How to be a broke-fashionista 101

A lot of people are astounded when I tell them "this purse was $4 on clearance" Or yes, these Abercrombie jeans were $10. I have "worked" years and years at perfecting my bargain hunting strategy, and after a lifetime of slavery to fashion, I am telling my secrets to you!

First of all, keep a list of the things you see that you reeeallly want. A lace dress, a denim jacket, black skinny's, the things that are staples in your closet. I am attaching a checklist of basics every girl should have. There are some things that I will splurge on, but by splurge I mean pay full price for, not splurge as in over $40 worth.

 

The best places to find bargains are pretty obvious, Forever 21, Target, Wet Seal, the stores that jump out as regular places to check. But learning the system of sales and decoding the clutter of second hand stores will assist you greatly!

Always buy one season ahead for trendy items, and one season behind for staples. Before what you crave becomes wildly popular. When stores introduce something new they usually have ridiculous sales on the items, and no one wants them yet. Why buy shorts in March? Most people ask. But not you, because you are savvy. I remember when boyfriend jeans first came out I saw some cute outifts in Vogue and decided to pick up a pair from Pacsun. They were not in the front of the store, and on sale so I paid $12 for them. 2 months later, a  few of my college friends wanted them and they had the price back up to $45! And every other store too! So I looked like a trend setter, and paid hardly anything. Boom.

When it comes to buying staples, wait until exactly what you want goes on mega-clearance. In the winter (late November-February) buy jean shorts that fit you perfectly, short plain dresses, skirts, sandles, etc. When you buy neutral colors and basic cuts they will NEVER go out of style and you can find what fits you perfectly for super cheap.
In Spring, buy peacoats, jeans, boots, and sweaters. Summer is a great time to check out the second hand stores, because people are cleaning/moving/getting rid of crap. When navigating through a second hand store, just remember that you HAVE to dig to find treasures. Some second hand stores have a  "just in" rack, which can be good, but picked over. A lot of times things are put in the wrong sections, so always skim the children's and men's department. You can't just confine to your department, search the entire place. I have found some of my favorite blouses in the kid's section!
If you are going to splurge, splurge on basic bootcut jeans, white t's, black t's, neutral skirts and dresses, pea coats, trench coats, things that we have seen since the 60's. When it comes to trendy items and accessories, GO CHEAP! It doesn't matter if it was $6 at Forever 21, that color and style will be done by the time you wear it out anyways. If you buy basics you love, you can wear accessories to show your individual style.

Now, here are some of my best secrets;

Women's clothing and accessories at Target go on clearance on Thursdays.

TJ Maxx gets new shipments on Tuesdays and Thursdays (most the purses come Tuesday)

Forever 21 has cheap versions of almost EVERY style they sell (for real, I asked a manager once) so if you see something you love in the front of the store, look next to where it is on display, or in the back.

NEVER shop in the front of the store first, head to the back and work your way forward.
Check in stores you wouldn't think of for your style of clothes, I have found some gems in Hot Topic, Dillards, and Ann Taylor.

If you are buying jeans, we all know they warp after washing and a little wear, so TRY to find them second hand! Plato's closet is my favorite because they are current, and very picky about what they buy. Plus you can always find buckle jeans, Abercrombie Jeans, etc. for $30 or LESS.

When buying bras/panties/beauty products from Victoria's Secret. Hit up their semi-annual sale about a week after Christmas!!! You will find RIDICULOUS deals! I load up on beauty and panties for the entire year. Also, make SURE you sign up with Pink Nation. They will send you coupons for totally FREEEEE panties once a month, or MORE depending on how much you go in. And ALWAYS entire your email address when you checkout! They will send you more FREE stuff! Their coupons are amazing. I went through 3 years of college, wearing only Victoria's secret panties and NEVER paid for a pair! I still have about 30 pairs, some with the tags still on them. All 100% free.


I hope this has helped all of you broke-fashionistas! Probably will have more to come soon, but here's a start to your savvy-shopping!