Dress well on a budget. If you’re looking to save money but still dress well, this is for you. Here are 11 tips to look dapper for cheap.
Tomorrow is your next big job interview. Maybe it’s a social distancing dinner date. Or perhaps, because of the pandemic, you want to dress up to go to the grocery store.
Whatever the occasion is, you want to dress well and you don’t want it to cost a lot.
Fortunately, dressing well doesn’t have to cost a lot. It doesn’t take brand names or designer suits to prove you have style. Actually, that’s what you do when you don’t have style.
Think about the most dapper person you know.
Did you notice how the most fashionable person that comes to your mind is probably someone that doesn’t spend a lot of money on clothes? They probably buy clothes at thrift shops, right?
So how do they do it?
How is it possible to dress well on a budget?
Dress Well On A Budget: (11 Tips) To Look Dapper For Cheap
My Style
The first thing to know about my style is that I don’t spend any time on it.
My style is very minimal, because I rarely wear anything with a label or art on it. And I only wear a few basic colours: black, blue, white, gray, tan, and some variations of orange/red. I usually only want one colour to pop out.
If I was to attempt to label my style, I would say it is a mix of skate, streetwear, hipster-ish, and business casual.
It’s not traditional.
But the styles blend well because I keep it simple. I stick with what works. By the way, simplicity is a major key to dress well on a budget. If I find a quality, fair-priced shirt that I like, I will buy 2 or 3 more colours of the same shirt. And I usually buy from Uniqlo clothing makers I already trust.
As for fashion trends, I don’t fall for every new fashion trend. I stick to what is comfortable and to what looks good to me. An example of this is the current fanny pack around your shoulder thing. I don’t like how it looks, so I avoid it and silently mock it from afar. Do it if you like it, though.
For clothing, I shop at 5 stores: Uniqlo (I mostly shop here), The Bay, Topman, Urban Outfitters, and occasionally Banana Republic.
For shoes, I shop at: Vans, Winners, Foot Locker, The Bay, Brown’s Shoes, Aldo, and Town Shoes.
In truth, I don’t really care about fashion that much.
Most of my creative efforts go towards this blog.
I don’t read fashion magazines or watch fashion tv.
However, I’ve always been interested in fashion, and at one point, I was so interested in fashion I tried to start a clothing company.
I used to attend fashion shows for free because of another fashion-related blog, too
How To Dress Well On A Budget
I have 11 personal tips to dress well on a budget.
Following these tips saved me a lot of money over the past 10 years. In turn, I was able to save more money for investing.
Fundamentally, these tips are based on a minimal, simple style that doesn’t require a lot of time or effort.
But also, I do believe that style is important. Fashion is a way to express yourself and another way to be creative.
Psychologically, the way someone dresses says a lot about them.
Some people pursuing financial independence don’t mind ripped, faded jeans. They don’t care much about how they dress.
But I just can’t be like that. I have to be able to appreciate the aesthetics of what I wear.
Of course, I want to save money, but I don’t want to dress like garbage.
If you want to save money but still dress well, this post is for you.
1. Don’t Buy Overpriced Brand Names
One of the absolute stupidest thing a regular person can do is pay top dollar for brand name clothes.
I’m talking about brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. People literally buy these brands just to advertise they can afford it.
In my view, the benefits of paying for a high priced brand name product does not validate its price. A $500 sweater is not 10 times better than a $50 sweater. It may be slightly more comfortable, and it might make a slighter larger fashion statement, but paying 10 times the price simply does not make enough of a difference in life.
In reality, no one really cares if you have a Gucci belt. You might get one acknowledgement the first time you wear it, but that’s it.
And buying overpriced products doesn’t prove you’re fashionable anyways. You don’t need to overpay for clothes if you have good taste.
Instead, buy fair priced, quality brand names such as Uniqlo, Vans, and Levis.
2. Don’t Wear Expensive Watches (or watches at all)
Listen, I respect collectors and watches for specific purposes.
I do like watch aesthetics and they do add style.
But since smartphones entered our lives, watches are no longer necessary. All they do is tell the time. Our smartphones do a better job at that.
Better yet, smart watches have functionality. Ironically, fossils old fashioned folks argue they don’t need smart watches. Meanwhile, old fashioned watches are not needed at all.
Anyways, the only reason to own a watch is style.
So, you have to ask, is the amount of style a $10,000 watch adds worth the opportunity cost?
The average person will not even realize what an expensive watch is worth.
But the main reason why I would never spend $10,000 on a watch is because $10,000 spent on clothes would go a lot further.
Personally, I don’t get it. But to each their own. We all have stuff we like to spend money on.
I just think there are better, more valuable things to spend your money on.
But if you have f*** you money, why not?
3. Shop at Outlet Malls
A few of my most beloved articles of clothing have been found at outlet malls.
Specifically, I bought a baseball hat from a Banana Republic outlet in Niagara on the Lake in 2016. It was during my mini retirement year off work.
My brother and I stopped at the outlet on our way to Niagara Falls. It was a good time.
Anyways, shopping at outlets can be a great way to dress well on a budget.
Just remember that not all outlets are equal. There are trashier outlets, and there are quality, more modern outlets that have individual brand name stores.
4. Shop at Thrift Stores
Ok, I will admit that I do not shop at thrift stores. Nor do I plan on starting.
