7 tips: save money on clothing

It used to be people spent good money on clothes because pricier clothes would last longer. Then came the era of “designer” labels, and suddenly cheap crap pumped out by sweatshops in foreign countries could be sold for many times more than quality clothing, and everything went topsy-turvy. There’s a lot of confusion about how to save money on clothes and still end up with good quality.

Saving money on clothes

Avoid flashy brand names. Almost any brand that’s in fashion magazines regularly tends to be cheaply made. For example, my last two pairs of designer jeans rotted through after a year while my cheaper jeans from shops like J.C. Penneys or Target last forever. Even if a cheaper item doesn’t last, you’ll have paid a lot less for it.
Be careful with non-flashy but pricey brand names. There are a few somewhat pricey brand names that are worth the extra bucks – when you find one that works for you, go ahead and shell out on a few pieces that will go with lots of outfits. But most of these brands are nothing to write home about.
Avoid trendy clothes. You know they’re going to be “out” in three months, so why buy something you can only wear that long? If you look carefully through fashion mags, every season actually has two sets of trends: trendy clothes, and classic clothes with trendy accessories, or trendy ways of wearing the accessories. Accessories is the frugal way to go.
Use accessories to expand your wardrobe. Instead of buying five tops/shirts, look into buying one shirt with several scarves or big necklaces that make it look like a whole different outfit. A few carefully chosen jackets will also help extend your wardrobe.
Cheap clothing often lasts surprisingly long if you wash it gently in cold water. I’ve had so many $8 shirts from discount stores outlast more expensive clothes.
Buy off-season. If you’re patient, that gorgeous made-just-for-you item that’s currently $70 will most likely go down to $30, then lower, then finally something like $10. This has happened to me so many times – it’s pretty rare that the item disappears from the shelves before reaching a price I feel it’s worth.
Share clothes. If you have a friend or family member who’s the same size, swap clothes to extend the wardrobe people think you have.