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In 2021 as well as welcoming my second daughter I also worked on myself a little. This meant working out more, having a better sleep pattern with improved sleep hygiene and also, as a result, losing a little weight and changing shape too.
Now I’m trying to streamline my wardrobe, to make the getting ready in the morning decisions that much easier!
A frugal wardrobe update feels like a great way to do this, or at least making a start on one! I’m looking forward to streamlining what I have, and I’m sharing some frugal tips with you to help you get started too!
The selection of women’s clothing that I have is quite varied. A mixture of branded t-shirts, slogan t-shirts made by friends with their own small businesses and then items either leftover from my recent pregnancy or pre-pregnancy clothes that are now too big for me. It is fair to say that my wardrobe is a bit of a mess.
Think about your dream wardrobe
For me it would be being organised by colour in categories. Tops, t-shirts, jumpers, cardigans, trousers, jeans and then dresses for women on organised hangers. This way I can see everything that I have, and being organised by colour makes it easy for me to pair similar items together for more of a polished look.
Buy items that relate to your style
As I’ve had two babies, by c-section, I still have a bit of a soreness in my scar from last year’s operation. As such I don’t like to wear lots of jeans or tight fabrics at the moment. A lot of my wardrobe is stretchy trousers, and jogging bottoms. I really enjoy wearing active wear and so I’ve accepted this is what works for me, and buy items relating to this more laid back style I have.
Select colours that compliment one another
I have a LOT of blue, grey and black items. These work great, and I’ve also been adding beige, stone and light brown too. This way I can choose items with ease, and everything that I have works well together. This means I won’t need to purchase any specific one use items, or items that I then need to purchase additional items for.
Take care of every item
I tend to shop at some cheaper stores, and websites, because this is what my budget allows for. To try to avoid items only lasting one or two years I look to take care of everything the best I can. For me this means washing items at the correct temperature, sorting properly and line or airing horse drying, rather than using a tumble drier.
Shop around
I like to pick up some bargains on Vinted, that way I can stretch my budget to slightly higher quality pieces, without spending lots of money in the process.
There are a variety of high end items there, often for just a few pounds plus postage. Items that have been worn once or twice, or perhaps never even worn as they just never fit the purchaser but they missed the returns window.
I’ve purchased items from Vinted that were brand new with the tags still attached, which is amazing! I do the same for my daughters too, especially useful when they want a fancy dress costume for school, or perhaps new pyjamas just on a whim.
Stop worrying about being ‘in fashion’
It is fair to say that I probably haven’t worn something fashionable since I was 13 and attending school in my boys Ben Sherman shirts.
By avoiding trends, and fashionable items, you will save money too. Your clothes will have more longevity too which is better for both the environment and your pocket too.
I hope you’ve found these tips helpful! I’m looking forward to building my frugal wardrobe over the year, and will be selling unwanted items on Vinted too!