How to bring out the glam without busting your piggy bank?

January 28th, 2007 • Related • Filed Under

We are heading into a brand new year, how better to celebrate it then by glamorizing my wardrobe I thought but then again, prudence at spending should be the order of the day. Now, I don’t want to be a party pooper or anything like that, sure by all means shop your heart out, but I figure for me personally, I hate the idea of looking good on the outside and feeling broke all the time on the inside. So, I figure a little creativity can go a long way…

Ever heard of the term beg, borrow or steal… well, whilst we shouldn’t take it too literally, we can however exercise discretion. I believe, one of the best ways to look good without using a sen of your own, is to form a group consisting of like minded fashionistas. Why? Well, first of all, they will understand that looking good costs money, and if y we can exchange clothing among ourselves it will certainly solve some money issues and yet impressing friends and family the extent of your wardrobe, not to mention good taste. Do I have such a group of friends, no, not an official group… but I do have a sister-in-law and two friends whom I share and exchange with regularly.

Next, I swear by thrift shops for that super “find” of the century. I recently bought the most gorgeous Gap brand embroidered with sequined black pouf skirt, from a thrift shop that has chains all over town for a mere RM39.90 (Ringgit thirty nine and sen ninety only). Not to forget also, my daily staples of Gap chinos, my Emporio Armani t-shirt and many more great bargains which I wear with great pride for my resourcefulness and of course, great attire…

Clothes are borne of cloth and despite whatever shape and design it may be when we first lay eyes on it, it can be recycled with a little imagination. Not too long ago, I salvaged a pair of sheer chiffon leopard print palazzo pants from the corner of my cupboard, this pair of pants had been lying in my cupboard for the last 5 years waiting for the “perfect” moment to be worn by me. It was in truth a hand me down from my best friend some years back and since it was in decent condition, I decided to keep it. Lo and behold, animal prints became the latest craze and my latest obsession and since it is a fashionista must have, I decided to bring the “leopard” out into the concrete jungle once again and made it more wear friendly by converting it into short A-line skirt…woo hoo…I must say, whenever I wear that skirt it never fails to get attention!

I also recycle accessories like handbags by changing the colour of the leather and these days any bag can be “dressed” up and given a new lease of life by hanging icons or cute keychains, stones or anything that suits your fancy basically.

If you are creative and good with your hands, my friend who decided against buying a piece of designer vest with sequins for RM500.00 (Five hundred ringgit). Her rationale, it was way too overdoing it by her standards, fashion must have or otherwise. So, as she is quite deft with her hands, decided to make her own variation, several at that. She bought some Mark and Spencer’s vests and sewed her own version of sequins and I must say, those D-I-Y vests sure lit up her wardrobe and her social life…

Then the other friend got into the creative frenzy and transformed her embroidered shawl into an off shoulder, very elegant blouse, just perfect for the countdown to a new year and maybe just a slight giggle to the bank…

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