I really love J.Crew’s glitter wedges ($265), but the price is ridiculous. Steven by Steve Madden’s similar pair costs $166 less at $99. 

Young Fabulous & Broke’s $190 silk tie-dye dress is a best-seller, but you can get a similar look from ASOS for less than $50. 

If I had to choose one nail polish to wear on my fingers for the rest of my life, it would be Essie Geranium. Without a doubt. It’s the perfect bright red, but it has a hint of orange that keeps it from looking too harsh or cold. For one that’s more orange (with a hint of red), I like Essie Clambake. It’s pretty on hands, but I really like it for pedicures. 

P.S. I know I am a million gazillion years late to this party, but Seche Vite—where have you been all my life?! I have no patience to wait for my nails to dry on a good day, but the other day I painted them while Isobel was napping and had just finished as she woke up. I slapped some Seche Vite on there, hoped for the best and went in there for a diaper change. Not a smudge. This is where I’d insert a praying hands emoji. 

Love J.Crew Collection’s cobalt silk maxi dress but can’t afford the nearly $400 price tag? Try one of these instead:

1. Jarlo V-Neck Maxi Dress, $133
2. ONE by Pink Stitch Resort Maxi, $84
3. Oasis Maxi Dress, $83.13
4. Mango Outlet Scoopneck Maxi, $29.99 (from $60)
5. Blu Moon Pharoah Maxi Dress, $145

In my opinion, the two biggest pitfalls when shopping for affordable clothing are, one, buying clothing that’s inappropriate or ill-fitting (junior’s section prices are tempting!) or two, falling prey to the clearance trap—where something is marked down so much that you buy it without considering if you’ll even wear it. It’s ultimately wasteful and I’ve definitely done it. The clearance racks at Target are a good example. $5 shirts! $12 pants! It’s easy to make a lot of little one-off purchases that add up to a considerable amount of money for things that may get worn once or not at all.

What’s the most you’d pay for a given item of clothing or a pair of shoes? No more than $150? $100? $50? The truth is that it’s easier to look stylish if you have a more flexible (i.e., large) budget. It’s a lot harder to translate both current trends and classic pieces into a more modest budget. And then there’s quality! Someone always brings up quality. There are some items where a bigger price tag usually equals higher quality. Outerwear. Athletic shoes. Work separates (pencil skirts, trousers, suits, blouses). Comfortable, work-appropriate shoes. Jewelry. Handbags. Otherwise, there are plenty of mid-range or inexpensive options available that will work for most people.

1. Neutrals = good

Clothing, shoes and handbags look more expensive when they’re bought in a neutral color. A $75 black shift dress is mostly indistinguishable from a $250 black shift dress. Faux leather handbags have come a long way. Black flats and black pumps are nondescript no matter how much you paid for them. Bright colors and trendy prints are fun, but for the most part when I’m buying inexpensive clothing, I stay within a safe zone of neutral colors: black, white, taupe, navy, gray. A black cardigan from Target will look awfully similar to a black cardigan from J.Crew. Save your money for seasonal or special occasion items that you will need to spend more on, like a quality winter coat or a pair of pumps you can wear for 10 hours without your feet hurting or a leather handbag that you’ll use for years.

2. Be realistic about trends

This was/is the hardest one for me, but I’m getting better. Sort of. Let’s take peplum, for example. There were a few peplum tops I saw that I loved. I was thinking in my head of all sorts of ways I could wear them. I held off buying one (a miracle) and now they’re littered on every clearance rack. I’m glad I didn’t buy one. I would have worn it…once? Maybe twice? It’s not a silhouette I normally wear and it’s not one I’ll wear in years to come.

A few things to remember: bloggers make trends look accessible. For some of them, it’s their job. Companies are asking them to do it. That gifted peplum top paired with jeans on that one blogger looks genius, yes, but will that work for your wardrobe? Your life? Maybe, maybe not. Don’t convince yourself that you may learn to like something just because someone else wears it well.

