Clothes

Many of us find it hard to give up the fashion habit we acquired during the boom years but there are lots of ways to be well-dressed without selling your soul for the latest It bag, designer suit or cute outfits for the kids. Start with these tips – then use your imagination.

Everyone

• Shop your closet – go through your wardrobe to see what can be revived, adapted or cut up and turned into something new.
• Put anything you no longer wear that is in good condition onto an auction site, into a dress agency or sell it at a car boot sale.
• Learn to sew. There is no point throwing away clothes that can easily be mended or altered, while buying your own material and pattern ensures that you end up with something unique.
• Check prices and availability online before you hit the shops, so you save time as well as money.
• Scavenge through charity shops, especially in smart parts of town – look out for designer labels, men’s suits and hardly-worn children’s clothes. Or track down an army surplus store for brilliant bargains in hard-wearing fabrics. Remember that you may need to dry clean, wash or alter what you find and factor that into the cost.
• Stalk more expensive items until the sales, then snap them up on the cheap. The last few days of the sales can see dramatic reductions, if you hold your nerve.
• Every time you are tempted by an impulse buy, stop and ask yourself if you really need it or simply want it. If it is the latter, walk away and give yourself at least a day to decide whether this is true love – and whether you can afford it.

Her

• Hold a swishing party for friends and colleagues to get a new wardrobe for free. Everyone brings an agreed number of unwanted items in good condition, you have half an hour to check them out – then you swap.
• If you have got a serious bag habit, specialist websites allow you to hire the bag of your dreams for a monthly subscription. Special occasion dresses can also be hired, both from websites and specialist shops.
• Raid your mother’s wardrobe – and your grandmother’s. While you are at it, check out vintage clothing fairs and auctions.
• Always try before you buy so you can see if it really does look as good as it does in your imagination.
• Discipline yourself – check the returns policy in advance and, if you change your mind, take it back.
• Do not buy anything in the wrong size simply because it is cheap or you think you can diet into it – you will almost certainly never wear it.
• It is worth investing in good quality coats, shoes and underwear – they last longer and usually fit better.
• Use money-off vouchers from magazines and newspapers and sign up for online newsletters from your favourite stores – they often offer discounts.

Him

• When you buy a suit, get two pairs of trousers to prolong the life of the outfit – they always wear out more quickly than the jackets.
• Men’s clothes tend to be classics, so buy multiples of basics and underwear when they’re on special offer.
• Buy shoe trees and polish your shoes regularly – they will last longer.
• Hire a dinner jacket or other formal clothes, unless you wear them frequently. If that’s the case, check out charity shops for a tux that will not date.

The kids

• Ban the expression “hand-me-down” and tell them that used clothes are eco-friendly.
• If there is no kids’ clothing exchange in your area, set one up with your friends.
• Join a school uniform club – you will be able to snap up second-hand uniforms or be offered discounts on new items.
• Never skimp on well-fitting shoes or your kids’ feet could be ruined.
• Cut price stores and supermarket ranges have great designs at low prices – they will grow out of anything you buy quickly, so there is no point investing in designer ranges.

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