University is the time when people really start to explore fashion and find their personal style. But, it’s also a very financially restrictive time for some, and many retail store pricing doesn’t make it easy to elevate a closet with fun and interesting pieces.
Between starting with the right basics, knowing where and how to look for items and accessorizing creatively, dressing how you like doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Here I’ll walk you through tips to maximize your wardrobe and stay on budget.
Collecting the Basics
When it comes to building the foundation of your closet, less is more. While unique pieces are fun to own and style, there are still endless ways you can customize a basic tee to achieve the same effect without breaking the bank.
A few items from each category tailored to your style is all you need: t-shirts and tanks, blouses and button-ups, hoodies and sweaters or cardigans, jeans and trousers, footwear appropriate for each occasion, a belt, a coat and a bag or two.
Getting cute basics doesn’t have to mean shopping at Aritzia or Garage. There are plenty of stores in Canada with just as nice collections at better prices (and sometimes even better quality). I’m not presenting these as niche, underground brands you’ve never heard of, but rather pointing out that they do have their own, less expensive versions of trending pieces.
H&M is my number one recommendation in terms of price and style. It’s one of my go-to stops at the mall and makes up half of my closet at the moment, from sweatpants and t-shirts to business casual clothing. Gap, Old Navy and Uniqlo win for material and quality. While their apparel tends to run slightly pricier, their sales are definitely worth checking out. Ardene, Bluenotes and Boathouse offer more youthful pieces, and Reitmans conversely provides more mature looks.
Thrifting is a great way to find quality fabrics and vintage items, and to bring new life to outdated pieces. But there is an unexpected amount of skill involved in thrifting successfully. For instance, however long you think it’ll take you to find what you’re looking for, triple it. This isn’t like walking into Zara, knowing exactly what you’re looking for because their website listed it “In-stock,” and walking out in ten minutes. I kid you not, I spent two hours at Value Village the other week looking for a pair of black jeans.
And I’m glad I did, because had I purchased the first pair I liked without going through every rack, I would’ve ended up with jeans that were slightly too big, in a wash that was too light for what I had in mind and with a too-high rise for my liking. Instead, I found a pair that not only accommodated all those preferences, but was also half the price of the others! When searching through racks, it’s worth digging through tight clusters of hangers or piles on the floor, as that’s where shoppers tend to leave items they had the intention of going back to at one point.
If you want to get into making your own clothes, the thrifts are great sources of cheap, natural fibre yarn and fabric. Bedsheets can get you up to seven square meters of cotton fabric for $10.00, as opposed to $168.00 for the same amount at Fabricland. Sweaters can also give you up to 2,000 yards of wool yarn for $10.00, where Michael’s sells the same amount for $100.00.
Scheduling your trips is also important if you want to maximize your chances of a good find. Thrift stores typically stock their racks first thing in the morning, so before noon is the ideal time to visit. On weekdays during working or school hours, too, if you can manage it. In terms of season, after the holidays is when you may come across some good finds as many people have a New Year’s resolution to declutter.
Accessorizing with what you already own
A lot of what I use to accessorize had a different original purpose. For example, I don’t often use actual belts because I prefer to have fashion scarves, bandanas and long necklaces around my waist. Many of these accessories are multi-purpose, too. I tie the same scarves around my bag, or I’ll wear them in my hair as headbands.
There’s also so much you can do with basic jewelry. You don’t have to spend money on popular bag charms if you have a chain bracelet and a pair of earrings. Rings or earrings can also be used as necklace pendants to change up your look once in a while, and necklaces can be worn as hand chains by looping them around your finger and wrapping the ends around your wrist. I’ve once also weaved a necklace into my ponytail to make my hairstyle a little more interesting.
The art of Layering
As Y2K fashion makes its round in the trend cycle, layering is everywhere. Hollister and Aeropostale are bringing back their lace camis and long henleys, fold-over leggings and jeans are seen in every store and brands are even coming out with built-in layered pieces.
You don’t need to go shopping to recreate this look, though. Fold-over pants can be mimicked by wearing a tank top upside down under your pants and around your hips, then folding the hem over your waistband. If you like the look of layered tops but the heat or bulk is making you uncomfortable, the same effect can be achieved by cutting off the bottom of an old tank top and wearing just that under your shirt.
Layering clothing is a simple way to add appeal to an outfit through dimension. It brings life to flat pieces by combining textures in a way that looks low-effort but intentional. Other ways you can incorporate layers are by adding a t-shirt or button-up under a sweater, a corset or tight top over a baggier blouse and scarves or short asymmetrical skirts over loose pants or longer skirts.
Do it yourself
There are a number of hobbies that you can learn to upgrade your wardrobe. Not only can making pieces yourself save you some money, but wearing items you took the time to design and craft is incredibly rewarding.
Beading and jewelry-making is a good place to start as it’s not very time-consuming given the size of the pieces and it gives you the freedom to find your style. With this skill, you can make standard jewelry (e.g., necklaces, bracelets and earrings), hair accessories, belts and waist chains and bag charms, among other things.
Crocheting and knitting allow you to make your dream clothes from scratch, completely tailored to your measurements. As a crocheter, I love the versatility of the craft, with the ability to make anything from wearable clothing to lace accessories and jewelry.
Through sewing, whether by hand or with a machine, you can explore your creativity by altering thrifted pieces to your liking.
Finally, embroidery gives you the option to personalize your clothing by adding decorative designs.
To tie this all together, building a wardrobe that reflects your personal style doesn’t necessarily require you to constantly buy new clothes. By investing in good basics, getting creative with repurposing accessories and exploring your DIY talent, you can transform the simplest pieces into something that feels unique.
Fashion is all about experimenting, and some of the best outfits come from working with what you already have. So before you go shopping, look through your closet and see what you can come up with. You might be surprised by how much potential is already there!