The New Orleans Tribune

Perfected for Less
5 Ways To Stay Stylish & Spend Less
by Jonet Williamson

1) Consignment shops: Items that now seem boring to you may be an exciting find for someone else. Trade your gently used clothing for cash or store credits. You can use the store credits to purchase new items or add the cash to your savings account. I sometimes trade my items at Buffalo Exchange. On my last visit I received a $50 store credit that I used to purchase 3 new skirts and a beautiful necklace that people compliment me on all the time. When I checked out at the register I only had to pay $2 cash. What a steal.

2) Throw a Party: You and a few of your friends should go through your closets to compile items that you know you would only wear once or that you just know you won’t be wearing again. Throw a “Shop My Closet Party” with cocktails, where you and your friends can trade items or sell them to one another at at a reasonable price.

3) Back-to-MAC: MAC Cosmetics offers a program that encourages customers to recycle. For every 6 empty plastic, metal, or glass MAC Cosmetics containers you turn in you will receive one item. At boutique stores you can choose a lipstick, lip gloss, or eye shadow. If you go to a counter in a department store you can only choose a lipstick. Today I turned in enough empty containers to get 3 free lipsticks and 1 lipglass.

4) Shop Smart: When shopping try to invest in items that you can get a lot of use out of instead of trendy here one day and gone the next items. For example, you can either spend $100 on a great pair of designer jeans or you can spend $100 on that neon green silk top that’s so in this season. Which would be the smarter buy? I would suggest going to maybe inexpensive stores for the trendy items. That way you can have fun with the latest trends but not regret it later once it goes out of style.

5) Window Shop: This is my absolute favorite tactic to save money while still getting my fashion fix. I find that if you window shop and weigh your options first, you will avoid impulse buys. When out on a day of shopping I will sometimes go into a store and look around but with absolutely no cash, checks, or credit cards. This allows me to see what stores have to offer and look around for better options at other locations. If I see something that I just must have and know that it’s a smart purchase I’ll go back ready to buy. This method will help you to avoid the buyer’s remorse that usually occurs when you buy things on impulse.

I hope that these tips will help some of the shopaholics of the world avoid having a closet full of items with tags still attached from last season. Stay focused. And remember to think before you buy, clean out your closet every 4 months, and invest in basics.

For all of your styling needs Subscribe to my blog www.utterly-chic.blogspot.com and Follow me on twitter @Sweetnae5504. You can also contact me via email at contact.jonet@gmail.com