1. Know your likes and dislikes
2. Be willing to try something new
3. Figure out a budget and stick to it
4. Shop sales, online and at consignment stores
5. Consider layaway if you don't have the money for a purchase right away
6. Accessories or a new hairstyle can be a cheap way to update your look
7. Follow care instructions on your garments to keep them looking newer longer
8. Wash your clothes in cold water and line dry, or dry-clean

</note> How ToFashion How Tos

• by Carrie P

• Fashion is fun, but it can also be practical. The tips below can help the hopeless shopaholic support his or her habit, and can also help a first-time job seeker, a mid-life career changer, or a layoff victim pick out business wear just as easily as a cocktail dress or a pair of skinny jeans.

• You probably have a good idea of what you like already, but it still doesn't hurt to take a formal inventory of your fashion likes and dislikes. Some things you might want to consider are:

1. Designer versus trend: Is it more important to you to have the brand name, or is the type of trend more influential to your decision? It is usually, though not always, cheaper to follow a trend rather than a designer. However, even high-end designers are creating lines for modestly-priced retail outlets.USA Today: Vera Wang to design line just for Kohl's (August 24, 2006)
2. Your favorite colors: Think about what colors you like, what colors you look good in, and what colors you'd like to try. This gives you a good starting place when you start your shopping.
3. Designs and detailing: If you know that you like ruching, but not ruffles, it will help you make good decisions when you're at the mall.Wise Geek: What is ruching?
4. Accessories: Fashion isn't just clothes. It's also accessories, hair, and even makeup. Think about these things as you are going through your style inventory
5. Changes: What would you like to change about your style? Is there a trend you have seen but haven't tried yet? Now's the time.

• Although you can and should indulge your love of name brand items from time to time, in the long run, trends will save you money. If you focus on trends rather than the designer, there is a lot more flexibility in what to buy and how much to buy.

There are many ways to keep up on the latest trends. Several trade industry and fan blogs exist to keep track of which celebrity is wearing what, and what will be popular this spring, summer and fall.Fashionising: Fashion trends 2009

1. Read magazines: There are literally dozens of celebrity and fashion magazines where you can check out what the latest celebrity is wearing or what the hottest designer is designing. If you already follow fashion, you probably have several of these magazines on your bookshelves.
2. Go online: The Internet is a wonderland of fashion news and information. Numerous fashion blogs track celeb trends, fashion faux pas, and even the exact Pantone colors that are trendy this season.Fashion Trend Setter: Color Trends
3. Watch TV: Any awards ceremony or celebrity entertainment program will give lots of fashion information about designers and celebrities.
4. Ask a friend: If fashion trends are a new thing for you, get help from a good friend or relative whose fashion sense you admire. The site Frugal Fashionistas helps readers with trends as well. They encourage readers to submit a picture of a desired "look" and then help to find budget versions of those items.Frugal Fashionistas: About

• If you don't know how much money you have to spend, you won't know if you can afford that new pair of shoes or not. So, before you go bargain hunting, take a good look at your finances and figure out how much you can realistically devote to your obsession. Mahalo's page on How to Make a Budget has additional information on budgeting.

1. Look at your surplus: How much money do you realistically have to spend on your wardrobe? Can you purchase some things for your workplace that could also be worn in a less buttoned-down setting?
2. Weekly, monthly or quarterly: As a fashionista, you will, at the very least, want to add to your wardrobe on a quarterly basis, to coincide with the change in seasons. Whether you devote money to your fashion habit every week, month, or three months will depend on your lifestyle, how much extra money you have, and how you like to work your finances.
3. Cost versus value: Is it more important for you to have a lot of new, trendy items, or one or two fashionable pieces? What you decide will help shape what you buy and what your budget is. Although going with off-brands is cheaper, sometimes splurging on a classic, well-made piece that will last for years is a good investment.
4. Stick to the plan: Whatever you decide, do your best to stick to the budget. Even if you live by the motto that "It's better to look good than to feel good," having a new outfit but having to eat ramen noodles for a month is no fun...and can be avoided if you stay within your means financially.

• This is the fun part. Here is when you get to take your money and buy things.

