9 Insanely Good Fashion Hacks for Looking Trendy on a Budget
So today I am diving into a fun topic and, essentially, what my blog is all about! Looking stylish and expensive but for cheap!
I have learned a thing or two being in the fashion blogging space for the past 6 years. (And also just being a girl who loves to shop in what seems like an ever-worsening economy!)
So I am sharing some amazing tips I have learned IRL and from being chronically online.
Want to save this to read later? Pin one the image below on Pinterest to come back to!
Now let’s get into my top favorite tips of all time that really make a difference when it comes to saving money and looking stylish!
9 Hacks for Looking Trendy and Expensive on a Budget
1- Don’t get lazy about your returns.
This is a huge one that can save you from wasting money. We’re all guilty of it. You order a haul of things online that you have convinced yourself you’re obsessed with, only to find 90& of it simply did not live up to the hype.
If it doesn’t make you giddy with joy when you try it on and you can’t come up with a single occasion where you are excited to wear it- you gotta return it! Because if it doesn’t meet that criteria, then you are NEVER going to wear it! I promise you.
Add it to your calendar, tell a friend or family member to nag you about it (I find your mother or spouse to be the best options who will pester you the most), or somehow find a way to motivate yourself to send it back or return it in-store.
HACK: Still feeling lazy? You can schedule most major delivery service companies. You will pay a fee, but at least it’s cheaper than eating the entire cost of the item(s) you purchased and never wearing them!
2. Turn your dresses into skirts!
If you want to get a bit more mileage out of your dresses, you can easily turn them into skirts (no altering / sewing necessary!). Throw a top on that covers the top of your dress (take necklines and sleeves into consideration) and wear it over your dress. Put a belt on under y our shirt and tuck the top into it and you will literally look like you’re wearing top and skirt!
I have an entire post on how to wear sweaters over dresses with some great ideas, but you can really do this with a wide variety of tops.
HACK: Get the Tucky! This nifty little invention was made to do just this. I own and love this for easily tucking sweaters and tops without adding bulk to your bottoms or wearing them over dresses.
3. Understand your color scheme / color preferences.
If you keep your color scheme of clothes you wear and purchase relatively simple and in the same family, then it makes putting outfits together 100x easier. You’re not limited by what goes together and what doesn’t.
For me, I like to keep things in the neutrals category, and I’m not afraid to add a pop of color here and there, but usually I make sure I have a good amount of warm neutrals and cool neutrals that will work with any pop of color.
HACK: Skip the whole you need a “color analysis” trap. My theory here is that is purely a symptom of late stage capitalism (made up problems with made up solutions you have to pay for). Nobody ever agrees anyway if you are a warm summer or a cool spring or whatever the terms are. Just wear colors that make you happy and THAT will make you feel confident and look your best!
4. Understand the trend cycle.
If you like dressing trendy (guilty!) then understanding the trend cycle is huge. There are trends that stick around for years, and then some more “flash in the pan” trends that stick around only for a season or two.
For example: wide leg jeans have been the trend since about 2020 and now it is 2025 and we are still wearing them! Skinny jeans reigned for over a decade, but I hear inklings of them coming back in style soon.
My rule of thumb? The more practical and wearable a trend is, the longer it is going to last! Micro shorts? Not the most practical or wearable. But ballet flats- a huge yes for me! Especially because it can be worn year round.
HACK: To take this concept a step further, let’s say ballet flats are trending overall, but this year a huge trend is mesh ballet flats. You’re better off skipping the mesh aspect and going with a more classic pair because the mesh version will certainly go out of style much quicker. It’s fun, but less practical!
5. Install the Beni Chrome extension
This is not sponsored in any way, but I LOVE the Beni Chrome extension for finding sustainable and affordable versions of what you are already shopping for!
For example, if you’re looking at expensive Agolde jeans on a site like Revolve, Beni automatically suggests similar or exact items from platforms like Poshmark or Thredup. This means you get to see comparable products at a lower price point, all without leaving the page you’re on.
Same goes for designer bags and items and even items from sites like Abercrombie where things are pretty moderately priced! It’s basically thrift shopping online made way easier.
6. Prioritize well-fitting clothes.
If something fits you perfectly, it’s going to look more expensive, and it’s going to make you feel more confident. It’s a win-win. I know it’s disappointing when that seemingly perfect item just doesn’t fit right, but you end up looking sloppy and like you just missed the mark when something just doesn’t fit right.
HACK: Get your super cheap (but high quality) thrifted clothes tailored. If you found a gem either online or in-person thrifting, and it just doesn’t quite fit you but you know it’s quality and would last you forever, then get it tailored to fit you! Since you saved on the item initially, investing a bit into making sure it’s the perfect fit will be worth it.
7. Make your clothes last longer!
Take good care of your clothing items, and you won’t have to replace them every season. Make sure that you’re reading the care instructions and tags on how to wash them properly to make them last.
HACK: There are many hacks to making your clothing last longer, but my two favorites are to only wash your clothes you really care about when it’s absolutely necessary. (AKA less doing laundry yay!) You can easily do this with jeans, sweaters, etc. As long as they have only been worn once or twice and with no obvious stains and smell fine- I say skip it until it’s really needed.
And turn your clothes inside out when you wash them! This reduces fading and wear in the wash because the inside of your clothing item will take the brunt of the washing process instead.
8. Shop designer “inspired” looks.
The ultimate hack for looking expensive on a budget is to go for the designer inspired option instead of the real deal. There is a wide range of ways to do this, but it all depends on your level of comfortability and morally where you stand on the issue!
Some people think it’s tacky, some people think it’s wrong to steal designs from the original creator, and some people think: it’s not that deep!
HACK: Check out this post here where I go over designer inspired options for any moral stance on the issue that will save you money if buying the real deal isn’t quite in the budget!
9. Stop shopping impulsively
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neither was a trendy, affordable (yet carefully curated) wardrobe! Make sure you do a closet edit quarterly to determine what holes you need to fill in your wardrobe for the upcoming season, and then list them out in order of priority.
Then you can start making your shopping list! I like to budget out a certain amount every paycheck to go towards my wardrobe (because when it comes to fun money that’s what I usually like to purchase!) and then I think I’ve found the perfect item(s), I don’t buy it right away! I sleep on it and give it 24 hours before making the purchase. This way I know I am sure about it.
HACK: I love this hack for ensuring you don’t impulse buy something that you’re not going to get enough use out of to warrant the cost. Ask yourself this simple question: Would you rather have the item(s) in your cart? Or would you rather someone hand you the dollar amount currently in your cart? Your answer will tell you everything you need to know!
If you have a $50 pair of shoes in your cart, and you ask yourself if you’d rather have the shoes or someone hand you $50 to spend- and you choose the shoes. Then they are meant to be! If you choose the money, I’d skip the purchase!
Love these tips? Have your own you want to share? Let me know in the comments below! I always love hearing more hacks for saving and looking cute!
Want to save this to read later? Pin one of the images below on Pinterest!
