Because there is no rule in the book that says a college student can’t be fashionable even on a low budget.
Students in general, all have a very complicated relationship with fashion. Of course, this will depend on the field of study or the circumstances the student finds them in. For instance, if the student is expected to follow a certain dressing code that signals academic elegance, like law school, they will know what is expected of them.
However, for the average college student, the goal is not exactly to look amazing but to go to class and survive the rigors of daily studies while navigating life with their roommates or friends. They also might live on their own and has two or three part-time jobs. For this reason, they might not have the time to check out what they wear all the time.
If this sounds like you, you might want to learn your own fashion preferences, as well as checking out various fashion stores – like you can take a look here! Here are some tips to help you improve your fashion sense – and the best news is that you don’t need tons of money to do so.
Contents
Keep your focus on durability
You might not have much money to work with, or you may have more than enough – but durability is an important factor when deciding on the clothes you want to buy. This applies to both ladies’ and men’s fashion – when you are starting it, always begin with a few classic pieces that are guaranteed to last you quite a number of years.
These will help you get by, even as you save up to buy better pieces in the future. As you continue, you can start looking for serious clothes that project a more formal image. This will help you make great impressions, such as going for company events, going for an interview, or landing an internship or your first job.
The bottom line here is saving all the favorite pieces you have from your first upgrades, and then slowly improve the rest. This will give you a more solid collection of dependable clothes throughout your study.
Pay close attention to the quality of the clothes you buy
When you are a student on a budget, you do not want to spend your money on any clothes you get – you want to instead make sure that everything is great about it before you spend. That means you should never just spend money on clothes that are ill-fitting or bad for the image you want to project, and it is better to actually buy classic pieces.
Most fast fashion is poor in quality, but you might not be in a position to buy classic tailored pieces either – however, you can still find a compromise. These are clothes that are durable, look great on you, and are the right quality. In the long term, buying poor quality things is expensive because of replacing them all the time, and it is not worth it.
If you want to make great decisions, you will need to be informed. Make sure to do your research, read all the labels, and examine the quality. You will not regret doing this.
Learn to interchange elements in your wardrobe
You are probably familiar with interchangeability – in other words, you are building a wardrobe that has clothes of great quality, all of which can fit very well with each other.
For instance, you have two coats, four pairs of pants, and four shirts. If you keep in mind that you can interchange these items, you can come up with 32 possible combinations alone. This makes you realize that you do not need to have an extensive wardrobe full of clothes you might never wear – you simply need a few pieces, then wear them interchangeably throughout a whole month without wearing them again.
Don’t overlook vintage stores
Yes, vintage stores. They might seem like they will not offer you much in the way of current fashion, it does not be tempted to resist them – you might just be surprised. The same case goes for flea markets, second-hand shops, thrift shops, vintage fairs, and so on.
Many people, unfortunately, make the mistake of thinking that they will become less fashionable if they shop at any of these stores because it seems like they cannot afford great fashion.
The truth about all these stores is – they hold infinite chances for your fashion statements. You can get surprisingly great pieces here at an affordable cost; then mix and match them to get amazing outlooks without breaking the bank. You only need to go out to look for it, have the courage to take it, care for it, and mix it with what you already have to give you a sense of pride.
Learn the importance of taking care of your clothes
This is perhaps the most important advice on here. Whether it is washing them, applying products to extend their lifespan, or brushing these items, it will increase the wears you get from them without having to mend or throw them away.
In case they need some extra care, then that is what moms and aunts are for, especially if you have no idea on how to do so. The more you take good care of your clothes, the longer you can use them – and that will also mean you do not need to drain the little you already have.
In addition, there are fabrics and materials that will need extra care to last as long as possible, like leather. For that reason, you cannot take them to a washing machine, and instead, use the old fashioned way of hand-washing them to guarantee extra care. You will also learn specific products to purchase for specific fabrics, which educates you on the peculiarities of different fabrics and what you can do with them.
Final thoughts
At the end of the day, you need to take care of what you have, even the clothes you wear. They are an integral part of defining your identity, so you should always aim to keep them in good condition for as long as you can, and still look good even in your college years.