1. Search for sales: Buying off-season can help with sales. Sites like Budget Fashionista and Frugal Fashionistas have the scoop on sales, as well as coupons.The Budget Fashionista: Home page Frugal Fashionistas: Home page
2. Shop online: Online retailers often have different sales than their brick-and-mortar counterparts. Ebay is another good site for new and used clothing.eBay: Clothing, Shoes & Accessories If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind piece, Etsy, where up-and-coming designers of clothing and accessories sell their wares, may work for you. The one concern about buying online is that you won't get to try the item on before you get it, so make sure you either stick to clothes lines you know, or check a store's refund or exchange policy.Etsy: Clothing
3. Try consignment: A consignment store takes other people's clothing and re-sells it. The store, and the seller, each get a portion of the cost of the sale. Consignment stores select only good-quality clothing that is in good condition. The consignment chain Plato's Closet that caters to the college crowd selects only brand-name clothing that has been in stores over the last six months. And, if you have clothes that are still in style but that you don't wear anymore, you can make a little money by selling them on consignment.Wikipedia: Consignment Shop
4. Thrift stores: If you are really a bargain hunter, you can try shopping at a thrift store such as Goodwill, Volunteers of America and the Salvation Army. Unlike consignment, these clothes are donated. Only heavily stained or damaged goods are weeded out before being put on the racks. Thrift store clothes tend to be older and more worn, but good bargains can be found for the persistent and thrifty. Goodwill: Shop Goodwill Volunteers of America: Thrift Stores Salvation Army: Adult Rehabilitation Centers
5. Consider layaway: If you really want an item, but really can't afford it, consider layaway. Layaway is similar to credit, but you take possession of the item after you pay for it. You put a percentage of the price of the item down and then have a fixed time—often 90 days—to pay for the item. If you do, it's yours. If not, the item goes back on sale, but you usually get most or all of the down payment back.MSNBC: In tough times, layaway makes a comeback (November 10, 2008)
6. Freebies: Magazines often have promotional prize giveaways and will offer accessories, cosmetics and pieces of clothing to lucky winners. Many entertainment and celebrity gossip television shows, like EXTRA, also do clothing giveaways. Although your chances of winning an item are probably pretty small, the costs of entering are usually free, and require only a few minutes. If you read the magazine or watch the show anyway, it's a chance worth taking.Extra TV: Contests

• As Angelina Jolie proved when she hit the red carpet at the 2009 Oscars, accessories have the power to make a statement. Accessories can be used with several different outfits, and tend to last longer because they receive less wear and tear than clothes, and don't have to be washed every time you put them on.

1. Bags: From thimble-small to kitchen sink-big, a splashy bag or purse can make a statement.
2. Shoes: Sex and the City popularized the "shoe fetish," and a pair of shoes can be a versatile and worthwhile investment.
3. Earrings and necklaces: At the 2009 Oscars, Angelina Jolie turned a basic black dress into a much-talked-about fashion statement with an emerald ring and matching earrings.Luxaholics: Angelina's Emerald Earrings (February 24, 2009)
4. Hair: For actresses like Jennifer Aniston and Katie Holmes, their hair is as much a part of their style as what they wear. A decent haircut costs less than $50 in most places, or even less than that if your local area has a cosmetology school.
5. Go faux: Sure, you might know the item is fake, or a copy, but who else will?Luxaholics: Angelina's Emerald Earrings (February 24, 2009)
6. Rent, don't buy: If you simply must have the real thing, consider renting. Just like leasing cars allows you to get a car beyond your means for a short time, leasing accessories is also a possibility. Companies like Bag, Borrow or Steal rent out name brand purses and accessories at various price points, from $40 to $400 per month.Bag Borrow or Steal: Home page The best part? If a trend goes out of style, you're not stuck with last year's item taking up space in the back of your closet.

• Once you have that new blouse or sweater, you want to make sure it stays looking new for as long as possible. Following the care instructions on the clothes is not the only way to protect your investment.

1. Repair items when damaged: If a button comes off or something gets frayed or torn, fix it right away, before washing.
2. Wash in cold water: Warm water fades colors.
3. Remove stains properly: Oil-based stains, organic stains, and wine stains all have different methods that work best for removing them.
4. Let clothes air-dry when possible: Dryer lint is made up of clothing fibers. If the fiber is in the lint trap, it's no longer in your garment.
5. Dry clean your clothes: If the label says dry-clean-only, then obey. However, most clothes, even if it's not required, can be dry cleaned. The chemicals used to dry clean do not damage the clothes fibers like washing and drying does. It may be more expensive to dry clean, but it will extend the life of your clothes and may be worthwhile for the pricier items in your collection. Be sure to check with your local dry cleaners if you are not sure that an item can be dry cleaned.Bnet: Laundry tips will keep clothes looking their best (July 3, 2006) Omiru: Q&A: How to Keep Clothes Looking New (April 25, 2007)

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