Money Saving Fashion Tips for the Recession

For October's Issue of Escape Arts Blog I thought I would bring you some recession blues-busting tips for fashion. Whether you are a dedicated follower of fashion or if you like to pick out particular styles you like from recent trends, the recession can be a bit of an elephant in the room when it comes to splashing out!

However, a small change to our wardrobe can make a big impact and uplift us. Especially in the darkening winter months. Red is often a popular colour in winter, which is not surprising as it is a high-energy colour and can boost your mood. If red is not your colour, a strong blue can have a calmer uplifting effect on our moods. If you like to wear darker colours such as black, you can still have fun accenting it with a splash of a bold colour.

So, bearing this in mind, how can you still experience the buzz of a new look without breaking the bank this winter?

1 Firstly (and a dull rainy winter day might be a good opportunity to start this!), have a good old rummage through what you've already got. If you haven't been through your drawers and cupboards in a while, you might be surprised at what you find. You may come across an old favourite (which will boost your mood!) or something that has hardly been worn at all. Remember to look for anything with that splash of colour that you can add to your current outfits.

2 You could consider buying "preloved" second-hand clothes from your local charity shop, or from ebay. On ebay, second-hand clothes can be bought for an absolute fraction of the price and if you enjoy bargain-hunting and aren't fazed by the risk of buying second-hand clothes you cannot see, and that may not come with a returns policy, this could be for you!

3 Arrange to have a clothes swapping day with friends! Each sort out what you are happy to part with in exchange for something different, and bring it along. Add some drinks and refreshments and you can all look through and make exchanges with one-another. Make sure you all realise it will be a permanent exchange of the clothes, and only make a swap if both parties are happy. Make sure to keep it civil and good-natured, if this could cause any fallings-out or squabbling amongst you, it may be best avoided!

Designer Appliques available at Escape Arts

4 If you are handy with a needle and thread or a sewing machine, you may have thought of customising or embellishing some of your existing clothes, adding some sequins or studs here or there, resizing, reshaping, adding a coloured panel. You could always start with something you're not too worried about if it goes wrong, and then as your skill progresses, move on to other items. There are plenty of tutorials online too, so if you have the time, and like to be crafty, this could be a fun way for you to update and embellish your wardrobe for winter. Here at Escape Arts we have some gorgeous designer appliques to glam up high heeled shoes. They work by affixing to the soles of your high heeled shoes. You simply need to ensure the soles of your shoes are clean, cut the appliques to size, peel and stick on, they are waterproof and reusable.

Party Dress available at Escape Arts

5 If all this is a bit more hands on than you were looking for and for you nothing beats the feel of brand new and shiny for the ultimate pick me up, then bear in mind there a lot of good quality clothes being produced these days in popular and fashionable styles, with good materials and good cuts, but without the big brand prices! Supermarkets put a lot of effort into their designs these days, and you can always carefully remove the label if you wanted. Clothes needn't cost the earth, we stock a selection of great party dresses at Escape Arts for between £35 to £40 which also includes free p&p, and choosing a stretchy material helps to ensure a better fit when buying online. You may prefer to seek out an independent fashion designer online, who is perhaps new and just starting up, you can find some amazing and innovative styles, and for less than an established brand – great if you want to find something more unique and fancy becoming a possible trail-blazer!

So if you really feel you would like to treat yourself to something new, set yourself a budget you are certain you can afford, and then go wild within that budget!

I hope you have enjoyed this read and found some useful tips and advice. Do comment below if you would like to share any of your own money-saving fashion tips and of course forward and please share this to friends and family who may like to read it.

You may also like to check out our short video of winter fashion solutions for a bit of online window-shopping fun!

Web solutions: If you are a small retail business and would like a short video created from you product images such as this, please contact me to discuss your requirements.