5 Guidelines to Make Affordable Clothes Look Expensive

Did You Know?  “According to the Global Rich List, a website that brings awareness to worldwide income disparities, an income of $32,400 [will put you in the top 1% of the world].  So if you’re an accountant, a registered nurse or even an elementary school teacher, congratulations. The average wage for any of these careers falls well within the top 1% worldwide.” (via)

I’m queen of a good DEAL!  There’s something satisfying about finding a killer outfit that’s cheap enough to be guilt-free in purchasing.  Save that extra money for something else!

I’m not being dramatic here, people often ask where I got something WHEN – I’m wearing Forever 21, H&M, Zara, Nordstrom Rack, ect.   & with their reactions, I can tell Forever 21 is not the answer they were expecting.  It has to be expensive, so they can say they could never afford that… WRONG!  (It’s my fav feeling.)

I’ve become the master.

You don’t need to check all 5 boxes below to purchase an expensive looking, but actually affordable piece of clothing.  The more the merrier.

5 Guidelines to Purchase Affordable Clothing, That Looks Expensive

1. Color:  A giveaway to cheap or old looking clothing is bad color.  Let me explain, because this is serious:  “When considering the shade of the fabric, the lighter the shade the lower the cost. This is because the amount of dye and time required in the processing are less. For example, dyeing pastel shades takes one and a half times the time it will take to dye black and burgundy shades.” (via)  My advice with this information, go for REAL colors.  A real deep pink, ocean blue, whitest white, tangerine orange.  Avoid the off-whites, pale oranges, kind of yellow yellows, washed out blues.  If it’s a pattern, make sure every single color in the pattern is a real color.  When I’m skimming through affordable stores, color is the first thing I have my eyes on.  You can find the same exact piece of clothing; one of them can have slightly off/pale colors making it look cheap, while the other can have deep, bold colors making it look like you bought it somewhere RICH AF.  Deep, Bold, Bright, TRUE colors are a must & should be the first thing your eyes go to when browsing.  Skip everything else.
2. Fabric:  FEEL IT.  You absolutely can find a good fabric in affordable stores.  You may walk through a store & find 30 pieces w cheap fabric that’s scratchy or way too thin – but all you need to worry about is the 1 or 2 pieces that are soft & quality.  Although you’ll be the only one actually feeling the fabric as you’re the one wearing it, the fabric is noticeable to others too.  A good fabric will fit better & look better when it’s being worn.  How do you find a good fabric?  Pay attention to how it feels – the thickness, if the stitching is falling out, and how it looks when you try it on.  If it’s a sweatshirt, it should feel soft & thick like a sweatshirt should.  If it’s a silk shirt, it should feel smooth & flowy like a silky shirt should.
3. Cut:  The biggest mistake you can make when affordable shopping is purchasing something that doesn’t fit right.  I’ve made this mistake 987 times & need to constantly remind myself a bad fit is a major no-no.  My biggest pet peeve is when the fabric is shit AND the outfit is too short.  Nooooooooo.   Make absolute sure whatever you’re buying isn’t too short, doesn’t hug too tight, & fits your body as perfectly as possible.  Remember, most expensive pieces of clothing comes with a tailoring option, meaning it’ll fit perfectly! If you want to pull off that expensive vibe, you need a well fitting outfit too. Try it on!
4. Basics: Listen, I wear a T Shirt at some point almost every single day.  I can’t spend $50 on the perfect white T because I’m not that careful when wearing it.  My basics?  Think – t shirts, body suits, crop tops, neutrals, ect.  I almost always get them from an affordable store like Forever 21, HM, or Asos.  I wear & go through my closet basics so often that I need them to be affordable.  Typically, I stick to blackest black or whitest white – but sometimes find a good color.  I’ve also noticed many affordable stores have incredibly cozy men’s t-shirts that are perfect for sleeping or lounging. Trust me!
5. Expensive Combo:  If you have an expensive bracelet, earrings, purse, or jeans – pair it with your more affordable clothes.  That way, if you’re not pulling off one of the two above tips, you’re making up for it in the details.  It’s surprising how much an expensive detail can rescue an entire outfit.  You only have to buy one expensive piece, that goes with everything (which justifies the purchase).  For example, a thin gold bangle like this one (here) goes with everything! You can wear it everyday to quickly upgrade your outfit.

Were these 5 guidelines helpful?  I hope so!  I’ve followed them forever & they’re second nature to me now.  Whenever I browse affordable brands, these are the tips I follow before anything else & it seems to work over & over again.  Some of my favorite places to browse: Forever 21, HM, Zara, Old Navy, Target & Nordstrom Rack.

No shopping for me recently, Wafiq’s family is in town & we’ve been busy playing with 7 & 4 year old boys.  All I’m going to say is, I won at bowling.  And maybe the 4 year old cried about it.  Lot’s of action over here!

I hope you all have a great week, be thoughtful

Xx

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