How to dress expensive: Are you looking for a cost-effective to make your clothes look more expensive? This article will show you over 20 ways how to elevate your wardrobe so it looks expensive but doesn’t break the bank!
You’re probably thinking that in order to achieve an expensive-looking wardrobe, one would have to spend a ton of money on their clothes, right?
After all, expensive usually results in being paired with pricey price tags, and since we all want to dress like the celebrities we know and love, most of us don’t have the celebrity money to go with the look.
Also, who isn’t guilty of making less than-wise decisions when it comes to our wardrobes, no matter what the budget is?
And maybe right now is a good time to learn some good sound fashion tricks so you can look at what you have and see if it is working for you or not.
If you are the type to hang onto old clothes way too frequently, or if you impulsively buy things simply because it is staring you cold in the face with a sale tag? Then it’s time we change that!
The good news is that inexpensive clothing and accessories (lacking high-end designer labels) can still look amazing.
All you need is a good eye for detail, a bit of creativity, and a few small tweaks here and there.
You can easily make your wardrobe look expensive in an inexpensive way.
Plus, you’ll always look fabulous no matter your budget if you follow a few of these fantastic 20+ styling tips.
Let’s get started!
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20+ Stylish Ways That’ll Make Your Wardrobe Look Expensive
1. Keep a Razor & Lint Roller Handy.
How exactly does a razor or lint roller have to do with enhancing the quality of fast fashion? When you have all your clothes pilling, fur, hair, and various other scattered bits, using a lint roller paired with a razor (to smooth out those fuzzy threads) will undoubtedly improve the look of your outfits.
2. Glam up.
If your lipstick is finished, your nails are sculpted (or even polished and filed), and your eyebrows are shaped with no hair out of place, it means you’ve taken serious attention to detail and most likely will have good consideration of your wardrobe as well.
Not only that but the better we feel, the prettier we look!
3. Don’t Buy or Keep Clothes That Don’t Fit Right.
It’s not uncommon for most women to hang on to clothes and accessories that no longer fit or suit them.
They do this with the expectation that one day they’ll miraculously fit!
However, holding onto clothes you can’t get into is one of the worst things you can do to enhance your fashion style.
For starters, these items take up unnecessary space in the closet and give you an unrealistic view of what you can wear when the time comes.
So don’t be afraid to donate any small-fitting clothing you don’t plan on wearing again or try some of these clothing fixes to get them back to a wearable condition.
4. Have appropriate clothing pieces for all weather conditions.
Instead of buying something unique for just a few occasions, aim for more versatile dresser items in your wardrobe that work seamlessly for all weather forecasts. But if you are thinking…
What should I wear for every season?
There are five main types of clothing that each weather condition (temperature) must have, based on the heat index or wind chill; they are;
- Cozy Fleece: 45-64 degrees
- Winter jacket: Below 25 degrees
- Light to medium coats: 25 to 44 degrees
- Shorts: 75 degrees and higher
- Short Sleeves and tank tops: 65 degrees and higher
5. Spend more on Classics that’ll stand the test of time.
Think of a pair of dark wash skinny jeans or a tailor-made blazer. Can you buy these items in fast fashion? Yes, you can. But these are considered classic pieces, and they will always remain in style if you purchase good quality clothes to keep for many years.
In addition, if you spend more on classic items and mix them with your other discounted clothes, you will not only enhance your wardrobe to look more expensive but also save money in the long run.
Since classic items can stand the test of time, especially in each fashion phase, invest in good quality made garments, and you will have a perfect foundation for building a wardrobe that you love!
6. Pay Close Eye to Details.
Uneven stitching, cheap plastic buttons, or crooked zippers can blow your cost-conscious cover if you are not paying close attention. So make sure to keep a close eye on the little details especially if you are buying from the clearance rack.
There is no need for your clothes to fall apart after a few washes if you would like your clothes to resemble an expensive look.
7. Avoid Fake Bling.
When trying to build an expensive-looking wardrobe buying inexpensive jewelry is great, but always be wary of going overboard.
Instead, opt for strong pieces of gold or silver instead of fake gems and diamonds. Plus you can give these faux metals a simple coat of clear nail polish to prevent them from becoming tarnished too fast.
8. Pick the right amount of stretch.
Did you know that the best way to spot a cheap pair of jeans is through their fading, shrinking, and details?
Too much stretch can result in thin and saggy jeans. However, a heavier pair will last longer. To get the most wear out from your jeans, make sure you only buy denim that is 98 percent cotton with 2 percent elastane and look for Spandex and Lycra on the labels.
Similar: 11 Laundry Hacks That Will Make Your Clothes Look Instantly Better
9. Steer Away from Fake Suede.
Fake suede is the hardest to imitate (and usually looks the cheapest) when purchased fake. Softer and patent leather faux versions tend to look the most expensive when you are on a budget and don’t want to buy the real thing.
10. Stick with basic color palettes.
Stick with basic color palettes consisting of blacks, greys, whites, beiges, browns, and tans if you want to make your wardrobe look expensive.
