Fashion on a Budget: Styling an Outfit for Less than $50

Hello! I've written about it before and I know that I'll write about it again but the notion that fashion can't be affordable simply isn't true. I put together all of my ~looks~ on a shoestring budget and you can do the same thing yourself. Fashion does not have to be expensive by any means; I highly suggest shopping secondhand over buying new pieces. There are SO many different reasons why it makes more sense to shop used rather than new. Buying secondhand pieces rather than new pieces is better for your wallet as well as for the environment. I highly support the "slow fashion" movement and shopping secondhand is a key element of the movement.

Today, I want to show y'all how I style my ~looks~ on a budget- and how you can do the same! I usually splurge a little bit on shoes (because damn, expensive shoes are worth it!) but with the exception of shoes, almost all of my outfits cost me $50 or less. I fill my wardrobe with pretty $5 thrifted dresses, affordable trendy jewelry and inexpensive vintage purses. The main key to staying stylish on a budget involves thrifting- and a lot of it. You can also find great deals on secondhand fashion on Poshmark, Unitiques and Swap.com

To show you just exactly how I style my looks on a dime, I'm going to break down the costs of each item in the outfit that I'm wearing above. Would you believe that I put it together for just $50?! -even including shoes in the cost! Okay, so here goes the break down:

Black and white floral midi skirt: thrifted for just $5 recently at Diversity Thrift
Bubblegum pink top: thrifted for just $2 at Fantastic Thrift
Pink heels: these BRAND NEW Jefrey Campbells only cost me $30 on Poshmark
White beaded purse: thrifted for $3 at a thrift shop in the West End
Light pink sunglasses: purchased for $6 at Rumors
Pink earrings & rings: gifted from my parents
Pink scrunchie: $4 on Etsy

Total cost: $50

You can't beat that, am I right?

Like I mentioned earlier, shopping secondhand, and thrifting in particular, is what allows me to dress well on a tight budget. When it comes to thrifting, I find that it's best to keep an open mind. I'm definitely guilty of rushing straight to the rack of the dresses when I enter a thrift store and often only look at dresses. But you truly never know what you're going to find! It can be easy to miss out on a true gem while thrifting. So instead of searching for a specific style or garment, I urge you to just look, see what catches your eye and be open to possibility. For example, you may find a gorgeous vintage fur coat for just $5 in the dead heat of the summer but you may have missed it if you didn't check out the rack of coats. I also encourage you to keep an open-mind when it comes to the styling of vintage pieces; for example, I enjoy incorporating vintage lingerie tops and slips into my everyday ~looks.~

Photos by Rachel Dwyer Photography. You can browse more of her work on her website here or her Instagram here.

Midi skirt: Vintage, thrifted
Bubblegum pink top: Vintage, thrifted
Pink heels: Jeffrey Campbell via Poshmark
Earrings: Vintage
Rings: Vintage
Beaded purse: Vintage
Light pink sunglasses: Rumors
Hot pink sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage

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