It can be hard in this day and age to keep up with trends while still being frugal. Cheap and easy fashion doesn’t seem to be something that goes together in most mainstream forms of trend and style. That being said, there are more ways than you might realize to emphasize your wardrobe without having to break the bank every time you discover a new style that you’ve fallen in love with.
It seems so patronizing at first: If you like it, why don’t you make it yourself? And trust me, it can be rather frustrating of a hobby to get into if you have no prior experience with it. But sewing your clothes is one of the most worthwhile hobbies you can have if you’re into clothing and cheap and easy fashion. Not only will you be able to proudly tell someone that you made the object they’re oohing and ahhing over, but there are tons of other upsides too! First off, you’ll never have pants without pockets anymore, and you can make the pockets as big as you like! Seconds off your clothes will always fit you, and you can use whatever fabric you want! In conclusion: try sewing. It is a godsend.
Next to clothing, accessories can be one of the most expensive things that you put your money into when trying to stay in the loop. But believe it or not, you can make your jewelry too for quick and easy fashion. Not only are there tons of resources online, but the methods are surprisingly easy to do. You can think of it as an arts and crafts project. Tons of different techniques from resin casting to wire sculpting to bead to whatever it is you can think of really. Not only that, but the materials are also extremely cheap compared to what you’d pay for a new pair of earrings.
After sewing, this is the net cheap and easy fashion hobby that I would recommend. Sure, being able to have the clothing that you made is cute, but what about the detail work? That’s where embordering comes into play. You can make the designs as simple or complicated as you want. Put a garden of flowers along the hem of your dress, build a spaceship of aliens flying through your galaxy hoodie. Make patches that you can attach to the pockets of your jeans. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination.
If you’re more into that homey and comforting for of fashion, I’d recommend that you turn to knit to make sure you save a bit of cash. This cheap and easy fashion style truly is timeless. Not only are you practice making your fabric from scratch, but it’s also great for those that have anxiety or need a repetitive motion to calm themselves down. Not to mention, there are tons of resources online through sites like Ravelry, and all the materials are super easy to come by. From sweaters to socks, you can make just about any form of clothing you could ever ask for, all while feeling as snug as a bug.
Much like knitting, this is a sister hobby for some cheap and secure fashion. While more often than not, knitting and crochet are deemed to be the same, they aren’t. Knitting is much more rigid, and crochet is a lot more freeform. Crochet is perfect for if you’re looking to make small keychains for your purse or other accessories that aren’t so easy to make when you knit. Though like knitting, there are more than plenty of tutorials online, and the materials available are just as cheap if not the same as knitting.
Much like other DIY cheap and easy fashion tips, makeup tutorials can be found in abundance online. Not only that, but they can be so easy to make for many of the same results that you would get in a 60 dollar makeup pallet from Sephora. Not only that, but by making your makeup, you’ll be able to tell what exactly goes into the stuff you are putting onto your face. You’ll know if it’s ecofriendly and allergy-friendly or not. And even better, you’ll know for sure that it’s cruelty-free.
Let’s say that needles aren’t your thing? Perfectly reasonable, but what about paint? Fabric paint is a cheap and easy fashion tool that you can add to your repertoire to make that boring t-shit go from drab to fab in the course of a few minutes. Not only is it beautiful because you don’t have to worry about any loose thread catching and ruining all your hard work, but it can look good if not better than embroidery depending on the design that you have in mind. You can pick up fabric paint online for cheap, or even go to your local crafts store and pick some up. Not to mention that it will give you something to do to keep you from being bored.
This one might seem a bit more out of reach for the majority of people, and that’s okay. Leatherwork is a skill that can have a steep learning curve. However, that being said. Wouldn’t it be so nice to buy and make a purse for fifty dollars instead of buying a new one for say, five hundred? With a few tools, you can design your handbag, leather jackets, keychains, bracelets, whatever you want. If you go to your local leather store or even some Ren fairs, you can find plenty of materials as well as some very friendly faces that are more than willing to help you get started in your search for cheap and easy fashion.
This one is almost like a mix of painting, jewelry making, and embordering. Beading is the process of applying either individual beads or long lines of beads to a project. This technique has been around for a very long time and very extremely popular in retro wear like that of the 1920’s flapper. But this technique is still widely used today for dresses and formal wear. So if you ever wanted to add a bit of bling to your cheap and easy fashion, be sure not to forget that little extra sparkle flair.
The OG of cheap and easy fashion, thrift shopping is a lifesaver for those who want to update their wardrobe without breaking the bank. Not to mention, it can be entertaining to see what sorts of clothing that is out there. Take your friends when it’s safe for you to do so, and go out on a shopping adventure. Not only will you find some real gems out there for super cheap, but you will also find some things that might surprise you with how much you like it.
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