Executive Styling 101: How To Slay On A Budget

A friend once asked If I use my entire pay check to shop because I always looked good. My answer was no with a smile. I didn’t take offense because I understood the person’s line of thought. I once had it. I used to think fashionable peeps were shopaholics  who had no control over their purses . Not until I got into the system and realized that like everything else, it’s all about striking a balance. More importantly, it’s all about having a closet strategy.

While I have noticed that people tend to either have the extreme low end or high end strategy for their looks and closet, I believe that just like virtue, those who take the middle route are better off. Below I will share a few tips on how to look good ‘Slay’ without breaking the bank.

Invest in Props not Basics

Props are fashion pieces that make your outfit pop, from you leather jacket, hat, sunglasses to purse, candy shoes fur among others. I call them the look lifters. These pieces are those you need to invest in so they can give you the look you need and serve you for long. It’s okay if your budget doesn’t cover the latest hermes or Ray Ban but you need to still look for other alternative brands with quality  and style. Basics are looks you can get almost everywhere, your T-shirt, denim, pants shouldn’t take a big chunk of your budget because they’re not investment buys, 1 year tops they’re already out of your closet either way so when spend so much on them?

Shop Vintage 

 
Vintage add that class touch. They’re rare and keep people guessing. No one is able to put a price tag on your look. For real!
Shopping vintage at a thrift store gives you an opportunity to see unique pieces  that you wouldn’t see at a high street store for a great price. The key is to always look at the items carefully to be sure it’s in good condition. If you’re looking for fashion props at affordable rates, Thrift store is definitely your go to

Target Trade & Fashion Fairs
I have always said fairs are God sent, how else can anyone explain a wide range of options at super affordable rates. A good example is the monthly Mente De Moda, perhaps the icing on the cake is that you can even haggle if you’re not satisfied with the price. The bargaining options are endless. Quick advice, leave your debit/credit card at home and go with just you cash budget if you know you can’t resist the buying temptation. Trust me you’ll be tempted to throw your budget out of the window.

Always Have A ‘To Buy List’
The first rule and the most important rule I still live by, ‘Buy according to your needs not wants, make instinct buying an exception’. Except on rare occasions where you enter a store and nothing appeals to you, you will always need this rule, especially if your goal is to look good within a budget. Start with a ‘To Buy List’ or ‘Fashion Needs’ in your phone memo until you automatically know whether or not you need an outfit in your closet.

Mix Up (Designer x High Street)

As much as you need to embrace high street/ high fashion to keep your slay on a budget ,  you also need to adopt the high street- designer mix ideology to stand out and slay . Wearing only high street outfit or thrift store buys without key quality pieces that often come from designer store might leave you looking cheap or missing a piece. While going for designer from head to toe will eventually leave you broke (well except you’re Dangote’s daughter hehehe  and even then you might need to watch it). My fashion mix formula is this, get the basics from high street and get the props from a quality brand,  designer or thrift store when I can.

The rules are simple, don’t buy too much at once, have a budget, go with the flow and see how you navigate the fashion sphere effortlessly with your budget intact. Yes, you can slay on a budget!