“Whoever said money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping.” Bo Derek
Shopping is normally the first casualty of life on a tight budget. Buying new clothes and shoes isn’t essential, unless your wardrobe was destroyed by a house fire or a plague of moths. It’s frivolous, expensive and a little shallow. But it’s fun! Fear not, a few simple tips will allow you precious shopping fun each and every month, even if your electricity bill is a whopper.
Quality over quantity
We all love labels and not just for the stares of envy from passing strangers. The best designer labels don’t just scream class, they also scream quality. A cream Chanel jacket or white Chloe shift will never go out of style. So if you’re on a budget, don’t dismiss designers automatically.
Think of those lovely stylists pictured in Grazia or Heat – they’ve got the mix-designer-with-high-street skills down to a fine art. Key wardrobe essentials to bust the budget on include blazers, jeans and suits. Mix them up with high street buys, including anything that’s a passing fad or trend, plain t-shirts, costume jewellery and special-occasion wear. Think about the cost-per-wear, not the price tag. To work this out consider your lifestyle. What’s the point on spending a fortune on a £300 designer silk dress for a wedding when it sits in the wardrobe for 364 days of the year? Buy a £30 prom dress from New Look instead. On the other hand, if you’re a wedding planner that goes to 10-plus events per year, that £300 Cacharel silk shift is looking like a sensible buy, isn’t it?
On a quiet Sunday afternoon, forget the piles of ironing and have a good wardrobe clearout instead. Pack up seasonal clothes – bikinis can live in the attic in winter – then give anything you’ve worn less that three times to charity or relatives. I often drop a binbag full of clothes to my aunt for her teenage daughters to look through, as if they don’t want them, they just drop them off at the Cancer Research shop or clothes bank with their recycling.
Now look at what’s left. Hold on and cherish items in the trends that come round time and time again – navy chic, safari, Grecian, Pucci-esque bright prints and floral to name but a few. If it’s not ‘in’ now it will be in the next 24 months, trust me!
Now make a note of wardrobe essentials you’re missing. Every wardrobe should have all of the following: a well-cut white T-shirt (try Gap or Next); a figure-fixing pair of jeans (Guess is a good label for curvy girls, while Levis flatter pretty much all body shapes); a smart blazer (wear with a pencil skirt at the office, with jeans for a weekend shopping trip); the essential LBD (one to splash out on – try All Saints for funky, club-friendly styles or See By Chloe for gorgeously simple designs) and a throw-on, comfy shift dress, kaftan or smock (check www.my-wardrobe.com
for bargain Paul Smith or Paul & Joe numbers in the sales).
Next, accessories. Let’s play handbag maths. Do you always buy your bags on the high street? That’s fine but you must, must, must treat yourself to a quality leather bag once every two years. Again, the high street is great for trends and evening bags, but for that day-to-day, don’t-leave-home-without-it number, either splash out yourself or ask for a handbag for your birthday. A brown Mulberry Poppy with last up to a decade and the design, and designer, will never go out of style. It’s an English essential. See ‘Label love’ on page xx for tips for finding designer labels on the cheap.
Ditch the friends
You know the rule about not shopping in the supermarket on an empty stomach? The same applies to shopping with friends. You will buy more than you need due to over-enthusiastic, well-meaning encouragement from friends who may not be on as tight a budget as you. I have a friend who still lives at home with her parents – shopping with her is just asking for trouble. She takes five garments to the changing room – I pick up a dress to try ‘just to keep her company’ – I end up leaving the store with said dress, plus matching jewellery, plus patent shoes she saw me eyeing and said: “Go on, treat yourself!” It’s a budget babe minefield – don’t do it!
Shopping is a bit like a military oporation. It needs strategic planning and a focused approach, not something you can manage while your friend is wittering on about her latest hook-up. Go solo.
When it a bargain not a bargain?
Sales – another landmine that any budget babe should avoid like the plague. Shops seem to advertise sales pretty much constantly to tempt us away from our hard-earned cash in this fickle financial climate. What happens? You either come home with an orange boob tube that was “only £3” but you’ll never wear it – or that fully priced satin dress at the back of the shop catches your eye, and you leave the shop £50 lighter. Sales are great when you find an item you actually need, but such events are about as common as a sighting of Haley’s Comet from Huddersfield.
That’s not to say bargains aren’t to be had, but you won’t find them on the sandwich run at lunchtime. See ‘Net Yourself Cash’ on page xx for tips on savvy sale-hunting on the Internet.
A friend in need
Do you have any friends who work in fashion or retail? Seek their advice before you shop. Fashion journalists, PRs, buyers and shop management are fountains of information about clothes – they see hundreds of items each week and can advise on trends, cuts and costs.
For really important purchases, such as jeans, jackets or that essential white shirt, consider a personal shopping appointment. Stores such as Selfridges or Harvey Nichols rarely charge for this service – sit back and sip champagne while your stylist selects clothes from the shop floor for you to try in your own private changing room. Be really specific about what you need – take in pictures from magazines, research labels, tell them how much you’re willing to spend. That way, you won’t be tempted by the ‘impulse’ buys they try to sneak onto the rack.
Around the world
Before going on holiday, do some research into the area. Leather goods are fantastic in Spain, particularly Palma. New York is a shoppers paradise, with everything from Diane von Furstenberg wrap dresses to H&M shirts cheaper than in UK stores. Hit your local library and research the area in a book such as Rough Guides – and make sure you leave some room in your suitcase.
In closing
Sort out your wardrobe – divide clothes into ‘ditch’, ‘pack’ or ‘keep’ piles
Lay your clothes out on your bed – put together outfits and try new combinations
Brighten up ‘old’ clothes with costume jewellery, belts or scarves
Work out what’s missing
Ask friends in the know to recommend stores and stock that may suit the bill
For everyday essentials, buy the best you can afford
For trends or one-off ‘occasion’ wear, shop high street
Widen your horizons – consider shopping online or abroad
Hit the shops!