The Budget Friendly Ways To Update Your Style

By Brian Maynor

 

Having the desire to change and update your look is easy. It’s the ability to do it on your budget that is the problem.

Luckily there are affordable, inexpensive and sometimes free ways to shake up your style that will significantly boost your makeover. Here are a few things you can try this weekend:

1.    Create a plan. This is where most makeover attempts fail right out of the gate. Just like any change, you need to know where you are and where you want to go to avoid wasting time and resources. Taking the time to thoroughly inspect your wardrobe is free.

Another free tool that is often under-used for curating your wardrobe is Pinterest. Create a board for your new wardrobe and pin everything you think you want. Then look over what you’ve created and see how it all looks together. This exercise will also help you see if you’re creating holes, like pinning five shirts to every one pair of pants. It is much easier and less intimidating to assess your current patterns when it’s on a screen rather than hanging in your closet.

2.    Tweak your grooming routine. This is a bigger opportunity for guys because the difference between a clean shave; stubble and a beard is very dramatic but quickly and easily changeable. You can also play around with how you style your hair. It may be shocking to see it for the first time, but there is no commitment to changing up how you part your hair. I just would just recommend doing it over the weekend instead of before a big presentation.

3.    Accessorize. I’ve said it a thousand time, but accessories are what make your style personal. Suits are dull and get boring very quickly, so to keep them interesting without buying new ones is to switch out your shirt and tie combos, add a pocket square or even lapel pin or tie bar. They may sound like minor additions, but they can completely transform the overall look of your outfit.

This also applies to hats, gloves, scarves and jewelry. Layering patterns, texture and proportions, all go into building up your look and moving it from basic to personal.

4.    Alterations. This step will definitely give you the most bang for your buck, because you can instantly tell when something is perfectly fitted. You can spot it on someone, and you definitely feel it when you wear it. Whether it’s having pant legs taken in or just hemmed, or having your jacket waist darted, using a tailor to adjust your clothes is just one service they offer.

If you have a favorite piece that you just can’t find anymore chances are your tailor can recreate it for you in various fabrics or colors. You never have to settle for second best if you have a good tailor on speed dial.

5.    Know your brands. Shopping is a necessary element to revamp your look, but there are a plethora of ways and places to do it. When you’re shopping online, sample sales, clearance sales or second-hand it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the volume, so to start off it’s best to stick to the brands you know work for you. Not only will you have more luck finding a piece that works, you will build your confidence as you shop allowing you to explore new brands or styles.

Just keep in mind when you’re shopping second-hand that you need to make sure the item can be altered to fit you. It’s always possible to remove excess fabric to make something smaller, but you can’t add it back.

 

Updating your style is an investment, but that doesn’t always mean a financial one. Time and energy are two of the biggest investments you can make in your style and they don’t cost a penny.

 

Click here or on the images below to learn more about the outfit.

 

 

Click here or on the images below to learn more about the outfit.

 

 

 

I am always curious to hear some of your weekend wardrobe dilemmas and challenges. Please send your comments and questions to [email protected]. Also find each of these storyboards at http://brianmaynor.polyvore.com with links to purchase each item.

 

About Brian Maynor

Brian Maynor has built a reputation as one of the leading style coaches in the Southeast and is quickly expanding his eponymous company, BRIAN MAYNOR and his FIND, FLATTER & FLAUNT line of image consulting services. A professional with a fresh, upbeat and down-to-earth personality and boundless creative energy, he works frequently with with local celebrities; Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations; modeling agencies; fashion designers; production companies; record labels; media and individuals. A regular contributor to various fashion blogs and online communities, Brian Maynor is one of the most trusted and recognized style experts in the region, utilizing his education and training as a broadcast journalist to serve as a style lecturer, emcee, and commentator for over a decade. He has appeared at fashion shows, expos, and charity fundraisers, as well as events with big brands like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Chico’s and Macy’s. His approach is innovative, creative and fashion-forward, balancing fresh, modern styles with classic pieces to keep one’s look grounded. To learn more, visit http://www.brianmaynor.com.

 

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