10 ways to dress for French champagne on an Aussie beer budget

I’ve invested a lot into what seems like a lifetime of clothes’ buying.  And when I say “a lot”, I mean a disproportionate amount of my income.

The whole champers’ taste on a beer budget thing?  Yep, if you could give me Klout for that, I’d be off the graph as an influencer.  The only difference from when I was 20 and now is that I’m more than a little fond of a Moet, whereas back then anything with half a bubble would suffice.

I keep telling my income to catch up with my champagne tastes but it’s just not listening.  Instead I chose to get clever.  I decided I can drink champagne AND dress for the occasion too.

Photo: Pinterest

1.  Shop mindfully.  Know what you actually need by actually checking what’s missing in your wardrobe first.  Spend you dollars on clothes that will add value and style to those you already own.

2.  Build confidence in your own style. Keep a physical scrapbook of looks you like from magazines or pin them to a virtual pinboard on Pinterest.  Call it shopping practice.  I do.

3.  Only buy something new (no matter how much of a bargain) if it makes you FEEL nothing short of fabulous.  Your hard-earned cash is also wasted if the garment is poorly made.  You will look as cheap as the price tag dangling from it.

4.  Invest in great accessories.  Accessories maketh an outfit.  Why not maketh something of existing outfits in your wardrobe with a new statement necklace or a hot pair of heels?

5.  Subscribe via email to sales websites.  Try Cherry Pick Me, Coco Lee and OzSale. You’ll be the first in the know for some absolute designer bargains.  It’s also worth signing up for email alerts from your favourite stores or designers.  Subscribers are first in the know about sales – online or in store.  Leona Edmiston, Witchery, Metalicus, Saba and Country Road advertise some amazing sales this way.

6. Got a really dress-to-impress occasion coming up?  Why not hire a designer frock or bag to make your entrance. At DressedUp you can hire gowns from top Australian designers on a weekly basis. At Love Me and Leave Me you can take your pick from a range of international “it” bags, accessories and frocks and also love them for a week at a time.  Chanel Vintage Classic 2.55 bag? That will be $119.95 for the week. Your welcome.

7.  Trawl eBay.  An un-named girlfriend of mine fell in love with a long gown at a fashion show but was determined not to pay full price for it.  She got home and found the exact same dress – with tags on – on eBay for $500 cheaper.  It was one size too big but easy to alter. Score.

8.  Your girlfriends can offer a goldmine of borrowed fashion opportunities. Last Saturday night I saved myself $200 by borrowing a black feather stole from a girlfriend for a black tie ball.  The stole and I had a one night stand and it’s safely on its way back to her.

9.  Fossick in op shops and pre-loved stores.  If you’ve got the time, patience and creativity, this will become a bit of a sport.  A girlfriend of mine has a real knack for finding vintage pieces which she wears with more panache than I could ever muster on an unlimited wardrobe budget.   Organised clothes swaps are still really popular and can unearth a designer bargain. For clothing exchange events around Australia visit Clothing Exchange.  If you live on the Sunshine Coast, The Swap is on Sunday, July 31.

10.  Don’t let your champagne outfit be let down by less-than-glowing skin and great hair. A regular skincare routine is a must; as are regular cut and colour appointments.  Honestly, if your skin is glowing and your hair shiny and styled, you’re going to feel a million bucks even if your clothes more makeshift than millionaire.

Do you have any budget style tips?  Feel like a champagne right now?

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I’m excited to have this post included in this week’s Independent Fashion Bloggers weekly roundup

Whether we realize it or not, we are all influenced by something, whether it be celebrities, trends or designs of the past. This week’s links a la mode celebrates influencers and the voices we create from our inspiration. As fashion bloggers, we have each other to look for when we are feeling uninspired and this community is something we should never take for granted!

Links à la Mode: July 28st

• 1972projects: WASTED
• a tout le monde: Simple & to the Point!
• Beyond Fabric: The Lost Art of Keeping it Simple
• Bespoke Baroque: The Challenge to Wear Less Black (and Grey and Beige)
• Bonnie Vie: Body Con(scious)
• Britt + Whit: Wall Art
• Chanel and Something Else: The Naked Back
• Dress With Courage: How do you define blogging success?
• Fashables: Forever 21 Dresses
• FASHSTASH: Redefining the Gender Boundaries in Fashion
• I Got Style and I’m Fab: A Reflection on Small-Town Fashion
• IFB: What Makes a Blogger Influential?
• Interrobangs Anonymous: Revolution Through Sweaty Apathy
• Kings Rule Together: A Kings Response: GQ 40 Worst-Dress Cities in America
• Lifestyles of the Thrifty and Shameless: Everybody, Everywear (again)
• Panache Offblast: Bring Out Your Inner Geek-Chic!
• Pretty Innovative: Geeked Out Over eCommerce
• Style Island: I’ll be on your side forever more..that’s what trends are for
• Styling You: 10 Ways to Dress for French Champagne on an Aussie Beer Budget
• The Loudmouth Lifestyle: Competing, Comparing Confessing

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PLEASE READ IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE

If you would like to submit your link for next week’s Links à la Mode, please register first, then post your links HERE. The HTML code for this week will be found in the Links a la Mode group will be published later today. ~Jennine