I don’t know about you, but with every season change, I always feel the need to swap out my closet. Goodbye, winter coats and boots! Hello, floral spring dresses and scrappy sandals! But as I scroll through all the sites with their newest lines of clothing and accessories, the sinking feeling of how much the dollar signs add up is enough to make me close my laptop and come to the reality of just how much swapping in a completely new wardrobe would cost. Thankfully, I’ve had luck with a few more budget-friendly and sustainable ways to refresh a wardrobe.
Thrift Shops/Consignment Shops
If you have the attention span and patience, you can find some amazing pieces in local consignment shops and thrift stores. By shopping here, you are also keeping the money local and sometimes supporting a local charity.
Monthly Subscriptions
In college, I used to rent cocktail dresses for special occasions. Since then, I stopped. I recently started my subscription again with Rent the Runway. As I prepare to head back into the professional world after being a mostly SAHM/WFHM, I noticed that my wardrobe is a little dated or lack pieces that fit me well. That’s where subscription boxes come into the picture beautifully. The selections and rates might differ, but the concept is simple: you choose the clothing and accessories you would like to rent for a month for a monthly fee. If you have a date night coming up, add a sizzling red dress to your monthly subscription. If you have a beach vacation on your calendar, pick out a cute dress to brighten up your selection.
Coordinate a Clothing Swap with Friends
This is a favorite of mine, to swap clothes with friends! It works best with a bigger group of ladies so that there’s more of a variety in style and size. Make it a fun event and plan to have some drinks and snacks!
UpCycle Clothing Items
This last method to a budget-friendly and sustainable way to refresh a wardrobe requires more skill and patience, but can be fun! Upcycling is becoming more trendy these days; encouraging crafty and creative ladies to transform their husband’s button down shirt into a dress or creating a shirt from that favorite 80s teeshirt.
Whatever method works for you, it can be a fun experience and is much easier on your budget!
