You don’t have to follow every fashion trend to look stylish. Constantly spending money to update your wardrobe can be a huge hassle for anyone. Most people can’t really afford to spend their entire paycheque on the latest fashion trends. Having a few versatile items such as a good pair of jeans or khaki pants in your wardrobe can save you from blowing away your bank account.

Here are a few ways you can curate your wardrobe without breaking your bank.

1. Reverse Budgeting

Reverse budgeting is a different method of budgeting than people usually follow. It suggests saving an amount first and then spending the rest. People typically budget money according to various categories and decide how much to allocate for each expense. Instead of doing that, think about how much you want to save first, and then decide how to allocate the rest.

For instance, rather than setting a $400 monthly budget for a wardrobe upgrade, save $400 in a saving account and then figure out how much you have left after putting the essentials aside (like rent, groceries, and transport, etc.).

2. Try Shopping Out of Season

The best way to save money is by shopping out of season. If you buy clothes on the verge of seasonal change, you will have to pay higher costs for each clothing item. On the other hand, shopping for clothes off-season means you get to pay less. It may feel odd while shopping for soft pants for men's category for summer season dresses in winter clothes in the cold season. However, your wardrobe will be much cooler and your pocket much lighter.

3. Don’t Fall for Every Fashion Trend

All fashion trends have their fair moments but they don’t last long. Once a fashion trend is over, the shopping spree laying in your closet is headed in two directions. It with either be donated or if you wear it, you will be showing everyone that you aren’t up to date with the latest fashion trends.

So, stop falling for every fashion trend and invest in some classic staples that never go out of fashion. Dress the way that you feel comfortable with and get rid of the impulsive fast fashion items.

4. Expand Outfit Choices with Accessories

You can style the same outfit in several different ways by using various accessories. So, instead of spending money on buying more clothing items, spend some on accessories. Belts, watches, wallets, glasses, scarves, and so on. The choices are limitless. Accessories can liven up your otherwise dull business casual outfits too. Men can also look into buying some cool socks and ties to switch their looks. This helps you style outfits in various ways without having to spend extra on clothing items.

5. Stay Away from ‘Dry Clean Only’ Tags

By purchasing wardrobe items that say ‘dry-clean only’, you will end up with a higher maintenance bill to care for those items. It will also increase your trips to the dry-cleaning store leading you to pencil in another budget category for your wardrobe. These items wear faster as well. Let’s say you come across the best bomber jackets in a store and you really want to buy one. Try to find a jacket that can be cleaned at home.

6. Give Your Wardrobe the Care It Deserves

If you care for your clothes and accessories properly, you can actually extend their life cycle by a lot. Washing clothes with care, folding items like t-shirts and sweaters, avoiding over-stuffing the drawers, investing in good hangers, and so on. All these things can help you retain your things and last them longer. Make sure to wash whites separately. Avoid drying woolen fabrics in the dryer to help them retain their warmth for years.

7. Peruse the Local Thrift Stores

To find items that are not expensive yet look almost the same, you can hit the local thrift shops. Browse for items that are usually worn under layers of clothing such as t-shirts or undershirts. Thrift shopping isn’t easy though. You need to invest a good amount of time and do a lot of digging to find better items. Some well-known thrift retailers such as Goodwill put their designer labels on noticeable racks to make your hunt easier.