Putting Together a New Winter Wardrobe on a Budget!

It is always nice when the seasons change. The shorter days mean that you get more time to spend indoors snuggled up under a blanket reading, playing, colouring in and re-connecting. It also means it is time to go out and revamp your wardrobe. You need to put most of your flimsy summer clothes away, hit the shops and buy some new clothes. The only problem is that most of us have to do this on a budget. Fortunately, there are lots of ways to make your money go further. Below are some of my favourite ideas.

Shop in the men´s section

This first one is going to seem a little strange, but it is actually a very good tip. Generally speaking, men´s clothing is far cheaper than women´s. There really is no reason not to kit yourself out with a man´s parka. They look virtually identical and do just as good a job at keeping you warm and dry. The same applies to t-shirts, polo shirts, jumpers, hats, scarves and jeans. Even some men´s casual shirts look good on women. Most women can find at least some men’s clothing items that fit them well.

Shop in the sales

This one is obvious. If you head for the sales you will usually be able to pick up a bargain. Sign up to receive newsletters from your favourite retailers and you will be notified of them in advance. However, if you do sign up for those newsletters you need to be careful not to give into temptation and go shopping when you do not actually need anything.

Learn how to sew

Learning how to sew is a great idea for anyone. It is not a hard skill to master and once you do you will be able to do all sorts of things. Suddenly, putting a new zip in your favourite jeans is possible rather than having to go out and buy a new pair. There are loads of videos online that will teach you the basics.

Do a wardrobe audit and experiment

At the start of each season, go through your wardrobe and get organised. Bag anything you really do not like up and give it to friends or the charity shop. Recycle any damaged items and neatly fold up the summer clothes you want to keep for next year.

Now you can see what clothes you have got left for the winter. Start sorting them into outfit combinations on the bed and try each variation on. Make a note of any items you need to finish off each outfit. Often, you will be surprised by how few new items of clothing you actually have to buy. If you have sewing skills, use them to update what you own and give them a nice new look. This can further reduce the list of items that you need to buy.

Try swishing

Another great way to get what you need without having to pay too much money is swishing. This is a fun way to swap good quality clothes with your friends or people in your area. You can find out more about it here.

*This is a collaborative post.