Some think that the key to success is dressing nicely always. I certainly used to believe that this was true – which is why I have the bigger clothing collection than the majority of my friends. If I dress seriously people will take me seriously, right? So buy more clothes! Only lots of fancy clothes are really not the key to success. If you want people to take you seriously, act seriously.
That being said, if you’re trying to save money cutting back on your wardrobe can be a huge relief for your wallet. And cutting back doesn’t mean that you have to look cheap! Here are some tips on how to work with a minimalist wardrobe and a minimalist budget, without sacrificing your professional look:
- If you don’t already have some, invest in some accessories. Scarves especially can help you spruce up an outfit so that you can wear the same shirt or dress again and again without anyone noticing. Accessories are generally a lot cheaper than investing in new clothes all of the time – so if your wardrobe is feeling old an uninspiring, consider accessorizing!
- Only buy clothes that are solid colors. Solid colors make mixing and matching far easier. You will probably never find a plaid shirt that matches a different pair of plaid pants, for example. The more solid colors you have the more likely you are to be able to creatively put together new outfits without having to take a trip to the mall.
- Only keep the clothing that you need. Lots of people find themselves with an extensive wardrobe, but going back to the same few items all of the time. If you are one of these people, choose the clothes that you don’t wear and sell them! Most cities have second hand stores that will take used clothing, or you could try to sell things on the internet or in a yard sale.
- Buy more quality clothing if you can. When you are spending less money on buying a lot of clothes you can afford to buy more expensive clothes, which will stay nicer looking in the long run and probably save you money as well. Cycling through cheap clothes all of the time is bad for anyone’s wallet.
- Don’t go to the mall and don’t browse any of your favorite online stores. Impulse shopping is a serious issue for a lot of consumers, and if you’re one of them going to the mall all of the time will not help you with your new minimalist lifestyle no matter how much you have already cut it down.
