Being in college and living on your own can be a struggle. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself scrolling through social media and wanting to dress like the social media influencers on your feed. These days it can be hard to keep up with the latest fashion trends if you don’t have all the money to spend. I found it most difficult after I moved off campus and was responsible for paying rent and other bills. Nonetheless, I got creative and found ways to still look good and put together while on a college budget. Here are a few tips and tricks to get that Instagram model style with college student money.
Instead of shopping on high-end retail websites or going to expensive stores, sites such as SheIn, Fashionova, Zaful, and Romwe saved my life. These clothing websites give you the latest fashion trends at a fraction of the price. Fashionova offers celebrity inspired fashion at affordable prices! At the moment, I am a huge fan of SheIn and it has been my go-to lately. One tip for shopping on SheIn is to always read reviews and check the size because it can vary from item to item. My personal favorites from Shein are their plaid pants and everyday simple tops! Super affordable!
I’ve also been into thrifting lately. Especially since ’90s style is coming back; you can find really cute clothes at your local thrift store. I usually look for mom jeans, oversized jackets, and sweaters. You can also find unique accessories such as hats, handbags, belts, etc. Thrifting is one of the most affordable options for revamping your style.
Along with thrifting is DIY. Ever since I was a kid, I always found ways to make ugly clothes cute or turn out of style clothes into the latest trends. If you go thrifting, sometimes you’ll find clothes that have potential but need a little work. If that’s the case, a little DIY never hurt anybody! There are endless possibilities to what you can DIY. You can turn an ugly sweatshirt into a cute cropped hoodie, an old shirt into a tube top, or even an out of style button-down shirt into an off the shoulder LOOK. I’ve always loved DIY’ing jeans in particular! It’s super easy to turn boring regular jeans into distressed ankle jeans! DIY is especially helpful when you look through old clothes that you already own. You’ll be surprised how many of your clothes make a comeback!
I’m not going to lie, I don’t always shop cheap. I’m a sucker for athletic clothes and sneakers too. Who doesn’t love Adidas and Nike clothing? However, when this is the case, I try to catch coupon codes whenever I can. If I’m buying a pair of Nike sneakers online, I’ll usually open another tab and google “Nike coupon codes.” Sites such as RetailMeNot and Groupon usually have coupon codes for discounts that you can use. The only thing better than buying sneakers is buying sneakers at a discounted price! It’s also worth always checking what stores and sites give student discounts. UniDAYS is affiliated with popular stores such as Journeyz, H&M, and a lot of others and you can get a discount simply for being a college student!
I’m so glad I stumbled upon affordable websites to get the look that I want for cheap prices. It’s always worth going into the thrift store because you’ll never know what you can find and if all else fails, DIY is always a solution. I get compliments on my clothes and style all the time and the only reason I make it work is because of those tips and tricks!