Often falsely being accused of being boring by fashionistas is the black and white scheme. However, the reason for this is, these fashionistas either want to sell what’s in season or they have a big budget.
Either way, the fact of the matter is, is that basic color palettes are always going to be timeless and they will always stay chic for every season.
11. Follow the 90/10 Rule.
If you would like that expensive-looking wardrobe, try to keep 90 percent of your lower-priced items in shades of black, white, gray, or a combination of these shades, and the other 10% full of patterns and color.
Doing so will ensure that you maintain a wardrobe that you can wear throughout the changing seasons than buying patterns that outdate themselves quickly.
12. When buying handbags, the Sturdier the better.
Less streamlined bags that slouch and are baggy look less expensive than clean crisp lines, quality cuts, that are sturdier when investing in a handbag.
13. Wear Patterns Diligently.
When it comes to fashion, mixing patterns requires a great deal of color theory, balance, and composition knowledge.
For instance, if you are trying to accomplish a great patterned look with a great-looking pair of plaid pants?
Wear the print and choose a pattern you love but do pair the pants with a good basic like a dark shirt or vice versa.
14. Match Hardware.
Hardware on clothing is where you can really elevate your wardrobe to look expensive. Hardware can be anything like belts, shoe buckles, buttons, zippers, chains on a bag, and so on.
For instance, if you were to wear a gold-buttoned navy blazer, don’t pair the blazer with silver buckle shoes. If you keep your hardware in mind your clothes will naturally look more expensive.
15. Replace outdated Zippers and Buttons.
Replacing inexpensive-looking buttons or tiny zippers can make a big difference in making inexpensive clothing look like it costs a lot more.
16. Play with your body’s silhouette to achieve the right look.
Make sure that your pants reach their best length on your waist (high-waisted jeans are best) and wear elongated necklaces and necklines to add and elongate your height.
If you play with your body’s natural silhouette like these examples, inexpensive clothes and accessories can easily help you add inches without needing to have a big budget.
17. Question Every Purchase no matter how big or small.
Ask yourself while shopping: “Is this piece going to help me build the look I love?” and “will this clothing look expensive on me?”.
If you actively ask yourself these questions while out shopping, you are going to be surprised at how many times you’re going to put something back.
18. Have ready-to-wear dress shoes.
While you don’t have to revamp your entire collection of footwear to make your wardrobe look expensive, classic dress shoes that come in black and nude means you’re always going to have something to wear for any occasion.
19. Be extra picky with sale racks.
Fast fashion has allowed us to find so many great pieces that look designer without the designer price tag. However, even though it’s only 15 dollars doesn’t mean you have to buy it!
So the next time you are out shopping, just be a little picker. Bonus points if you search through the sale racks as if they were new inventory.
You’ll be amazed at what you can find to build a wardrobe that will last for years if you do this.
20. Add Accessories.
When it comes to fashion, accessories are either going to make or break an outfit! So whether you wear rings on every finger, a cute statement bag, a bunch of bangles on one wrist, or a good hat? Make sure to keep it simple to complete your look.
21. Don’t forget well-fitted underwear.
Image via Pinterest
Even though your underwear may not be visible, that doesn’t mean it will not impact your outfit.
Did you know a poorly fitted bra or visible panty lines can make a stylish outfit look sloppy?
And it doesn’t have to be this way because there are many options for seamless underwear with bra fittings in almost every lingerie shop across America.
If you aim for seamless fitting undergarments whenever possible your outfit’s aesthetic will naturally look more expensive.
22. Don’t stay stuck in an era.
Lastly, our clothing tastes and needs will always change significantly with each passing season.
However, no matter how much we personally change as a person our wardrobes can still stay trapped in one particular time, era or decade.
When this happens, it leads us in the same familiar direction time and time again — that’s not having the right things to wear when we need them.
So if you would like to make your wardrobe look more expensive, adapt to the current times and don’t be afraid to try something new. If you build a strong wardrobe base (with all the other tips) it’ll give you room to experiment with new looks.
How to dress expensive final thoughts.
All the world’s most stylish women have their own style – they don’t play it safe — but they do keep it simple while adding their own unique flair.
And since trends will disappear at some point or another, if you have some classics paired with a few of these ‘how to dress expensive on budget tips’, then you will have yourself a pretty solid (and wearable) wardrobe!
You may also like:
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How to dress expensive
Author: Everything Abode
Welcome to Everything Abode, your daily inspiration for every activity at home!
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Dorcas
Saturday 4th of November 2023
This definitely resonates with my style
Irene Madrid
Wednesday 4th of October 2023
I follow my own rules and COLOR is Life! I wear pinks, teals, greens mostly so everything in my wardrobe goes well together. I dress my my mood that day so I have almost every style. Having FUN is most important.
Elinor Jones
Friday 29th of September 2023
Absolutely great information here. I live in navy blue as a nurse. I like to look clean and presentable for my role. These are great tips for off duty wear. Thank you.
Q.Adelya
Friday 28th of April 2023
Love it 😍 Thank you for this
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