With the end of the global financial crisis nowhere in sight, households and even the most devout fashionistas are pulling in their belts. The good news about tough financial times is that there are plenty of great ways to reduce your clothes budget without looking any less fabulous. All it takes is a little common sense, a little creativity and a willingness to have a little fun with your wardrobe.

Vintage

Vintage clothing has long been a staple of trendsetters around the world. Even the most monied red carpet treaders tout that there are fashion treasures to be found in a vintage store that simply couldn`t be found anywhere else. Through generations of new trends and epoch signature styles, retro and vintage pieces have featured prominently. In an era where many would declare that all the best cuts, styles, fabrics and colours have been exhausted by previous generations, it seems logical to borrow from our style predecessors. Of course, dressing in vintage pieces comes with the obvious advantage of taking off a lot of pressure on the pocketbook, leaving you to either use your money better elsewhere, or fill your tote with more for your money.

Care for your clothes

Ordinary wear and tear to clothing is an accepted part of life. However, a few simple measures of precaution can allow us to make our clothes last much longer. For example, you can get a lot more mileage out of your basics by opting for the washing line, rather than the dryer. Sure, it might take a little more time and effort, but if the expense of constantly replacing your clothes is something you`re looking to reduce, it`s effort well worth spending.

Mix it up

If you`re looking around your wardrobe, sighing because you feel as though you`ve worn everything in there a million times, you might just need to add a little imagination to the mix. By trying different combinations, colours and accessories you might not previously have thought to put together, you`d be surprised at how much you can actually stretch out the existing contents of your wardrobe. You might even come up with your best outfit to date!

Dress up your basics

Basics such as unmarked sweaters, singlet tops, mute coloured pants and demure collared shirts can seem as dull as dishwater. But in fact, they could hold the key to your saving hundreds on keeping your daily outfit energised. By adding a fun accessory such as a vintage belt or earrings, or a scarf you find in your mother`s wardrobe, you can create numerous looks using not much more than your catalogue of essentials. The added advantage of this approach is that basics are generally in classic cuts, which lets you reduce the risk of looking like a throwback from last season.

Tips for frugal chiconomics are endless for the savvy. For example, free cash is a wealth of information on how to look effortlessly stylish while saving your pennies.