Frugal Wardrobes for the Style-Impaired

I'd love to have a true sense of style. It'd be great if frugal shopping meant adventures in dozens of second-hand/consignment shops, going to the best sales-the things I read about in books. Instead, I've come to realize my own limitations in the realm of fashion.

So I came up with a few rules or "tips" to guide frugal, style-impaired shoppers like me.

First, go for maximum mix-and-match

When I went shopping for my first professional wardrobe, I stuck with black and gray pants, 1 pair each. I bought the black as a suit and the gray as separates. Then for tops, I looked for ones which would go with both.

I bought 5 blouses to start, 1 for each day of the week. 4 of them were simple-black, white, blue, and burgundy. Solid colors, classic cuts. One red and black striped blouse (not as hideous as it sounds) got thrown in because I liked it.

That made 9 outfits. If I'd restrained, I could have had 10, enough to have a different outfit every day for 2 weeks, though I'd need to do weekly laundry. As it is, I don't mind the 1-day guaranteed overlap.

I was also able to buy one pair of black shoes, solid yet fairly attractive. Having only black and gray pants meant I only need the one pair.

Eventually, I plan to purchase some brown or tan pants, which will hopefully go with at least half my tops (blue, burgundy, and black come to mind) but I know I'd have to budget for shoes so I'm waiting right now.

Note, lots of this applies to men as well. I'd advise getting a few good ties, perhaps in solid colors like black, silver, and blue (depending on your tastes). Try to pick them out based on how many shirts they match. Mr. Micah, for example, has black, silver, and dark red. He can wear them with any outfit and I've noticed the subtle differences his choice makes.

Second, stick to classic looks

Trends may be fun, but it's best to keep most of your items classic. This means you won't have to buy new clothes every time they go out of style. We're talking frugal, after all. Plus, if you buy good quality (whether on sale or consignment or thrift), they'll last longer. In the long run, this is much more efficient than buying lots of new cheap stuff every season.