1. Thou shalt not sacrifice style in order to save money.
2. Thou shalt not need spend over $50 (per item) to stay trendy.
-These two go hand-in-hand. Sure, there are a lot of extremely tacky, cheap-looking clothes within the budget of a college student, but there are also a surprising amount of stylish items that are affordable. The trick is to be patient and keep looking.
3. Honor thy clothing and accessories.
-Make sure you read your labels! A lot of inexpensive clothing is made with rayon and polyester, which will shrink or fall apart if not washed correctly. Hand wash cold = HAND WASH COLD and if the label says "dry clean only" do not even try to wash it yourself. Also, I am the queen of losing things, but organizing your accessories in a quasi-orderly fashion helps a ton and can be super cheap. Key racks (or even a couple 3M hooks if you're really pinching pennies) work great as hooks for your necklaces to keep them visible and untangled. The same goes for mountable coat racks; the hooks are big enough to hold your bags and scarves in plain sight.
4. Thou shalt share clothes and accessories with thy (responsible) friends.
-Another helpful trick in saving money and still looking cute is expanding your wardrobe with your bffs. Just make sure they are responsible and within your size-range. Plus, when you find a particularly trendy and bargain-priced outfit, it would be selfish to keep it all to yourself.
5. Thou shalt not buy any item of clothing or any pair of shoes that doth not fit well and feel fierce.
-Just because an outfit is super cute doesn't mean it looks super cute on you. Wear something too small and you risk looking like you're stuck in sausage casing, but if it's too big, you'll end up looking like a little girl playing dress-up. This is where the "Goldilocks Rule" fits in; make sure it fits juuuuuusst right. And if you feel uncomfortable when trying it on--constantly having to tug down your shirt or pull up your pants--imagine how miserable your entire day will be.
6. Thou shalt have clothing altered when necessary.
-However, there are some pieces that fit almost perfectly but might need a few alterations. Pants that are too long in the leg or a little too big in the waist can easily be tailored. And this isn't 7th grade where you can get away with "walking off" the bottom of your jeans. Make sure you go to a reputable establishment for alterations (ask your neighbors and relatives) and get measured as precisely as possible. (Hint: decide which pants will be worn mostly with heels and which ones mostly with flats as that will affect your overall length).
7. Thou shalt not settle for clothing thou doth not absolutely love.
-I know how it goes. You desperately need an outfit or an upcoming occasion, but when you go shopping, you can't find anything that fits right or looks good. Since you are just about to run out of time before you need to leave to get ready, you end up buying whatever is most convenient at the time. Problem: When attending said event, you are extremely uncomfortable because you know you're not looking or feeling your best. I know these situations happen, but if you would have planned ahead and/or already liked what was in your closet, you wouldn't have been stuck in that scenario in the first place. You should want to wear your clothes and be proud of what you have in your wardrobe. When you try something on, you should love the way it makes you look and feel. Otherwise, you are just wasting your time and money.
8. Thou shalt realize that confidence is the most fierce accessory.
-It makes me cringe every time I hear the phrase, "that is so cute, but I could never pull it off." Unless your body type really isn't conducive to a particular style, the only way trends get started in the first place is because of people who are confident enough to try something new. If you think you look good, then you should let those feelings radiate. And since confidence is contagious, everyone else will think you look fierce too.
9. Thou shalt dress classy and in accordance with thine own age.
-Yes, Jessica Simpson's Daisy Dukes looked fierce circa 2005, but in real life, the whole ass-cheeks-out-of-the-shorts thing is best reserved for Playboy. And as we grow out of our teens and into adulthood, there are some trends best left behind with our letterman jackets; short short jean shorts being one of them. But PLEASE if you decide to wear a short skirt or mini dress, make sure you pair it with full-coverage underwear.
10. To thine own self--and personal sense of style--be true.
-Fashion magazines and the Style network are great, but just because something is "in style" doesn't mean it's right for you. In the same respect, fashion is an expression of your personality, so if you love a particular outfit that doesn't necessarily adhere to the status quo, feel free to rock it. Besides, if everyone had the same wardrobe, I wouldn't be able to go shopping in my sister's closet.
