Budget Friendly Shopping

I’ve always loved to shop, and it’s something that has still made me happy. Where this becomes a problem is the buying part. As a teacher, money is not is not a big perk of the job. When it comes to shopping, it’s essential for me to find things that are affordable. There are so many stores that offer great deals for on-trend items. When searching or these it is important to find well-made pieces so that they will last being worn and washed.

I’ve shared this outfit before on the blog, but it is such a good one that I thought I’d talk about how I shop for my clothes on a budget.

Shopping on a budget can be both thrilling and frustrating at the same time. Depending on your budget it is going to be different. For me, I tend to try and shop on a budget for more “trendy” items that most likely won’t necessarily be “in” in a few months and I tend to splurge on items that I know will be wardrobe staples. When I say “splurge,” it’s never over 150.

Let’s talk about this outfit.

Blazer

Blazers are a big part of my wardrobe it’s excellent for making an outfit more professional for work. They are also great for a light jacket when it is that awkward time of it’s not warm but also not cold.

This blazer is from Forever 21 and costs no more than 30 dollars, such a steal! It has the look of an expensive brand blazer but not the price which as a teacher is what I am here for. Now I know Forever 21 has not always had the best rep, but I always seem to find gems there. And this blazer is one of them.

When you are on a budget, Forever 21 is a great place to find great pieces to add to your wardrobe. From basics to trendy items they have got you covered. Just make sure you are ready to search. Their basics are great to add to your closet, whether it is a basic tee or a blazer it is a place to fit all your needs.

Shirt

Now you’ve got the blazer you gotta wear somethin underneath! For me, I am either wearing a more “professional” type shirt or a casual t-shirt to give it some character. Here I am wearing a graphic band tee. Now before you ask me “do you even know a song by Metallica???” I am here to say I DO! I grew up listening to 70-80’s rock bands. I love a good band tee- a fun fact I buy a concert t-shirt from 99% of all the concerts I go to.  My parents always talk about the shows they went to, and I wish so badly they had t-shirts that I could wear, but they don’t, so my mission is to give my future kiddos mine! YAY!

This particular tee is not from a concert I have adventured but from Shein. This is a website that has cute items for way cheaper. Most of the clothing seems to but about 30 dollars and under. This t-shirt was 10 dollars!!!! WOOOOOT! Such a STEAL ya’ll! When I first came across this website, I was skeptical that I would get the item and they wouldn’t be like they said it would. Would it be like the “expectation vs. reality” pics ya know? So, I did some research o the site and found that if you read the reviews, they are pretty spot on. As I was searching through this website, I have been able to find trendy items that I love but at a much lower cost!

My best advice is to read the reviews and how many reviews. I tend to get the items that I liked even if they don’t have great reviews because of how cheap they are that I know I won’t be to upset if I get them and they are not exactly what I thought. This site just like forever, is a great alternative to get those items you want, um I mean need  at a price that won’t make you go over budget.

Along with my shirt, I also got a belt there! Funny thing about the belt is when I was at work, I was working with a student who was having a bit of a behavior challenge and in the middle of the incident goes “shut up with your fake Gucci belt” LOL umm okay…. Honestly, in my head, I was like yup its fake! I’m trying to ball on a budget OKAYYYY! If you’re like me and can’t break the bank to get yourself a real on this is a great option to add a cute detail to any outfit!

Pants

I am honestly a jean FREAK! I recently went through my closet, and legit counted over 20 pairs of jeans… I am a bit embarrassed but at the same time am kinda impressed. Don’t worry; I donated about half of them to a consignment shop! Anyways, these jeans are ones that I didn’t part ways with.

I love love, love high waisted jeans. I have shorter legs and a longer torso so, high-waisted help elongate my legs and shorten my torso- I can’t even imagine wearing low rise jeans now, it scares me to be honest. These are from Lucky Brand; I would say about 95% of my jeans are. They fit amazing and come in ankle length so that I don’t have to get them hemmed! Holla for the short girls!!!

Although, Lucky jeans are not the cheapest jeans on the market they ALWAYS have killer sales! I wait to buy my jeans until I know they have a deal. I end up paying from 30-50 dollars for a pair of jeans when they usually run 90 and up! That is a WIN in my book. MY bank account also really appreciates that.

Another reason that I like shopping for my jeans at Lucky is that I get high-quality denim at a better price. When it comes to jeans, I want good quality, but being on a teacher salary, I can’t afford the 200-dollar pair. Lucky gives you the high quality, but a way better cost and not to mention they have the best fits!

Shoes

Now no outfit is complete without shoes! Along with being a jean freak, I am also a shoe freak! I am the type of person when it comes to styling likes to wear a lot of neutral colors, well more like grey and black and a bit of white here and there. The way that I add some personality to my outfits it typically through my shoes. With this outfit, I styled it with two different types of shoes. The first pair is red flats from Target. Target oh Target, you get me EVERY TIME. I swear I never walk out of there under 40 bucks hahaha. I love shopping there. I get everything! Their shoes are amazing, and you can find trendy styles at a lower cost. Like these red shoes, they remind me of Steve Madden flats but at half the price. I got these for 20-dollars! Such a good deal when buying shoes.

When buying shoes, I typically look for ones that will add some character to my outfits without breaking the bank. The other pair of shoes I styled with this outfit are Steve Maddens that I found at DSW! I got these and another pair of sock booties for about 100-dollars. For Steve Maddens to pay about 50 for them is a great deal! Just like shopping for jeans, I buy for shoes the same; I try to find good/high-quality shoes that won’t break the bank. I look for sales or shop at places that I know have comfortable shoes with a decent price tag. Like the Rack, Target, DSW and even Aldo (they have high sales). Looking for deals on excellent quality shoes will be the best thing, in my opinion, to do.

Shopping on a budget at times can be hard, a little stressful, and time consuming but in the end, it is worth it when it comes to the bank account.  Shopping is a stress reliever of mine, and I don’t want to end up stressing myself more out when I look at my account at the end. So keep in mind we all have different budgets and looking at the person on Instagram with most expensive clothes doesn’t mean that you can’t have the same type of look. Look for sales, shop at places that have high deals, and you too can have the “expensive” look just minus the price tag!

What stores do you like to get a good discount at? Places you go that don’t break the bank?

Happy Shopping ya’ll!

Honestly Elise