Given the choice, we’d all like to look fashionably great all the time.
But . . . well, there’s always a “but” isn’t there? Too little time to shop and plan our wardrobes. Iffy personal fashion sense.
And the Big One: not enough money.
These all are legit excuses. Who hasn’t used them? But toss those reasons aside, and let me help.
To come up with thrifty wardrobe updates, we asked fashion and style experts for suggestions that would amp up what’s already in your closet.
No $700 purses. No $1,200 boots. No cute little blouse for $439. Just low- priced solutions for busy women who demand the most out what they spend on what they wear.
From those expert suggestions, we then pared them down to eight versatile items, any one of which can transform your closet classics — a basic black dress, a pair of dark pants, a go-to winter coat — into something special and reflecting current trends.
The idea was to find frugal fashionable fixes for fall that you could enjoy for a while, then move on to the next trend. We found the following items at such stores as Rainbow, T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s, Aldo, Forever 21 and Target.
Faux-suede boots and open-weave tights: “The flat boot with details is one of the hottest trends for the season,” says Sonya Cosentini, style expert for T.J. Maxx/Marshalls. Stick to black and basic darks for textured tights that make that old skirt or dress new again.
Sweater tunic: Wear buttoned with skinny jeans or textured tights. Or, “If you’re carrying a lot of bulk, belt it inside (over dress, blouse) and wear the sweater open,” says Kathryn Finney of .
Pleather “fur”-lined biker jacket: “It’s a way to make your basic office look a little tougher and a little more on trend, and it’s not something you have to spend a lot of money on,” says Finney.
White cotton blouse: “It should have some type of feminine detailing whether pleats, tucking, small placed ruffles, a bibbed front,” says Gregg Andrews, a Nordstrom national fashion director.
Big necklace: “Accessories are magical. They update anything. A big statement necklace. Look for mixed metals. Buy one!” recommends Susan Swimmer, fashion features editor, More magazine.
Angora gloves: “The entire palette of plums and purples into magenta and dark eggplant” are big for fall and “look great with blacks, grays and chocolate brown,” Andrews says.
Grommeted faux patent belt: “Get a nice, thick, wide leather belt and belt your coat from last year,” recommends Swimmer.
