Looking fly on just a dime

With the rise of TikTok fashionistas I find myself buying more and more just to keep up with the trends. I’ve always considered myself to be a wannabe fashionista in my own right, but my bank account is hindering my ability to reach my full potential. Which I’m sure is true for many of you. Fear not! I am here to help. After getting more compliments on my mishmash of Goodwill goods than pieces I dropped hundreds on, I quickly learned a valuable lesson. Style is more about being creative with what you have rather than sacrificing an arm and a leg for what you don’t. 

The saving grail for all aspiring style icons is finding unique pieces at a discount. Think of your favorite thrift stores and outlet shops. These places are chock-full of hidden gems that can emulate the exact Pinterest vibe you’re going for. It may seem intimidating at first, walking into a space with racks wall to wall, but think of it as a fun activity in addition to snagging cute clothes! The key to getting the goods is consistency. If you don’t find anything you’re into the first go around don’t get discouraged, go again next week. Thrift stores are on a revolving schedule of merchandise all the time. Almost all of them restock on a Sunday night, so carving out a time to go every Monday will get you first dibs on the brand-new items. 

Don’t spend all your time searching for clothing items though. Obviously, that is where the base of a good outfit comes from, but the accessories are what elevate it to runway level. Think jewelry, belts, scarves, bags, shoes, sunglasses, etc. These are also best found at the thrift. Pieces with a history always scream high fashion. My favorite tip when making a new outfit is the seven-point theory. This means that when you’re styling an outfit count each individual piece in the ensemble until it adds up to seven. Your top is one, bottoms another, shoes, stockings, headwear; you get the vision? This ensures that your outfit has multiple points of interest, making it more visually appealing to look at. Which is what we’re all going for right? 

Media from Wix.

The only downside to shopping at thrift stores is that sometimes you’ll find the best Y2K paisley top but it’s just one size too big, or it fits odd around your shoulders. This is where it pays to be able to tailor. Don’t freak out, it’s nothing crazy. You can even hand-sew all your alterations. Watching a few YouTube videos on different stitches and skills pays off tenfold in the long run. Once you get a couple of stitches down, you’ll be able to tighten up your shirts, hem pants that are too long, and repair a broken button on that super awesome granny sweater you scored. 

These are all things that I live by in order to put my best foot forward in the fashion world as a broke college student. I hope they help you as much as they do for me. One last tip though! No matter what you are wearing, whether it’s a meticulously planned outfit or a groutfit you pulled out of the bottom of your hamper, wear it with confidence. It’s corny I know, but confidence is what makes the outfit. Remember that you are a runway star at all times, so it’s not just the clothes you wear, but how you wear them.