Not that there is anything wrong with it. My style is just not the kind of style that looks good with old clothes, unless it’s a denim jacket.
But I also just don’t like old stuff and worry about its cleanliness.
Nevertheless, shopping at thrift stores is a fantastic way to save money if you don’t mind old clothing.
5. Shop at Uniqlo Quality, Low-cost Retailers
Nowadays, there are plenty of quality, low-cost clothing retailers.
Companies like Uniqlo offer high quality, comfortable, fitted clothing at reasonable prices.
For $100, you could get new socks, boxers, jeans, and a shirt that lasts for years. It looks good, is in style, it’s new, and it’s clean. It could be even cheaper when they have sales. I have 2 white button-ups from Uniqlo that I paid $10 each for.
This is why I don’t understand why a person would pay high prices for brand name dress clothes. You are basically paying to tell someone that you own a [insert brand name] product. Even though I appreciate marketing and branding, it’s kind of shallow.
On the other hand, if you find a quality clothing retailer with affordable prices, stick with it.
6. Avoid Jobs that require Dress Clothes
The future doesn’t look bright for dress clothes.
Streetwear, smart-wear, and athletic-wear are offering more comfortable alternatives.
Plus, this pandemic has ushered in more flexible work arrangements around the world. Now everyone who works in an office is working in more comfortable clothes at home.
They will soon realize how easy it is to save money by working from home.
And then they will realize how much money they save by avoiding dress clothes at work.
In my estimation, a professional job that requires suits or dress clothes can cost between $5,000 to $10,000 per year. Easily more.
This is a factor I consider when I look for new jobs, because I am not just looking for more money on paper. It doesn’t make sense to take a job that pays only $10,000 more if I have to change my wardrobe.
But in some cases, such as aspiring to become a company CEO, dressing for success could be worthwhile.
So, it’s important to be self aware to know what you want from your career. If you want financial independence, jobs that require dress clothes may not be the best option.
Nowadays, there are plenty of high paying part time jobs that do not require dress clothes.
An Example of a bad fashion trend.
7. Don’t Fall For Trends
As someone that pays a lot of attention to patterns, I always find it funny to watch different fashion trends play out.
At first, you start noticing a few early adopters showcasing the new fashion trend.
Sightings slowly become more frequent over the next year.
Then, all of a sudden, everyone is doing it. Even the people that don’t suit the trend.
They spend money on the new ugly fanny pack trend just because everyone else is doing it.
Want to know how to avoid wasting money on trends?
Stick to the trends that are personally flattering, and stick to the most natural trends that you’re familiar with.
In turn, you will save money and you will gain confidence in your own style.
8. Don’t Shop for Status
Buying stuff to impress others is never a good idea.
The same goes for clothes—don’t buy clothes to look rich or cool.
Buy clothes because you like the clothes.
You gain more status by owning your style than you gain through buying to look rich or cool. It’s more natural.
Don’t wast money on status. Use money as a tool to build a lifestyle you want.
9. Only Buy What You Need
Our society idolizes celebrities.
In 2020, we see them on Instagram.
We see their houses, cars, and walk-in closets.
Then a small population of us begin to think we’re on their level.
This group stocks up on clothes and shoes to improve their “tight drip” as if they are celebrities.
To put it bluntly, overbuying is an ironically, poor mentality.
It is a display of wealth, in the sense that it shows what someone can afford, but it also takes away the ability to afford income generating assets.
To afford financial independence, build income streams, or even to buy a house, you must be able to save money first.
If you don’t have the financial means, it doesn’t make sense to overbuy.
10. Buy On Sale, Not Because It’s On Sale
Based on what I have noticed, buying things on sale becomes some prized accomplishment once retirement commences.
I guest everyone is just trying to find purpose.
But the problem is that buying on sale still costs money.
Even though you paid less for a shirt, money still left your pocket.
Therefore, it only makes sense to buy clothes on sale if you absolutely need it.
Because it you buy every good deal, chances are you won’t even like the clothing that much anyways.
It’s a much greater accomplishment to buy shoes or clothing you really wanted on sale.
11. Only Buy Clothing If You Absolutely Love It
There is no point in buying an article of clothing unless you absolutely love it immediately.
If you force yourself to buy something you don’t love, eventually, you won’t even want to wear it.
If you buy an article of clothing you really like, even if it’s not cheap, at least it gets used.
So, it turns out that buying things you don’t 100% love is basically just a waste of money.
Dress Well on a Budget – Concluding Thoughts
Money saved or money not spent is more money for building income streams for financial independence.
If you want to reach financial independence, you must cut out wasteful spending. It’s not that difficult if you focus on buying only what you truly value.
In conclusion, it’s possible to dress well on a budget by becoming a more savvy shopper, by being self-aware, and by implementing simple techniques.
It may take a small adjustment in the beginning, but these tips could save you thousands over your lifetime.
Here is a recap of the 11 tips to look dapper for cheap:
- Don’t buy overpriced brand names
- Don’t wear expensive watches
- Shop at outlet malls
- Shop at thrift stores
- Buy at quality, low-cost retailers
- Avoid jobs that require dress clothes
- Don’t fall for trends
- Don’t buy for status
- Only buy what you need
- Buy on sale, not because it’s on sale
- Only buy clothing you absolutely love
Keep reading to find out how to save money on groceries.
Any other ways you save money on clothes?
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