There’s the cliché of young women looking in their closet in the morning or before they go out and bemoaning that they have nothing to wear. But seriously, it happens! However, if you find yourself unimpressed with your clothing choices every day, it might be time for a wardrobe makeover. One problem — where do you get the money it takes to restock an entire wardrobe?
Another cliché is the broke college student. But again—that’s actually a real thing. So finding the funds for a mega shopping spree (especially without giving up Sunday brunch with the girls and late night Dominos) can be tricky. The hard truth? You probably won’t just stumble upon a couple thousand bucks, so you have to get a little creative.
1. Invest in statement pieces
Rather than spend your money on uninteresting, cheap pieces, consider looking for stylish statement pieces that can easily change the less exciting clothes in your closet into trendy outfit
“Buy one really expensive piece from a store you’ve always admired,” Erica Galluscio, a junior at Hunter College, says. “You’ll wear it all the time and constantly find new ways to style it, I promise. It’s such a confidence boost.” There’s something so satisfying about buying something you’ve been eyeing for a while.
Related: The 7 Pieces You Need to Dress Like a Cool Girl Without Breaking the Bank
“I tend to buy a lot of plain basics but buying a few pieces that are totally different and eye-catching can spice up all the basics you have,” Iesha Ismail, University of Florida ’19, says. “I bought this really cool black and white striped blazer with flowers printed on it and it’s not subtle at all but once I paired it over my black t-shirt and black jeans, it looked really chic and totally different from what I normally wear.”
If every few weeks you buy a new statement piece, eventually you’ll have a wardrobe fit for envy-worthy Insta posts.
2. Shop secondhand
Cue “Thrift Shop.” No one said your new wardrobe had to have new clothes. Lucky for ladies on a budget, hipsters have deemed vintage, a.k.a. cheap secondhand clothes, in style.
“Thrifting is such a great way to get staple items, especially if you’re into a minimal or retro aesthetic,” Claire Biggerstaff, Davidson College ’19, says. It can take a little shopping around, but frequenting thrift stores can pay off with some one-of-a-kind pieces that will have people thinking you’re stylish AF.
Iesha’s bold blazer? “I got it at the thrift store so it was a steal,” she says. If you’re as lucky as her, you could have a whole new look without having to anxiously check that your bank account.
Hannah Hershe thrifts online and buys clothes from other collegiettes. “U of M has this Facebook group where you need a UMich email to join, and it’s literally buying selling and trading clothes for so cheap,” Hershe says. “I got jeans for like $10 each. Whenever I need new clothes, I just check there and usually can find a top for like $5 or a bralette or game day clothes or whatever I need.” It’d be worth checking if your school has something similar.
Like Macklemore says, “One man’s trash, that’s another man’s come up.” Here’s hoping you snag something fire.
3. Borrow or buy from friends
I was blessed with an older sister, so I got very good at “borrowing” clothes from her, bringing them to school with me, and then just letting her slowly forget she ever even owned it. Diabolical—but effective. If you don’t want to steal, you can actually borrow. Most friends will let you use a nice dress or eye catching purse for a special event or date.
Also, if friends are cleaning out their own closets, you can see if they’re willing to give or sell you anything. “Organize a clothing swap with your friends or sorority,” Claire suggested. That girl who always wears an Instagram-worthy outfit might be over that jacket you’ve been pining for.
4. Shop sales
Sales happen all year round, and being patient and persistent can pay off when the skirt you want gets marked down or there’s a massive sale online.
“I’m a huge fan of watching sales online and shopping in the clearance sections,” Emily Schmidt, Stanford ’20, says. “If I need something specific or just want to buy some new pieces, I challenge myself to stick to a budget and only buy thing in a certain price range. I also try to find as many coupon codes as possible to try and bring the total down even more.” Pro-tip: The Honey plug-in collects coupon codes for you and automatically tests them out at the sites you’re shopping on. Install it on your toolbar and it will do the coupon hunting for you.
A lot of stores, like Urban Outfitters and J. Crew, have extra discounts for college students. The fashion industry knows we’re poor.
“I recommend signing up for UniDays, which hooks students up with sweet high-end discounts,” Erica says. “Just the other day UniDays sent me a 90 percent off code for Nasty Gal and I bought something I really needed (denim skirt) from a store I never thought Id be able to afford.” Okay, so where do I sign up?
It can be easy to think that cute, on-trend clothes are only the full-price items displayed on the mannequins, but that’s just what they want you to think. Think like a college student — just like you’ve mastered the art of eating and drinking on a budget (thank you two-buck Chuck and Kraft macaroni and cheese), you can also revamp your wardrobe with sparse funding. You can feel like a million bucks without spending that much, because lol, who has a million dollars in college?