‘Mark Twain’ once wrote “Clothes make the man” and that “Naked people have little or no influence on society”. That’s all well and good if you have a never-ending supply of cash but what if you don’t?
Being a dedicated follower of fashion does not necessarily mean you have to sell a kidney in order to buy that little black dress or that leather jacket that’ll get you noticed. With a little imagination and a bit of determination you can create and maintain a wardrobe that won’t cost you a packet.
1. Go vintage
Check out vintage clothing for a change – there are some great finds to be had in the many second-hand shops popping up everywhere and you’ll find something nice for half the price.
2. Swapping
Have a clothes swapping party with your circle of friends – a great way to swap an old items of clothing for something different and combine it with a social occasion at the same time.
3. Mend
Just because something has a hole or a tear in it doesn’t mean that it’s the end of the line for that garment. Grab yourself a needle and thread and get mending. If you don’t feel confident enough to do it yourself, seek out a repair service and get them to do it. It will be much cheaper than replacing the item and you get a bit more life out of your clothes.
4. Dye & dry clean
If you don’t look after clothes they are going to start to look a bit shabby after a while. If something has lost its colour depth, buy a washing machine dye and bring it back to life again. Equally, that coat you once loved so much will look much better if you treat it to a periodic dry clean to bring it back to life again.
5. Remove that pilling
Invest in a pilling remover, a small hand-held electric shaver device that when run over clothes, will remove pilling or as some people call them, ‘bobbles’. Your clothes will look amazing.
