Red Dirt and Glitter: AG jeans

In AG jeans, Clare V

Fringe Sandals // iMac Giveaway

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, by Red Dirt and Glitter

In AG jeans, Henri Bendel

Grays // How to Shop on a Budget

There is only one month left until Spring and we all know what that means... SHOPPING! So,today I've teamed up with thredUP to give you few pointers on how to shop smartly while trying to build your spring wardrobe on a budget.

ThredUP is a place where you can purchase new and like-new cloths from your favorite brands and designers for a fraction of the price. And I mean it when I say like-new, since I have a whole box of cloths that look better than some items I bought at the store on sale to show for.

For today's post, I selected these adorable AG jeans which were only 28$! (Talking about a steal huh?) But as I already said, I have a box full of gems like these, which I can't wait to show you.

But no matter if you shop on thredUP or your favorite site or store, it can be a bit overwhelming. So, here are few shopping pointers...

First step is to decide which way you want to go with your closet.

And yes, I am not starting with the usual, organize your closet - decide what to keep - what to put away or give away speech, we all know that (and will get to it eventually). I am starting from what I call " a plan of action". Since, it is very important to decide what we want our spring closets to look like before plunging head first into the cloth racks, because remember, we are on the budget.

Start from making a list of things that you like and absolutely have to have. When the list is made, see how things on that list are working with each other and cloths which are already in your closets. We don't want to jump from one style to another, or try to buy every item just because it looks cute. This way we will end up with a closet full of cloths and nothing to wear.

It is critical to keep uniformity through the items we buy. Having a closet full of "fashion statements" or random pretty things is absolutely the worse thing that a person could do to their budget. Because, we will either need to go and buy more cloths to match them with or push them to the back of the closet until the "right time" (which almost never comes).

Second step is to invest in practical pieces.

As I always tell my friends, don't buy cloths that you can only wear once. No matter, how awesome of a deal you are getting on an item, it's not worth your money, if you can wear only once (evening gowns excluded). Tulle skirts are the best example, since they are as cute, as they are impractical. Same goes for brightly colored cloths and accessories. I've noticed that a lot of people would forgo the brights in their closets for something more muted so not to stand out. Therefore, don't spend money on items that you are afraid to wear or make you feel self conscious.

Third step is to purchase cloths that are flattering.

Weather we are trying to shop on a budget or not, ill fitting cloths shall never graze our closets. No matter how cute an item is, if it makes you look too fat, too short, too tall or too anything, don't even think about buying it. There is no need to pay for low self-esteem.

The fourth step is to invest in good quality items.

Don't sacrifice quality in the search of a good deal. It is better to pay 5$ or 10$ more for an item that will last you longer than a month. It's quality that will save you money, not quantity.

Anyways, I am running a little long in with this post, so I guess I will stop here.

In my next post, I will continue on how to shop designer items like a pro.

Outfit Details

Bag: c/o Henri Bendel // Jeans: c/o Adriano Goldschmied // Vest: Similar here, here and here // Shoes: Kenneth Cole (Sold out but Similar here and here) // Turtleneck: (similar here) // Sunglasses: Karen Walker (sign up with DITTO using code REDDIRTGLITTER and rent these or any other designer sunglasses FREE for a month) // Watch: Michael Kors // Fur pom