If you’re graduating from college, starting a new job or just feeling like you’re in a rut with your usual look, you may want to consider a fashion makeover. Changing how you dress can change how you feel and perhaps even how you act, inspiring you to seek a more ambitious position at work or helping you be more daring. By knowing your style, your budget and how to shop, you can get a new look.
Figure Out Your Style
Whether you’ve never paid much attention to what you wear or did but it no longer suits you, the first step is to figure out your style. Is it classic or trendy? Maybe you have more bohemian tastes. It might help to use an actual or virtual board to pin photos to. This can help you start getting a sense of styles you like. Look for a style icon, someone to follow whose look inspires you. This might be a conventional celebrity or it might be a social media influencer. You may also want to go shopping a few times with just an eye to trying on clothes without buying anything. This gives you a chance to experiment with both fit and style. You can take photos as well so you can take your time reviewing your options later.
Figure Out Your Budget
Do you want to spend a little or a lot? You can change up your fashion on a budget, but you will probably need to spend some money, and you might want to splurge on a few high-quality pieces that will last a long time. You may want to try to reduce your monthly spending in other areas to make up for it. For example, if you are paying off student loans, you may want to refinance them as a single loan with a private lender. You might then have lower interest payments and can save money on your repayments. Some of this money could go toward your new fashion budget. Even if you have more money to work with, you should still try to be smart about your spending. You don’t want to invest into a coat or a pair of shoes that you later decide are not “you”.
Figure Out Your Shopping
If you have the available funds, you can hire a professional stylist to help you decide what to buy, but this isn’t practical for most people. Instead, start by taking an inventory of your closet and deciding what you want to keep, if anything. Start a list of what you need to buy, prioritizing basics. Unless you can buy a lot of things at once, to start with, purchase some versatile items. Be detailed with your list. Instead of one shirt, write the style, color and fit that you want. Keep the list with you, and don’t limit where you shop: from department stores to consignment shops and thrift stores to small boutiques, you may find what you are looking for. Online shopping is easy and convenient, and don’t forget to check sites like Etsy if you like one-of-a-kind handmade clothing.
