Update Your Closet for Fall

On a budget? No problem. You can still look trendy by shopping strategically.

By Taylor Mallory

Need to be thrifty when shopping for fall fashions this year? Easy. “Just don’t go shopping without a plan,” says Cindy Weber-Clearly, fashion director for InStyle Magazine. Review what you’ve got, then go in with a list of what you need. “Otherwise, you’ll spend more and end up with stuff that doesn’t work with your wardrobe, if you just walk in and start picking stuff up off the racks.”

Here, she gives PINK five steps to updating your wardrobe without breaking the bank:

1. Get organized. “Put away sandals, unless they’re chunky and could be worn with tights, and any fabrics that won’t keep you warm. Pull out the warmer clothes you stored in spring, to determine what you’ll still wear. Throw out anything you haven’t worn in years.”

2. Review what you have – and what you can layer. What summery colors and styles can you pair with warmer hues and fashions to keep them current in your wardrobe? “Thin dresses will work in fall with tights and a shirt underneath. A pastel shirt could be paired with a dark cardigan. White jeans look great with a black turtleneck and boots.”

3. Have a color palette. “Select a couple of neutrals you like most and limit your basics to those shades. Then you can add other colors and patterns strategically. Mine are cream and black, and whatever I buy has to work with those colors.”

4. Determine what you need. List any staple items you need. “Have tons of sweaters and no blouses? Or a row of skirts and no warm trousers? And only buy things that will work with more than one ensemble in your closet.”

5. Buy a few trendy pieces to keep your look fresh in the new season. “A little leather jacket can work for some offices over a summery dress. White, cotton shirts with feminine touches like a ruffled bib or a big bow at the neck were all over the runways. And you can add boots to almost anything.”