2. Thou shalt not need spend over $50 (per item) to stay trendy.
-These two go hand-in-hand. Sure, there are a lot of extremely tacky, cheap-looking clothes within the budget of a college student, but there are also a surprising amount of stylish items that are affordable. The trick is to be patient and keep looking.
3. Honor thy clothing and accessories.
-Make sure you read your labels! A lot of inexpensive clothing is made with rayon and polyester, which will shrink or fall apart if not washed correctly. Hand wash cold = HAND WASH COLD and if the label says "dry clean only" do not even try to wash it yourself. Also, I am the queen of losing things, but organizing your accessories in a quasi-orderly fashion helps a ton and can be super cheap. Key racks (or even a couple 3M hooks if you're really pinching pennies) work great as hooks for your necklaces to keep them visible and untangled. The same goes for mountable coat racks; the hooks are big enough to hold your bags and scarves in plain sight.
4. Thou shalt share clothes and accessories with thy (responsible) friends.
-Another helpful trick in saving money and still looking cute is expanding your wardrobe with your bffs. Just make sure they are responsible and within your size-range. Plus, when you find a particularly trendy and bargain-priced outfit, it would be selfish to keep it all to yourself.
5. Thou shalt not buy any item of clothing or any pair of shoes that doth not fit well and feel fierce.
-Just because an outfit is super cute doesn't mean it looks super cute on you. Wear something too small and you risk looking like you're stuck in sausage casing, but if it's too big, you'll end up looking like a little girl playing dress-up. This is where the "Goldilocks Rule" fits in; make sure it fits juuuuuusst right. And if you feel uncomfortable when trying it on--constantly having to tug down your shirt or pull up your pants--imagine how miserable your entire day will be.
6. Thou shalt have clothing altered when necessary.
-However, there are some pieces that fit almost perfectly but might need a few alterations. Pants that are too long in the leg or a little too big in the waist can easily be tailored. And this isn't 7th grade where you can get away with "walking off" the bottom of your jeans. Make sure you go to a reputable establishment for alterations (ask your neighbors and relatives) and get measured as precisely as possible. (Hint: decide which pants will be worn mostly with heels and which ones mostly with flats as that will affect your overall length).
7. Thou shalt not settle for clothing thou doth not absolutely love.
-I know how it goes. You desperately need an outfit or an upcoming occasion, but when you go shopping, you can't find anything that fits right or looks good. Since you are just about to run out of time before you need to leave to get ready, you end up buying whatever is most convenient at the time. Problem: When attending said event, you are extremely uncomfortable because you know you're not looking or feeling your best. I know these situations happen, but if you would have planned ahead and/or already liked what was in your closet, you wouldn't have been stuck in that scenario in the first place. You should want to wear your clothes and be proud of what you have in your wardrobe. When you try something on, you should love the way it makes you look and feel. Otherwise, you are just wasting your time and money.
8. Thou shalt realize that confidence is the most fierce accessory.
-It makes me cringe every time I hear the phrase, "that is so cute, but I could never pull it off." Unless your body type really isn't conducive to a particular style, the only way trends get started in the first place is because of people who are confident enough to try something new. If you think you look good, then you should let those feelings radiate. And since confidence is contagious, everyone else will think you look fierce too.
9. Thou shalt dress classy and in accordance with thine own age.
-Yes, Jessica Simpson's Daisy Dukes looked fierce circa 2005, but in real life, the whole ass-cheeks-out-of-the-shorts thing is best reserved for Playboy. And as we grow out of our teens and into adulthood, there are some trends best left behind with our letterman jackets; short short jean shorts being one of them. But PLEASE if you decide to wear a short skirt or mini dress, make sure you pair it with full-coverage underwear.
10. To thine own self--and personal sense of style--be true.
-Fashion magazines and the Style network are great, but just because something is "in style" doesn't mean it's right for you. In the same respect, fashion is an expression of your personality, so if you love a particular outfit that doesn't necessarily adhere to the status quo, feel free to rock it. Besides, if everyone had the same wardrobe, I wouldn't be able to go shopping in my sister's closet.
