6 Secrets For How To Look Expensive On A Budget

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Let’s talk about how to look expensive on a budget and I am the perfect person who can teach you because I do it, all the time and I am the queen of being cheap so when I tell you that no matter what your budget is, I GOT YOU. I can show you how to look expensive on it.

First we need to get on one universal page on what expensive is.  I have wrote about this in my how to be classy blog which you can see here.  Never associate classy or expensive with how much skin you show off or how much of your breast you are showing. And never think that because you spend a lot of money on a clothing item with a bunch of labels on it that it makes you look expensive because low key that is not the truth.

When you look at people who dress well most of them do not have labels all on their shoes, shirt, or everywhere else.  Because people who truly dress expensive know that looking to show labels just makes you kind of thirsty.  If you are expensive, then know you just have to be.  If you are trying too hard to look expensive then that is what you look like someone who is trying, and trying is not being, trying is looking desperate and that is what you don’t want.

1. How To Look Expensive On A Budget & How To Look Rich On A Budget ~ Find Your Expensive Inspiration

When I say expensive, think of all the upscale class women that you know.  I have some a example such as

Sarah Jessica Parker

My Affordable rendition of this look

Now that you have a fair understanding of what the expensive look is, I also want to encourage you to first, find some people that you  like their fashion, study their outfits and determine if you feel like it looks expensive or not.  Of course you don’t want to look exactly like them, but just for inspiration.  And I understand that the people I like may not be the people you like, therefore find your own people for fashion inspiration and I can promise you that you can find a lot of what they were in normal behind places that are not expensive.

2. How To Look Expensive On A Budget & How To Look Rich On A Budget ~ Use the Thrift Store

Never underestimate the power of the thrift. And you can read in detail about how to shop at the thrift store here. But not all thrifts are created equal but there is a key in finding a thrift store that you want to get stuff in.  There is no sense in going to the thrift store and getting other people stuff that looks like junk.  And that is what going to a bad thrift store will get you.  Second hand stuff that looks second hand.

What you want to aim for is a thrift store that has high quality brand names that you would not be able to afford otherwise.  The key to finding those thrift stores is that you need to focus on thrift stores that are in really nice and affluent areas.  The people living in those areas are more likely to donate their expensive clothing there, and you will get their 2^nd hand clothes that they have taken REALLY good care of, sometimes with the original tag on them.

You can also look at consignment stores.  To me they are similar to thrift stores, but for some reason consignment stores seem to be known for more upscale clothing. But similar to the thrift store, it is still at a discounted price.  And before you go into any thrift store wasting your time, Google and Yelp are your best friends. Read other people’s reviews on the thrift stores, 9 times out of 10 people will tell you what type of brands, labels, quality of the clothes, and the prices.

Now remember when you go to the thrift store, even though I am not a labels person you need to be ABLE to identify labels. The reason being is because you need to train your eye for the expensive look and determine good quality clothing. As more of the expensive labels even if they are at thrift stores are made to last and often time they do not go out of style.

Some of the labels I am on the lookout for at the thrift stores and have gotten include:

• White House Black Market

• Vera Wang
• Anne Taylor

• Liz Claiborne

And these are just to name a few. The more familiar you are with expensive brands, the easier it will be to get them and pick them out at the thrift stores. You can make a list of expensive brands that you like so that you know what tags to look out for and to also what styles look expensive so even if you don’t find the exact tags, you can at least find a similar look that gives the expensive feel.

3. How To Look Expensive On A Budget & How To Look Rich On A Budget ~ Change Where You Shop

Looking expensive has nothing to do with labels.  There are so many options now in which you can go shopping at really affordable places and get an expensive look.  No lie, I was at Forever 21 and saw a shirt that I really loved for $20.  I also went into Saks Fifth Avenue and saw a very similar shirt, as in almost identical, for $200.

My point is that when you learn how to look expensive on a budget the point is that you can get something that looks expensive without paying the price by changing where you shop.  No one is going to look at the tag of your shirt to see where you got something.  So if it looks similar no harm not foul. In order to do this you must know and recognize what looks expensive and what does not.  Which is why I encouraged you to have fashion icons and study their style so you can get what looks expensive.

