Splurge on Your Vacation, Not on Your Travel Wardrobe
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Thanks to social media, today’s travelers may feel more pressured to invest more time and money on the wardrobe they plan to take on their trip. It’s natural to want to look good in the pictures that you will take during your journey. After all, your experiences will ultimately be a part of your memories, and you may want to share photos of them online for posterity.
However, going on a shopping spree for a photo-worthy travel wardrobe can quickly eat up your travel budget. It can also leave you with less money for other expenses, such as your lodging, food, and activities that you might want to undertake while you are at your destination. If you want to fill your suitcase with stunning travel outfits without compromising your funds for your holiday experiences, here are a few tips on how you can look stylish without spending too much.
1. Plan Your Spending and Your Outfits
Budget setting is a crucial part of any journey. Before anything else, it’s important to get your numbers straight and determine just how much you are capable of spending on the clothes that will make up your OOTDs. This can guide you in planning your travel wardrobe and in evaluating your clothing options later on. If you want to buy leggings or gym shoes just for working out while traveling, for example, your budget can help you decide whether you can afford to buy a new pair or if you should simply bring the ones you use at home with you on your trip.
Alternatively, you can start this process with a lookbook or a collection of the designs you want to wear on your journey. You can use your existing clothes for inspiration and plan exactly what you will wear on specific dates and occasions. So as not to look repetitive, you can add a few new pieces to your travel wardrobe. This way, instead of starting from scratch and buying several items to build an entire outfit, you just need to get a jacket or a hat to make your existing clothes pop out more in pictures.
2. Pick Clothes That Are Easy to Mix and Match
Choosing to travel light can also save you from having to spend extra money on your travel wardrobe. By limiting the number of pieces that you choose to bring with you, it’s possible to reduce the number of new clothes that you need to buy. You can also focus on getting high-quality clothes that you can wear even after you return from your holiday.
Consider coming up with a curated capsule wardrobe that you can mix and match while you are away from home. A capsule wardrobe refers to a set of interchangeable pieces of clothing that can be paired well with each other. Having a wardrobe with a complementary color scheme will enable you to easily pair your outfits, even if you just literally pulled your clothes out of your luggage and put them on. Once your capsule travel wardrobe has been assembled, you can take a closer look at your clothes and determine if you still need other pieces to complete your desired looks. Then, you can spend your clothing budget on the finishing touches for your curated sets of outfits.
3. Hit the Thrift Shop or Visit an Overrun Shop
Aside from purposefully planning your travel outfits and curating your wardrobe so that you don’t have to purchase a lot of new pieces, there are other ways to maximize your clothing budget. Among these is choosing carefully where you will buy your clothes. For example, instead of hitting designer shops for a piece of clothing that you will only wear once, you can choose to drop by a thrift shop or a store for overrun clothes. Here, you might be able to find a close equivalent of what’s missing from your lookbook or capsule wardrobe at a fraction of the price of those that are being sold at branded boutiques.
If you can’t find clothes that fit you well and you have a bit of time before your holiday, you can take your thrift shop finds to an alteration shop. Have the garments adjusted according to your measurements so that the clothes will look like they are made for you. Even if they are thrifted, well- fitting clothes will always look good because they will flatter your figure.
4. Use Coupons When Shopping Online for Clothes
If time is of the essence and your holiday is approaching fast, however, you can shop online and look for the pieces that will complete your outfits. To save money, make sure to avail yourself of coupons and discount vouchers, and use any shopping reward points that you may have saved.
Check online shopping platforms if they offer discount codes or free delivery if you choose to shop using their mobile app. This is especially useful if you are planning to shop for a lot of things before you leave, as many shopping platforms offer deals and promos to customers who spend beyond a predetermined amount. The money you save from using such deals can then go toward the activities and events that you plan to attend upon reaching your destination.
5. Don’t Forget to Accessorize Your Outfits
Finally, don’t undermine the appeal that accessories can add to your outfits. A plain white dress worn in a beach setting looks even better with the addition of a woven hat, a tropical-themed scarf, or a maritime-themed handbag and shoes. If your destination is quite cold and you only own or have enough space in your luggage for one or two jackets, it’s still possible to create several unique outfits if you have the right accessories. Introduce variety to your limited outerwear options by adding several scarves or hats to your wardrobe and making these pieces the focal point of your outfits and pictures.
This way, you won’t feel the need to invest in several new winter clothing pieces that you will only end up storing once the season ends. The money you save from not shopping can then be used on experiences that you really want to try, such as getting skiing lessons, having a fancy meal at a popular restaurant, or attending the concert of your favorite artist.
The key to cutting down on your holiday clothing spending is simply choosing to build up on what you already have in your closet. By working with what you have and adding a few new pieces for novelty, you can reduce the number of clothes that you need to buy to look good on your vacation. This, in turn, will leave you with more funds to devote to activities that will make your holiday one for the books.