AVOID CLOTHES THAT REQUIRE WASHING SEPARATELY
If at all possible, avoid clothes that require specific methods when washing. Every separate load requires the full cost: the water, the cost to run the water heater, the cost of running the washing machine, the cost of the detergent, and the cost of the other cleaning supplies you use. This can amount to as much as fifty cents for a load, and for a single item that can add up to some serious cost. Instead, avoid individual wash items and instead focus on those that can be washed together.
FOCUS ON CLOTHES THAT MATCH WELL
If you select modular clothing, items that go well with many other items in your wardrobe, you can easily get away with a much smaller wardrobe. For men, choose jackets, shirts, ties, and pants that easily mix and match. With five items of each, you can have 625 different dress appearances, more than enough to appear well dressed. This permits you to wash all of your clothes at once each weekend, then carefully remix your options for the week. This drastically reduces the amount of clothing you need to own.
SHOP AT CONSIGNMENT SHOPS AND OUTLET STORES
When you do need to shop for new clothes and need professional and stylish options, start at consignment shops and outlet stores before hitting the mall. Outlet stores sell out-of-season, recently discontinued, and very slightly flawed clothing items at huge discounts, so shop carefully and you can find some amazing deals on excellent items. Consignment shops often contain the wardrobes of people with more money than sense, who empty out their closets after wearing clothes once or twice (or not wearing them at all). Again, its a great place to look for nearly new items at extremely cheap prices.
HIT THRIFT AND SECONDHAND SHOPS IN UPSCALE NEIGHBORHOODS
If youre willing to dig a little deeper for bargains, try hitting up secondhand shops and thrift shops in upscale neighborhoods. Look for the most upscale neighborhood around you, then find any such shops in their commercial area and see whats available. You can often find unbelievable bargains on top- quality and rarely worn clothes at such shops. Expanding your horizons a bit can save you a ton of money.
FOCUS ON QUALITY BRANDS THAT HOLD UP OVER TIME
When you make the active choice to buy fewer clothes, it becomes much more important to buy individual clothes items that hold up well over time. This requires you to do some research. Identify the brands of the sturdiest clothes in your closet, and also do research online to identify fashionably appropriate brands that are also sturdy. If youre unsure about brands you should be looking for, visit the websites of stores that you would ordinarily buy clothes from and identify the brands they sell. Take that knowledge with you when you go thrift shopping.
WEAR OLD CLOTHING AROUND THE HOUSE
When your clothes do begin to show signs of wear and are no longer appropriate to wear professionally or on social occasions, relegate them to clothes around the house. Thats right, wear old, beat-up dress shirts when youre mopping the floor or working in the garden. These clothes are well made and sturdy and have a lot of life left in them. Keep wearing them until they really are ready to fall apart. That way, you dont have to spend much at all for casual clothes, either””you can keep that cash right in your pocket.
ROTATE CLOTHES SEASONALLY
Another trick to keep clothes seeming fresh and new for years is to rotate your clothes on a strong seasonal basis. Each spring, box up all of your winter clothes and put them into storage, then unbox your spring and summer clothes. Then, after the season is over, box up your spring and summer clothes and unbox your fall and winter ones. Theyll feel fresh and new and make it appear to the people around you that you have a fresh new wardrobe. Not only that, but careful storage and clothes rotation can also extend the lifespan of your clothes significantly, allowing you to keep items seeming new for years.