Get Organized: Ask a friend to help you organize your closet, throwing out everything you haven't worn in the past year: After you have sorted through these items the first time, start trying on clothes, discarding anything that is ill fitting, too small, worn, or totally out of fashion. Now you have a base from which to start. Take discarded clothes that you have bought within the past year-and-a-half to a consignment shop. Most consignment shops, of course, only take clothes that are sellable for the coming season. Take any clothes you have left over to a charity that is collecting clothes, such as the Salvation Army or Goodwill. Remember, you can itemize all donations as a tax write-off on your income tax.
Now sort everything by season and mothball what you aren't wearing. With what you have left over, place casual clothes, work clothes, and dressy clothes in different parts of the closet. After you have done so, look at your existing accessories to try to revitalize existing outfits.
Browse fashion magazines and recent catalogs as well as fashionable online sites to try to duplicate this season's looks: You may be able to put new life in an old outfit with comparatively little additional expense by selectively purchasing blouses, sweaters, jackets, and accessories.
Window shop designer fashions, but actually buy clothes at reasonable prices: Remember stores like J. C. Penney's ordinarily sell different grades of clothing at different stores to match the surrounding community's tastes. Moreover, some stores like Target and T. J. Maxx do their best to copy or sell designer fashions.
Even if you have habitually shopped major department stores, buy unmentionables at discount stores along with casual clothes-t-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans, and socks. Buy bleachable cotton underwear and bras.
Renew old clothes and shoes: Have a cobbler resole your shoes. If you don't have a sewing machine and you need to take in or let out clothing, usually a tailor at dry- cleaners can repair or refashion clothes at a reasonable cost.
Buy timeless, traditional clothes that will last several seasons: Trendy clothes go out of style much sooner than classical clothes. Limit yourself to one truly smashing (and comparatively expensive) winter and one spring or summer outfit a year.
Let your fingers do the browsing: Compare the prices of shoes, accessories, and jewelry over the Internet. Web-based shoe stores, like Zappos, have a wider selection than most physical stores and can often sort items by color, price, and manufacturer.
Shop sales at the end of season on line: Talbot's and Coldwater Creek, for example, both feature end-of-the-season sales both in their stores and over the Internet. Remember, however, that if you make arrangements with a local store to buy an out-of-stock item, you probably won't have to pay the postage. Chadwick's of Boston also offers end-of-the season sales online and through its catalogues.
Shop outlet stores with discretion: Watch for end-of-season sales, but remember that you can probably buy similar items without the designer name at a reasonable cost.
