A friend recently said she wanted to upgrade her wardrobe- she felt she had been wearing a lot of old clothing that didn't suit her anymore. But she didn't know how to budget for this- everything seems so expensive!
It's easy to look at a few price tags of beautiful items and then just get discouraged- especially if you are a conscientious, frugal mom! The key to managing your spend in a style makeover is to do it methodically and in phases. I've described my recommended budget for each phase below- so you can take charge of your closet and get that makeover DONE!
We have Style Coach services for each phase, but you can also do this on your own - you got this!
Before you jump into revamping your wardrobe, you need to clearly define your goals. Is it more stylish everyday outfits? Is it to have easy outfits ready for evening occasions? Flatter a new shape? Dress for a new job? Look more modern? Clarifying your goals will help you guide you through the rest of this process- WRITE THEM DOWN!
Once you have your goals, you need to find inspiration photos that embody the looks you want to achieve. These could be from pinterest, retailers' websites, or friends you see in person! Catalog those outfits somehow- ideally in a moodboard or photo album so you can see all of them together. Pinterest is great for this because you can easily create different boards for different seasons.
I recommend you shop for 10-20 new items in this phase that correlate with your board in Phase 2. Utilize items you already have that work, but you need to make an investment to explore and solidify your dream style. Pick a retailer that is lower-priced if you're exploring a lot of different aesthetics. I used thrift stores for this phase so that I didn't feel bad about purchasing several items at once. The key to nailing this phase is wearing the clothes OUT! Recreate the outfits you loved and see how they feel in your everyday life. What works and what doesn't? When you find a formula you love, capture it!
Now you are ready to iterate and perfect your looks. You know your style personality, your key outfit formulas, and now you can commit! What I recommend in this phase is to slowly upgrade your core pieces to nicer versions over time. For example, if I used a certain sneaker over and over again in my outfits- when it wore out, I purchased a more premium version of the same style because I know it works for my outfits. You decide the pace you want to upgrade items- is it 1 upgrade a week, every 2 weeks, month, or season? Commit to some kind of guideline and stick to it- you will feel better about your spending habits and enjoy the process more!
