My mother used to tell me, there won’t be any extra money while you are spending a ton on clothes. And I think that’s true.
If there is a possibility to buy less and save money for other things, that’s going to be better too. That’s what today’s post is all about. Let’s find out how to look expensive on a budget.
How to look elegant and classy everyday
1. Take attention to the grooming
In case you wish to always look elegant, you need to think about other details than only clothes.
You won’t look polished without beautiful makeup, nails, and hair.
So, yeah I know that’s obvious but you need to take care of them even before you start putting anything on your body.
If you wonder about my thoughts on hair, I think that you need to make it look clean and prepared for everyday style. You can do simple hairstyles like cute buns, braids, ponytails, etc.
By the way, I can show you more hairstyle ideas if you want to make them with a hair scrunchie.
I want to give you as many useful tips as I can, so without talking too much, I want to say that it’s the best idea to go with a very neutral makeup pallete and nail polish colors. Because you know, simple details look more elegant.
2. Keep everything simple
I already mentioned this above for beauty but you should do the same with your outfits to make them look expensive and elegant.
So, if you are on a budget, you should look for the simplest pieces in the clothing store.
Even Leonardo Da Vinci said “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”.
You can consider your basics as a simple piece in the wardrobe. In basics, I mean tops like a white (or black) basic tee or black classy pants. Clothes that you can easily pair with most of the other pieces in your closet.
Coloring of your clothes is also very important while we are talking about simplicity. The best option here would be to always go for neutrals.
Neutral colors are brown, beige, khaki, off-white grey, military green, red, black, white, camel, etc. Those are the colors that you can consider neutral and colors that make you look luxurious.
3. Definitely use sales
I know, it seems ridiculously obvious but I needed to contain this in this guide.
There is and always will be something that you like so much in the clothing store. But you can’t buy it because you are on a budget. So, let’s wait some time to see the discounted price of the item in the very near future.
It is not necessary to spend ten thousand on a single piece, as you can create a whole wardrobe with it. Don’t you agree?
4. Always shop for better fabrics
You can’t look expensive when you wear synthetic clothes, right?
But another way you can look glamorous is if you wear fabrics that are made better and look more expensive than they really are.
What do I mean by better fabrics? Hmm, those can be silk, satin, beautiful tweed, linen, cotton, and so on.
They definitely look more luxurious than polyester or other poor-quality fabrics that are used in many clothes.
5. Wear everything that fits well
If you don’t want to look shabbily, you MUST always wear clothes that fit your body.
You don’t need loose outfits that can’t flatter your body the right way. It’s not about body shapes, but in fact, it’s about body types, which are different for each of us.
You have to always wear clothes that show most of your assets and hide all the parts that you don’t like on your body.
Good-fitted clothes make you feel more confident as well.
Another way, you won’t look expensive even if you spend millions of dollars on building a wardrobe.
6. Make monochromatic outfits for your friend
Wearing monochromatic outfits means you need to have your outfit in the same color (top and bottom).
But it doesn’t mean you have to only wear solid colors from head to toe. You definitely HAVE TO accessorize every single outfit with different colors.
You know how elegant an all-black outfit looks, right? Not only elegant but also looks amazing and luxurious.
But white is something even more amazing. It is the color that makes people look so expensive, even if they are not that rich. You probably have noticed white in home decor too, because it just makes everything so polished.
So, if you want to look expensive even on a budget go for all-white outfits more often.
Another color that looks as expensive as white is khaki. I don’t know why, but it’s just as it is. You can try them by yourself.
7. Invest in something you will use multiple times
It’s difficult to keep the money in the wallet when you see something you are crazy about. I know that feeling.
Even if it’s something you’ll wear once or twice max, you still wanna buy it.
But let’s avoid this! Especially while we are on a budget.
Would you like to hear a personal story?
I am currently a home mom blogger. I have 6 years old beautiful daughter and a husband, who is not working for a long time.
Can you tell me how can I manage to buy everything for my family? If I spend all of my money on my clothes, my husband and daughter would stay hungry, XOXO.
The thing I am doing is, I keep my money to buy at least one piece in a month. I love it. Because I know all the other pieces in my wardrobe and I can buy something that pairs with my older pieces very well.
If I spend a whole month’s salary in one day, I would definitely buy something that I wear only once. That’s gonna be a money-wasting, right?
So, here is what you should do too.
Keep your money and buy one piece that you like so much and the thing that is gonna pair with at least 2-3 pieces from your closet.
8. Shop for pre-owned pieces
I know, it’s rare to find something the most trending piece in the secondary shop. But believe me, there are some things better than new ones at the same price.
So, why you shouldn’t check out those shops more often?
I enjoy inspecting secondary shops because I am always able to find something that no one wears in my town. So, I can wear something unique, haha
Best Online Thrift Stores to Shop at
9. Don’t forget to iron your clothes
It doesn’t need any additional explanations.
It’s obvious, that you have to look put together and polished to have an expensive look. If you don’t stream or iron your clothes, believe me, that won’t look good at all.
10. Always add a third piece
Layering outfits is as important as accessorizing them.
Blazer, coat, or any outerwear helps you to look glamorous without spending lots of money on a single piece.
They are also very trending for this fall and winter. Check out my article about other fashion trends to look for more stylish pieces for your wardrobe.
Here is a combination that I found looks fantastic on everyone. This is a turtleneck and a blazer. They pair together very well and the look itself seems so attractive.
11. Always use accessories
I almost always mention that accessorizing the outfit can change the whole look of the woman. Today won’t be an exception.
You need to always use some accessories to make your look more put together.
Actually, accessories can play the most important role in making you look expensive even on a budget.
The list of accessories that make you look luxurious may contain things like a handbag, sunglasses, scarves, jewelry, bracelet, hat, watch, belts, etc.
There are many choices to wear something fashionable without purchasing a designer piece. I mean, you can buy all of these things at a low price. You just need to find the one that looks more expensive than it really is.
My advice would be to always go for structured bags. They look better than any other cheap handbags.
Oh, and I have a gift for you. You can use the promo code to purchase a really beautiful crossbody bag with a 50% off. But unfortunately, it is the offer on Amazon that lasts only till October 10, so check it out now!
The same goes for sunglasses and watches. There are so many of them, which look way more expensive than in reality. So, go find them.
By the way, you can also find them easily on Amazon.
12. Choose the right footwear
I am not a big fan of high heels and I don’t actually wear them if I am not going to some party like a wedding.
But the thing is, wearing footwear that doesn’t have any heels doesn’t look extravagant.
It’s better to wear something that has even a very little heel. It looks better and it makes you look more expensive.
Another thing that you should be careful with is to actually find a shoe that is not poor quality.
Look at the edges even before you try shoes on your feet. If some weird threads make the shoe look unfinished, just forget it. Believe me, it doesn’t look good.
Pieces that help you look expensive
Share the image on Pinterest only if you like it! I’ll appreciate it.
This is the incomplete list of the pieces that make you look glamorous and luxurious on a budget.
Blazer
Scarf
Bold jewelry
Heels
White jacket
Camel coat
A belt
Knee-high boots
Gold metallic skirt
Fur
Long leather jacket
Pearl necklace
Plaid print clothes…
Do you have another thing in your mind? Let me know, please. You can always DM me on Pinterest or Instagram and share your thoughts on anything.
Thanks for being here!