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6 Spectacular Frugal Mens Fashion Tips to Look Great on a Budget 

6 Spectacular Frugal Mens Fashion Tips to Look Great on a Budget
A man in a business suit

Are you looking to step up your fashion game, but don’t have a lot of wiggle room in your budget?

Just because you don’t have a big budget, doesn’t mean that you can’t dress sharply. What do you need to do to look great?

Check out this guide to discover the top frugal men’s fashion tips to look great on a budget. 

1. Invest in Some Nice Lapel Pins 

Lapel pins are an affordable way to take your suit game to the next level. Here are some tips for wearing lapel pins for men’s suits:

  • Wear just one pin at a time, as this will help keep your look elegant
  • Have your lapel pin match your other accessories, such as your tie
  • Choose the right size- oversized lapel pins look funny and tacky
  • Make sure to set your lapel pin against an outfit that will help it stand out
  • If wearing to work, make sure to select lapel pins that are professional and office-appropriate

These tips will help you rock your lapel pin in both personal and professional environments. 

2. Get All of Your Clothes Tailored 

A $10 shirt from Target can end up looking better than a $200 designer label shirt if you have it tailored right. When shopping for new clothes, keep in mind that the simpler the garment, the easier it is to have tailored. 

Also, make sure that you choose the right tailor. Here are some tips for picking a tailor:

  • Ask your stylish friends for recommendations
  • Visit their shop in person before hiring
  • Read reviews on Google My Business and Yelp
  • Make sure to carefully read over their guarantees and damage policies
  • Make sure you understand how their price model works 

These tips will help you find the right tailor for your clothing. 

3. Ditch the Cheap Buttons 

While buttons are a small detail, they’re often a dead giveaway that your clothing is cheap. This is why we suggest upgrading your buttons. 

You can buy nicer buttons on sites like Etsy, or you can purchase them from a trimming shop. You can even pluck your buttons off of old clothes that you don’t wear anymore. 

Also, don’t worry about stitching on the buttons yourself- most dry cleaners will do this for you. 

4. Invest in a Good Steamer 

Wrinkles can make any outfit look cheap, which is why it’s so important to invest in a good steamer. 

The great thing about steamers is that they can work out wrinkles in just about any type of clothing in a few minutes. This makes a steamer a better option than an ironer, as ironers don’t work on all synthetic fabrics. 

If you’re between washings, steam your outfit the night before and then leave it hanging in your room with the windows open. The cold night air will help to neutralize any lingering odors. By the morning, your outfit will be ready to wear!

5. Expand Your Shopping Options 

Looking great doesn’t mean you need to buy the outfit off of the display mannequin in the designer boutique shop. There are a lot of great places where you can find trendy clothes, including:

Thrift Stores/Vintage Shops 

You can find great articles of clothing in thrift shops and vintage stores. Oftentimes, thrift stores have maximum prices for each clothing category. 

For example, it might be a hard rule that they don’t charge more than $50 for a suit. The downside to shopping in a thrift store is that they often have a huge selection. And, they’re not typically filled with top-of-the-line clothing items. 

So, be prepared to spend a few hours shopping or to hit up a few stores before you find anything good. 

This is why a great alternative to thrift shops are vintage stores. Vintage stores are typically a lot more selective about the items they accept, and they typically have a smaller selection of items. 

But, it’s important to keep in mind that shopping vintage doesn’t always mean you’ll get a better deal, so it’s important to check those price tags. 

Online Shopping 

The great thing about online shopping is that you can easily make price comparisons. Plus, many online retailers have discount codes that can be applied at checkout. 

Nowadays, there are even online shops that act as vintage/thrift stores, such as Posh Mark and thredUP. While these online clothing stores are massive, you can narrow your search by item, size, price, and brand. 

Sale Racks 

Pretty much every clothing store, no matter how fancy it is, has a sales rack. But, you need to be smart about how you approach sales racks. 

Oftentimes, the best time to check out the sales rack is at the turn of a new season. This way, you’ll get the past season’s items at a discount, and all of the good clothing items won’t be picked over yet. 

For example, if you’re shopping for new summer clothes, we recommend hitting the racks at the beginning of September. 

6. Invest in Versatile Pieces 

To put together a great men’s wardrobe, you need to think quality over quantity. It’s better to spend a little extra money on couple of nice shirts than it is to spend a bunch of money on a pack of cheap shirts. 

Here are some key pieces to have in your wardrobe that are also quite versatile:

  • A few crisp t-shirts in neutral colors (white, black, and grey)
  • A nice watch
  • A pair of dark denim jeans
  • A sports coat
  • A white button-up
  • A couple of nice pairs of slacks
  • A denim jacket

These pieces can help you take your outfits pretty far. 

Frugal Men’s Fashion: Time to Get Frugal and Fashionable 

Now that you’ve read these frugal men’s fashion tips, it’s time to put them into action. Pretty soon, you’ll be the sharpest dresser on the block!

Be sure to check back in with our blog for more fashion-related tips and tricks. 

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