If you want to buy a few trendy things each season but want to stay conservative about it, try the “neck up, ankles down” rule, which is basically that you will only wear trends from the neck up (jewelry or scarves) or ankles down (shoes). Rings, bracelets and nail polish color counts too. “Tribal” print was popular this past fall/winter, but if you didn’t feel comfortable buying a printed cardigan or dress or top, a print scarf or a necklace like this could have been a good way to dip your toe into the trend without spending much money on something you might not have worn very much. Another example is “oxblood,” or the fancy name for burgundy that was worn a lot this fall. It’s a very seasonal color, so obviously the people who bought oxblood pants and dresses and skirts are tucking those away right now. Buying an oxblood scarf or painting your nails a deep red would have been a good way to get in on the trend without buying something you might have regretted.

3. Read care labels

Do you know how to read clothing care labels? Some labels write out wash and dry instructions, but others just put symbols like these:

Print this out and put it next to your washer/dryer.

Following care instructions to the letter are an (obvious) way to keep clothing intact, but this is especially important if you buy clothing from any mid-range or bargain retailer. J.Crew, Gap, Banana Republic, Piperlime, Target, Forever 21, Marshall’s, H&M—anything from these stores (and from any other store you’d find in a mall) are equally likely to fall apart or shrink or get misshapen if the care instructions aren’t followed carefully.

A few tips:

• When in doubt, wash on the delicate cycle.
• Turn sweaters and pants inside out.
• Use the most gentle detergent you can. (Any free and clear detergent is good. I use Honest’s 4-in-1 laundry pods.)
• Brighten whites with oxy-boost products, not bleach.
• Don’t risk shrinkage. If you have any doubt whatsoever about drying an item of clothing—even if the label says to tumble dry on low—just air dry it instead.
• Get in the habit of using cold water for most loads of laundry. (Some people like using hot water for whites and for baby clothes.)

If you treat your inexpensive clothing like you paid $$$ for it, it will last a lot longer. Take pride in your clothes, whether the shirt cost $5 or $50. You still paid money for that thing. If you want to throw it away, just toss it! Otherwise, read the care label.

4. Think a few seasons ahead

If you want to start buying from more expensive brands or stores but still stay within your budget, you have to begin planning a few seasons ahead. Buy your winter clothes when they get marked down closer to springtime. Buy summer clothes at the start of fall. Start looking for boots around February-March. Sandals and wedges cost next to nothing by September. This requires some planning and it obviously takes some of the fun—the immediate gratification element—out of shopping. But—do you want that specific label in your jacket come winter? Then buy it and store it for a while. When you’re doing this kind of end-of-season shopping, don’t get suckered in by super low prices on higher end goods. Try to look for classic pieces and avoid trendy coats or boots or sandals (they may not be in style by next season).

If you’re looking for ways to track sales, here is an older post I did about that.

Any other tips to add?

Had your eye on a Clare Vivier leather foldover clutch but don’t want to spend that much money? Here are five leather foldover clutches under $100.

1. Gap Leather Foldover Clutch, $39.95 - Take 30% off with code GAPTREAT
2. BCBGMaxAzria Neon Foldover, $89.99 (from $148)
3. Christopher Kon Foldover, $98 (from $190)
4. Topshop Leather Foldover Clutch, $68
5. Guess by Marciano Cara Clutch, $75 (from $148)

Jeffrey Campbell’s Puffer sandals ($128) are a best-selling sandal right now, but if you want a similar look for less $, here are some options: 

1. Deena & Ozzy Clear Sandal, $25 (from $40)
2. Forever 21 Clear Strap Sandals, $19.80
3. Steve Madden Nickiee Sandals, $69.99
4. Charlotte Russe Spiked Clear Strap Sandals, $20 (from $25)
5. Steve Madden Jelybely Spike Sandals, $39.95
6. Charlotte Russe Spiked Jelly Sandals, $10 (from $13)