As for places to shop that are within most people’s budget are TJ Maxx, Ross, and Marshalls. There are times in which you can get labels from these stores that are more affordable.  The reason being is because these are overstock stores or stores that have clothes that are considered defective and cannot be sold in a more expensive department store. The plus for you in this situation is that the defective item is not that bad off where people will notice.  Leaving you with the option to get more expensive looks at an affordable price.

The second option is not looking for labels at all and just going to places like Target.  I go to Target all the time and they have really stepped their fashion game up.  Even places like Zara offer really expensive looking clothes and many of them are affordable to everyday people such as yourself.

And a great online option place to shop is Stylewe, where they actually get more expensive clothes and make a version of it that are less expensive.  Take for example the following dress, came from Stylewe, you probably could not tell it is different from the original version but it looks nice.  You can click my affiliate link here to view some of the dress options from style we so you can see yourself.  And of course they have other clothing items, but I do love their dress.

4. How To Look Expensive On A Budget & How To Look Rich On A Budget ~ Maintain Your Pretty

You do not have to be an expert in makeup.  But it would be a shame if you are dressed in an expensive way but when you get to your hair it looks like a nest, and your lips are so chapped you have skin hanging off of them.  You can check out my blog on how to do makeup even if you do not know what you are doing.  That way you can know that you can do very simple and natural makeup techniques.  Even if you choose to put on lip gloss and mascara. You can check out my everyday makeup routine down below and click here to get the beauty bag from the video. 

When people look at you, your personal appearance in how you dress and your hair should match what you have on, not doing so can throw off your entire look.  Some options regarding your hair are wigs or weaves.  I can do my natural hair, but often times it takes a really long time.  Even putting on a wig will give me an expensive look that I want (as wigs come in all styles) and does not require me to put a lot of time in doing my hair. I do not even go to the salon saving me more money.

You do not have to go and spends thousands of bucks at Sephora on makeup in in order to look good in your make up. There are plenty of affordable brands and even drug store brands that will give you an expensive look.

Not only that you do not have to be sitting around do the MOST with your makeup putting 15 things on your face thinking that it looks expensive.  The fact is that most people don’t walk around looking like that.  Putting on a simple lip color (particularly a red lip color) can go a long way along with neutral makeup.  In fact, neutral makeup probably will have you look more expensive then just some random make up. This is another dress from Stylewe, I TOLD YOU they have some amazing stuff.  But more than anything notice the simple makeup and even the simple hair.  Often times less is more.  Click here to see my Stylewe dresses.

5. How To Look Expensive On A Budget & How To Look Rich On A Budget ~ Subscription Boxes

I have written an entire blog on Stitch Fix which I love and you can click here to read.  The reason that this can help you look expensive is because you can come up with a style profile.  Choose more expensive looking styles, you can choose styles that remind you of your style inspiration from tip #1, and you can choose a budget.  I personally choose as cheap as possible and get great quality expensive looking clothes that go with what I am looking for.  And it is great if you are just fashion lost and have no idea where to start, why not let someone choose for you?

6. How To Look Expensive On A Budget & How To Look Rich On A Budget ~ Capsule Wardrobe

I have an entire post on a capsule wardrobe that is always affordable.  The good things about it that you can just buy a few pieces that look expensive, mix and match, and you have an expensive looking capsule wardrobe without spending a bunch of money.  Click here to read my entire blog on the capsule wardrobe and the work capsule wardrobe. And last but not least you can click here to buy the pieces.

So these are pretty much the tips that I have for you on how to look expensive on a budget and I told you, no matter what your budget is you can work out it and look like you are balling. No one has to know that you are cheap.  See my video below to see how you can mix and match capsule wardrobe pieces that are from my free ebook below.  And don’t forget to subscribe to my channel. 

For all of my fashion and beauty oriented fashionistas then I have something free that you are going to FREAKIN LOVE.  YES LOVE.  It is my 100% free ebook, the Sophie-sticated Mom Stylish, Chic, & Modern Christian Women’s Year-Round Capsule Wardrobe Plan. That’s right your forever wardrobe.  No more being the frumpy, bumpy, boring modest wardrobe, just because you are a Christian. Be Godly, frugal, relatively modest, chic, stylish, on a budget and look good doing it.  Outfits for all seasons (spring, winter, fall, and summer) and most occasions work, casual, dates, gym, chilling or whatever and you will still be fashionable.   Just click here or the picture below.