also thinking about Blair from The Facts of Life, cause this looks like something she might wear. But then Mrs. Garrett wouldn't let her leave the house 'cause thigh highs, well, they're pretty damn tantalizing. 

Aside:

Ladies, don't even act like you don't know thigh highs aren't the sexiest thing a girl could possibly wear besides a man's over sized shirt with no pantaloons...(and that doesn't happen in real life, but only in Mila Kunitz/Jennifer Anniston rom coms. Vomit.) That's not to say I don't like romantic comedies, and that's not to say don't wear thigh highs. I'm only suggesting to be aware of the balance of your look. If you're wanting to retain a bit of modesty, keep the rest of the look a bit less revealing. 

In conclusion, I'll go ahead and say this is full force dressing. We've got a theme, we've got thigh highs, suede, layers, stripes, cat glasses, side ponytail.....an actual rendering of a pony and finally, as displayed in the images below, I'm still digging the "broach as a bow tie" thang.  

{Striped Shirt, Suede Skirt, Sweater: Thrifted}{Broach: Vintage Heirloom}
{Cat Glasses & Earrings: Dolly Python} 

{Thigh Highs: Target (similar)}{Boots: Born}{Lips: Mac, Viva Glam}