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Looking great on a budget

You don’t have to spend a fortune to keep in mode. Follow these essential tips and tricks to stay looking like a star on a budget.

1. Organise your wardrobe: Chances are that there are items lurking at the back of your wardrobe which haven’t seen the light of day for years. Get them out, give them a dust off, and see whether they’re wearable in new combinations. An old dress twinned with new accessories and a cutting-edge cardigan can be unrecognisable. If you’re handy with a needle, you could even have a go at altering your unwanted clothes to bring them back into style. In the last resort, sell them online and use the cash to buy replacements.

2. Arrange a clothes swapping party: One person’s out of date cast off can be another’s perfect party outfit. Take advantage of your friends by organising a clothes swapping date and bringing your own unwanted items along. There could be some gems at the back of your mates’ wardrobe, and if the worst comes to the worst you can always spend the evening laughing over those day-glow legwarmers you used to think were so cool.

3. Trawl the charity shops: You can often pick up some fantastic bargains in charity shops – if you’re prepared to sift through racks of decidedly depressing and often whiffy clothes, that is. As you might expect, shops in more fashionable areas will generally have better quality stock, so it’s worth venturing out of your own particular neighbourhood. Flea markets are also a good option for retro outfits, but those on a budget should avoid self-proclaimed ‘vintage’ shops which tend to be more expensive than buying new.

4. Find discounts online: You can save plenty of money on top brand names by buying online – and it’s possible to shop from the comfort of your own living room as well. Visit the websites of your favourite stores to look for deals, or use a specialist portal to compare prices.

5. Hit the high street: Long gone are the days when fashionistas would only be seen in designer labels. Nowadays, it seems that only the most hardened fashion-followers can tell their Prada from their high street. Chain stores such as New Look mimic the catwalk, producing a fantastic range of shoes, bags and a particularly stylish range of women’s dresses  – their website is a mecca for any style-conscious chick on a budget. It just goes to show, you don’t have to be rich to be beautiful.