New decade, new you: how to revamp your wardrobe on a budget

If the New Year makes you want to look a million dollars without spending even close to that, here’s how to revamp your wardrobe on a budget.

If that weird twilight period between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve had you bingeing your fair share of Netflix reality TV — and let’s be honest, loving every second of the definitely-not-scripted drama — then there’s a fair chance that you’ve got the voices of Marie Kondo and the Queer Eye guys and Gok Wan and Mary Berry floating around your head right now…

And if that’s the case, there’s a fair chance that you’re thinking about revamping your wardrobe or, at the very least, trying a few new things in 2020. “New decade, new you” after all.

(Also, we’re not sure what Mary Berry has to do with fashion, but we’ll make it work somehow…)

But with the distance between December and January’s paycheck having been scientifically proven to last 13 whole years, you might also be wondering how to do it on the cheap.

Well, never fear, frugal fashionistas. Your friends at Bamboo have put together 5 top tips on how to revamp your wardrobe on a budget!

How to revamp your wardrobe on a budget

Tip #1: Marie Kondo that wardrobe

Before you even start to think about how to revamp your wardrobe on a budget, it’s time to assess your wardrobe to see what you want to keep, what you want to bin and what you can sell to make you some sweet, sweet money.

So put on your favourite music and take an hour to go through everything you own. If you love it — or it’s a particularly versatile piece of clothing — keep it. If it’s full of holes and hasn’t been touched in years, to the bin it goes!

And if it’s that top you bought for that one party that you wanted to look good for (even though you probably shouldn’t have spent the money): put it on eBay or sell it through Facebook.

Remember, any money you can make back is extra money you can spend on your revamped wardrobe!

Tip #2: Focus on building out a capsule wardrobe

Despite the weird name, capsule wardrobes aren’t tiny wardrobes you can fit in your pocket (although, how cool would that be?). They’re actually a wardrobe made up of a bare minimum number of pieces that all match perfectly with each other. That way, you don’t have a wardrobe bursting at the seams and you always have stuff to wear that looks good together.

Here’s a fantastic video from Refinery29 on the basics of capsule wardrobes, how to get started and some top tips for capsule wardrobe essentials:

So, if you’re wondering how to revamp your wardrobe on a budget, a capsule wardrobe is a great approach and will keep you looking consistently stylish, all year long.

Tip #3: Swap clothes with friends

Got some friends who are gutting their wardrobes for New Year too?

Before you spend hours crafting the perfect description for eBay or binning your old clothes, why not see if your friends want to do a clothes swap?

Grab a few bottles of wine and the leftover Christmas chocolates, stick on some music and invite everybody over with their piles of clothes. You’ll all pick up a few items you’ve been jealous of for a while and everybody gets a few fresh new looks for the sum total of nada.

Trust us, this is the ULTIMATE thrifty trick!

Tip #4: Get crafty

Got a long skirt with holes in? Time to cut it down to a short skirt.

A pair of ripped jeans that have gone passed the “trendy” phase and into the “bin them” phase? Cut them into shorts ready for the summer!

Got a jacket with a few holes in? Sew some on-trend patches on and it’s as good as new!

One of the thriftiest ways to stay looking sharp on a budget is to get to grips with the basics of customising your own clothes, whether that’s through accessorising, trimming or altering!

And, even better, what starts with sewing on some patches or making shorts can quickly become altering your own clothes so well that something from Primark looks like something from Prada…

Tip #5: Focus on accessories  

Aha! We knew we could get Mary Berry into this article somehow!

And just as ol’ Bezza knows, there’s no jacket, blouse or top that can’t be jazzed up with a good accessory!

And while Mary is a fan of the statement broach, if you’re short on cash, a few choice accessories — a statement necklace or bracelet, a new hat, a scarf, even — can help add new splashes of colour and drama to an outfit you’ve probably worn a thousand times before.

So, there you have it. 5 killer tips for how to revamp your wardrobe on a budget.