It seems to be taking me forever but I am slowly trying to build me the perfect wardrobe but I aren't going over board at the moment as I am in the process of losing weight. This means I am trying to build my perfect wardrobe whilst trying not to waste money which is why I try set myself a budget when buying clothing. What doesn't help is that my style keeps changing, every few week I will go between phases of loving the street wear and printed t-shirts or wanting a smarter casual look so there is no point spending a fortune on something if a few week later I might not want it anymore. Plus with the weight loss I don't want to spend a fortune on specific items if they aren't going to fit me a few month later. 

On this journey so far of trying to build my perfect wardrobe on a budget I have come across a few tips and tricks to stay on track with the budget whilst still bringing new items in and making the most out of what you do buy. So here is what I have learnt to make the most out of my budget and get the looks I want....

Get clothes that fit you right

I have found that buying clothes that fit you correctly actually helps your outfit look more expensive too. If they fit right then the outfit will look more put together meaning it will just overall look a lot better. I have also found that a £5 black t-shirt that fits right can look better than a £20 black t-shirt so there is no need to spend a fortune just get a correct fit and you can definitely create an expensive looking outfit. 

Get the details right

If the details are right no one is going to be judging how expensive your items are. A nice necklace over a nice fitting t-shirt will draw peoples attention to the necklace rather than what t-shirt you have on. Similarly a nice watch will draw peoples attention to your wrist rather than the rest of your outfit. Also if you get those outfit details right then the outfit will look a lot more put together and again that bit more expensive than it actually is. 

Pair up the right shoes 

If you have a good selection of shoes & sneakers then you can have them in rotation and pair them up with plenty of different outfits so you get the wear out of the items you own in your wardrobe. This is a great way of creating plenty of different outfits that you already have plus you can see what works best for you to repurchase and what to avoid in the future. Again though if you team up the right shoes with the outfit it will look a lot better and like you have put more thought in to it. One of my favourite outfits is actually a plain t-shirt from Marks & Spencers with a shirt over the top teamed up with some black jeans from Primark, that whole outfit works out at around £36 then I add my Air Force 1's and they just make it look like a much more expensive look. 

Shop sustainably 

This is something I really want to try avoid in the future as fast fashion is not only harmful for the planet but it also isn't any good for my bank account. On so many occasions I have bought something from a high street store just because it was cheap and it didn't last two minutes so I was just throwing money away. Granted some stores that deal in fast fashion have some hidden gems but sometimes paying that little bit more for something a bit better quality & more sustainable will benefit you in the long run as that item may last longer and fit better. 

Don't rush into buying items  

Rushing into a purchase is something I often did but now I don't seem to do it much as I like to take time about items I want. Instead of purchasing some bits there and then if I haven't got them on my to buy list I will add them to that list and revisit it at a later date. If when I revisit the list the item doesn't jump out at me I will remove it as I clearly don't actually need it. Plus by doing this I usually end up saving a bit of money as by the time it comes around to purchasing the item it has gone into the sale which is always a bonus.

Try to slowly transition your wardrobe 

I have learnt this the hard way there is no need to transition to a totally new style all in one go. What happens if a week later you change your mind and find out that you don't actually like it? Then you are stuck with all your clothes in that style that you aren't really going to wear. I try to have a little bit of a mix of clothing in my wardrobe as my style depends on my mood so I like to have a few bits for every mood I might be in, then when I am fully set on a style or two I will transition my wardrobe a little bit more into those styles. 

Be patient 

The transition isn't going to happen over night especially if it is on a budget so just be patient and things will soon fall into place. It is better for the progress to be slow so you can get things right and not spend a fortune on things that are going to waste if they don't suit the style you are going for. There is no point in rushing this if you want to do it right so take your time and find your style in your own time remember it isn't a race, I am 2 years into building my wardrobe so far and am still nowhere near having my perfect wardrobe.  

So there you have it those are my tips for if you are wanting to build your perfect wardrobe on a budget just like I am trying to do. Keep an eye on here and my Instagram to see how my wardrobe progresses throughout 2021 as I carry on adding pieces for my ever changing style and keep up with my clothes not fitting after the weight loss.