7 Tips for Clothes Accessories Shopping

Would you like to freshen your wardrobe and not spend a lot of green? Take an accessories shopping trip! Here are some tips on how to make a smallish wardrobe look bigger and more chic on a budget!


If you're like me, when you're looking over your clothing allowance there's usually not much money available for clothing accessories. The kids need clothes, not to mention necessities like soaring seasonal utility bills that must take precedence. So how can you keep your wardrobe looking up to date without new clothes? Hey, the answer is simple – and inexpensive. Go on an accessories shopping trip! Simple, but carefully chosen accessories, such as a glitzy belt, scarves, handbags and faux jewelry, can be worn with lots of items in your closet. Mixing and matching accessories with clothing you already have is the key to making a relatively small wardrobe look fresh and chic. Let's take a look at how you can make this wardrobe option work for you.

Tip #1  When you plan your accessories shopping trip, think outside the box! There are certainly plenty of upscale accessories shops at the mall, but these are among the most expensive ways to go. Check the phone book for smaller shops, which don't have the high overhead of shops at the mall. The small shops are typically family owned businesses which carry more unusual items that are hand picked by the owner. In order to compete with the mall shops, the small shop must offer a better selection, as well as reasonable prices.

Tip #2 The consignment and thrift shops are other good places to go accessories shopping to find one-of-a-kind accessories that you won't find elsewhere. Many people think that these stores carry old, worn out and outdated accessories, but this is absolutely not the case! These stores are picky about what they accept for resale. In the worst case, a nice pair of gloves may be missing a button at the wrist, or you may find a small tear in the lining of a handbag. With such easily repaired items, the price is going to reflect that flaw. Also, these stores you'll probably find some great "retro style" inexpensive jewelry. Unlike the mall shops with a dozen identical accessories, at the thrift conscious boutiques you may find dozens of one-of-a-kind items from which to choose.

Tip #3 Check out garage sales, crafts fairs and flea markets for some inexpensive and exciting additions. Be creative and look at the items with this question in mind: "How can I make this item (whatever it is) into an accessory piece?" Don't be scared, be creative!

See all seven of these excellent tips on shopping for accessories to make your wardrobe come alive.