How to be Fashionable on a Budget
The following is a guest post from Dr. Jessica Louie, PharmD, APh, BCCCP, CEO of Clarify Simplify Align and Petite Style Script, Burnout Coach, and Certified KonMari Consultant.
I have nothing to wear… I thought this nearly every day as I stood at my closet door looking at a full closet of clothing. We’ve all been there, right? But, why? When we have a full closet and full dresser of clothes, why can’t we put together an outfit that sparks joy?
This was me 5 years ago. I had accumulated all of these clothes with no intention. The new trend. The new dress for each event. The new handbag everyone was talking about. The new piece of jewelry to accessorize an outfit. I was literally wasting money on clothing I didn’t love. And, I was suffering from decision fatigue – too many options (aka too many pieces of clothing) to make one outfit.
My closet was just one of many areas of my life that was becoming too cluttered. Too stressful. Too chaotic.
It was time to take back control of my life AND my wardrobe. How did I do it? And stick to a budget while purchasing quality items?
I bought less. I applied the KonMari Method to my clothing AND my life.
And you can do it, too! I’ve put together a bonus resource at the end of this post that will give you a complete wardrobe for each season or a year-round guide that you can copy!
I now have a capsule wardrobe for each season. I broke my shopaholic addiction. Are you ready to break yours?
How did I do it? The C.U.R.A.T.E. system. C.U.R.A.T.E. is the same strategy and system I apply to resetting and preventing burnout and setting goals! It’s a useful tool for so many aspects of my life. Hopefully, you’ll also find it useful!
STEP 1: Clarify
STEP 2: Unpack
STEP 3: Reduce & Simplify
STEP 4: Align
STEP 5: Take Action
STEP 6: Evaluate & Enjoy
Step 1:
Clarify your why and purpose. Set the vision for how you would like to feel in your clothing. Would you like to feel confident? Comfortable? Professional?
Step 2:
Unpack what you have. Take out all the clothing you currently own. Yes, ALL of it! From every area of your home. Figure out what you own by separating clothing into subcategories.
Step 3:
Reduce and simplify what you have unpacked. Make it easy. How?
1. Pick up each clothing item in your hand and ask yourself 3 questions: Does this spark joy? (also known as Does it speak to my heart? or Do I love it?), Does it fit?, Do I wear it?
2. If yes, keep it with confidence.
3. If no, thank it for what it taught you and let it go with gratitude.
Step 4:
Align your why and purpose from Step 1 with your wardrobe. What is missing from your wardrobe to create the feeling you are after? Write down what pieces you would like to purchase intentionally to complete your wardrobe.
Consider creating a capsule wardrobe – a list of essential clothing items that do not go out of style and that you can wear 7 days a week. You may need a work list and a casual list depending on your work environment and uniform requirements.
Step 5:
Take action to create your capsule wardrobe. Think Quality > Quantity. Intentionally put together a plan to purchase missing items to complete your wardrobe. Take time to find items that truly spark joy, fit, are classic styles and aligned with your vision for an ideal wardrobe.
It may sound counter-intuitive to invest in quality items but purchasing a $100 pair of dress pants once over 5 years is less expensive than purchasing one $25 pair of dress pants every year over 5 years because they wore out, faded, ripped or went out of style.
Another option is to borrow or rent clothing you are unsure about before purchasing it for yourself. For example, I can rent a special occasion dress for a wedding or celebration instead of purchasing one that I’ll wear once or twice. I have also borrowed handbags before deciding if I’ll purchase one myself based on usability, shoulder strain and durability.
I also shop secondhand for high-quality clothing that are new with tags or nearly new from stores like ThredUP by investing in quality items at a lower price point.
Stores I Recommend:
- ThredUP, TheRealReal or MaterialWorld for high-quality secondhand
- Banana Republic for men or women
- Nordstrom for men or women
- Express for men
- FIGS scrubs for scrubs and athleisure wear for men or women
- Costco for men or women
Step 6:
Enjoy and evaluate your outfits! How are you feeling in your clothing?
When you are eyeing an expensive clothing piece, take time to pause, don’t purchase it for at least 7 days, then come back and re-evaluate if this item will add value to your life and your wardrobe.
Too many times I was caught up in purchasing because it was on sale. A sale still costs money. So, take time to pause. Go back to your Alignment stage and check if you were already looking for this item. If you wouldn’t purchase it at full price, you shouldn’t purchase it on sale.
Shop intentionally my friends! Simplify your wardrobe. Lead with confidence. Curate a life you love!
Need more help? Here is a FREE guide!
Download a Seasonal Capsule Wardrobe for your 5-weeks of outfit ideas and step-by-step guide today.
To get this FREE bonus resource, visit Petite Style Script Style Help.
Dr. Jessica Louie, PharmD, APh, BCCCP is CEO of Clarify Simplify Align and Petite Style Script, Burnout Coach, and Certified KonMari Consultant who helps women gain clarity of their purpose, simplify and declutter their home, wardrobes and minds, and align their work into their lives with simple processes to avoid overwhelm, lead with confidence and curate lives they love. Jessica offers Declutter Coaching and Burnout Coaching in-person or virtually to transform people’s lives.
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