Recession Dressing

I don't know about you, but I dread turning the news on these days for fear of worsening news about the state of the financial world. So how does one continue to dress well and be in fashion whilst our finances are in turmoil? Don't fear, here's our guide to how to be fashionable on a small budget...

Make The Right Choices

Don't waste money on bad choices. Know what suits you, what you need in your wardrobe to complete outfits and what you can wear to look fashionable and up to date. If you, like many of our clients, don't innately know this, spend some time educating yourself (start with our guide to trends to watch out for in Autumn/Winter 2008-9...). Either by reading up on style and fashion, or making a long term investment in a personal styling session with an expert stylist. She will inform you how to make the right decisions when making new purchases and updating your wardrobe, giving valuable information which can be used now and into the future.

Re-Style, Re-Fashion

Go through your wardrobe and examine each item, consider whether it could be updated with a little clever sewing. Does it need shortening or straightening? New buttons or ribbon? Or some fab embellishments to bring it bang up to date? If you don't have the skill yourself to make the changes, employ a skilled dressmaker to do so on your behalf. Whilst you're at it don't forget to repair those broken stitches and fallen hems! Oh and if your blacks are looking dull dark grey, considering dying them back to black, dyes are simple to use and very effective - though be careful to choose the right dye for your fabric type and wear rubber gloves - dyed hands are definitely not in this season!

Accessorise

Often one item will make all the difference to an outfit. For instance a pair of patterned tights (try some gorgeous black lace tights for Autumn/Winter 2008-9), or a pretty scarf (consider one in tartan for this season) can bring last season's outfits directly into this season. Or add a belt over a wool cardigan to make your old woollies strut their stuff again. Try adding long colourful gloves to a three quarter length jacket or top. And don't forget jewellery, this season it's wonderfully oversized and chunky... If you aren't sure how to accessorise for yourself, why not try a two hour personal shopping trip to gain all the insider knowledge you'll need?

Swap!

Often our friends have clothes we envy and vice versa, so why not organise a clothes swapping party? Get all your friends and all their friends to bring along the clothes they don't wear, can no longer fit or don't know why they bought and go for a rummage! Add a few bottles of wine (or if you're feeling daring, champagne!) and enjoy a fab girl's night in together.

These ideas should help keep your clothing budget to a minimum whilst still making you feel stylish and look fashionable. If any of you have any thoughts or ideas on this, send them over, us Divas are always on the look out for ways to maximise our own wardrobes!