How To Look Expensive On A Budget

15 Style Tips

These 15 fashion tips will show you how to look expensive on a budget. Read on to learn 15 of my most recommended fashion tips to elevate your style and always look stylish.

15 Fashion Tips

1. Wear a monochromatic outfit.

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The first way to look more polished or expensive is to wear the same color from head to toe. When doing a monochromatic look, I recommend fabrics with textures in neutral colors to create depth in your outfit.

2. Steam or iron your clothes.

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Have a separate part of your closet to put all the clothes that need to be steamed. Once a week (I recommend Sundays) plan to steam those items so that they’re in your wardrobe and ready to be worn for the week.

3. Purchase trend items in solid neutral colors.

This Stylist tip also applies to “temporary” clothing items like maternity wear. Neutral colors like black, navy, gray, white, and camel look more expensive. Darker solid colors like black hide fabric imperfections on lesser quality fabrics.

4. Find a great tailor.

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Simple alterations will make something look so much more expensive (even if it wasn’t) because it fits you better. Taylah Brewer from the blog The Trendsetter states, “While you may not initially want to spend the extra money to get items altered, you’ll quickly learn that the extra wear you get out of them far outweighs the cost.”

5. Add a classic tailored black blazer.

A black blazer will completely elevate your look. Even when you wear it over a basic white t-shirt. That’s why it is a clothing staple that every woman needs.

6. Invest in high-quality classic bags and shoes.

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Even if you’re wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, if you’re pairing it with a great bag or pair of shoes, your look will feel more polished.

Related: “10 Essential Shoes Every Woman Needs“

7. Wear classic simple jewelry.

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Wearing delicate jewelry pieces in gold or silver tones will elevate your look. Avoid wearing jewelry that is large and more costumey. Those pieces (especially when worn altogether) tend to look inexpensive.

8. Look for classic structured pieces.

Great outerwear pieces like jackets or blazers in neutral colors will help complete a look and pull together an outfit.

9. Invest in some great designer sunglasses.

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If you don’t have the budget for designer sunglasses I recommend the brand Quay. They make some great designer dupes that look way more expensive.

10. Perfect the half-tuck.

For anything that doesn’t have a hemline for your tops, or is oversized make sure to do a half-tuck in the front. Along the same lines, don’t dress sloppily. When a t-shirt is tucked in a half-tuck or a blouse is tucked in it looks more polished.

11. Replace cheap looking buttons.

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Sometimes you can find a great budget-friendly blazer but the buttons make it look cheap. It’s such an easy thing most of us can do ourselves. Switch out the buttons to smaller ones that match the color of the fabric. It will make the piece look more expensive.

12. Make sure there is no space between the shaft of the boot and your calf.

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When you’re buying tall or OTK boots make sure the shaft of the boot hugs your leg. Unless they’re slouchy boots and meant to be slouchy. This is why a lot of designer boots will have an elastic back even though the front will be suede or leather because it hugs around the calf. You can find some great designer dupes too.

13. Take care of your clothes.

This how-to fashion tip even applies to your t-shirts. When you take care of your clothes, they will last longer and look better. If an item needs dry cleaning, get it drycleaned. You don’t have to dry clean it every time but every two or three or four times depending on how much you wear it. It will save you money in the long run. Items that you can put in the wash put in a mesh bag, and wash on the gentle cycle with gentle detergent. This should be anything that you’re hanging in your closet that doesn’t need dry cleaning. Make sure to air dry those pieces on a clothing rack. These simple how-to fashion tips will make the quality of your clothes look so much better.

14. Avoid large busy prints.

Especially when you’re purchasing more budget items. In general, you don’t want to be spending $25 on a dress that has a lot of loud busy prints. Those kinds of prints show the quality of the fabric way more than if the same piece was in a neutral solid color.

15. Invest in your closet essentials.

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This is my final fashion tip to look more expensive and probably the one I feel is the most important. Your closet basics are the pieces that will make up the foundation of your wardrobe, otherwise known as a Capsule Wardrobe. These are the items that should be your investment pieces. The ones that you will get the most cost-per-wear from because you’ll wear them again and again for years to come. Elevated closet essentials make any outfit look more polished and expensive.

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For more on the clothing staples every woman should own, get your free Capsule Wardrobe checklist.