Dear Fashon Kitty, Sucky Economy Fashionista

My parents can be so cheap sometimes, it drives me nuts (not that they don’t spoil me rotten too, but the economy sucks at the moment, doesn’t it?) I’m desperate for something to wear. I need to learn the tricks of the trade, how to make old look new again, working to mix patterns, using simple pieces to make a statement…etc. Can you help me from becoming a repeat victim?

Don’t we all need this advice. The economy does suck and we can’t buy new things at the rate that we all want to. I pretty much suck at savings but I can restyle old trends with the best of them. Here are some of my “Damn the economy sucks” fashion tips and tricks.

– Stock up on staples: One thing I learned out of all of the fashion seminars that I went to a few months back is that classics are making a come back. Make sure you have trousers, a pencil skirt, cashmere sweater, and a blazer in basic black. Also pop over to Target and grab up staples from the men’s department like white button downs, A tee shirts (wife beaters), and V-neck tees.

Once you have staples you can do pretty much anything, especially with …

– Accessories, accessories! Statement necklaces and earrings are where its at. You can buy cheap accessories at places like Forever 21 or even crusty old Claires. To get a more dramatic effect, layer necklaces or get crafty and make your own.

– Layer, its not as hard as it looks: Today I am wearing some heavily recycled clothes. In fact, everything I am wearing today is from 2004 but it looks fresh. How? I layered like a pro. I have a on a short sleeve white button down from Target. On top of that is a green sweater vest with a bunny on it from Betsey Johnson. The final layer, a leopard print Betsey Johnson jacket. That with jeans and cute heels = magic. Experiment with your clothes at home until you find some winning looks.

– Night to Day: Another layering trick that I used recently was taking a dress that I would usually wear in the evening and putting a wife beater tee shirt under it. I also ditched the heels and replaced them with flat boots. Those two little tricks gave me a whole new day time look.

– Turn to magazines: I probably get a dozen magazines each month and each month I do the same thing … Tear them apart! Go through your magazines and tear out your favorite looks. I place the tears in a binder and flip through when I need inspiration. Try to create those looks with your own clothes — you may be surprised with the results.

– Whip out the sewing machine or hit up your tailor: Slight alterations on your clothes can make a world of difference. I usually go wild with my sewing machine but I don’t advise that unless you know what you are doing.