Adulting

Illustrated by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

I absolutely love fashion! Everything about it makes my mouth drool with enthusiasm, from the confidence it gives me, to the character I feel I can portray by just wearing a garment. Drooling over the season's latest trends are all fun and games but not for your wallet! Fashion week, or better known as "fashion month" to my my wallet is when I watch for what will be hot and seen everywhere so that I can adjust my wardrobe accordingly. Daydreaming about the days I can flaunt around in my ruffle trimmed knit pants and bubble shaped dress, but as soon as I wake of from my sartorial dream I realize that my finances cant permit a spending budget to keep up with everything that comes down the runway. Over time I've developed ways to stay fashionable and on trend and today i'm sharing my tricks for snagging that "of the moment" piece on a budget because adulting happens! 

1) Shopping your favorite fast fashion stores like Primark, Topshop, Forever21, and Zara will help keep you on budget. Usually when I shop at any of the aforementioned stores, I like to take a list of the pieces I'm looking for to help me stay on track and not wander off with more than I bargained for! I even create lists for grocery shopping, I can tell you that it definitely helps! Here are a few of the current pieces I'm feigning for this season...

2) This next tip is something that I absolutely live by, when shopping for something trendy I make sure that it's something that can be timeless. As a minimalist, my wardrobe consists of neutrals with a few corresponding colors for that particular season. If I'm shopping for an "of the moment" piece I will look for a neutral version first and see if it can work with what I already have in my wardrobe. 

3) I recently started using this next tip recently. We all get invited to fabulous events and rendezvous' but what's the point in buying a new dress if you only wear it that one time?! I've done this before and it's incredibly pointless, in the social media age that we currently live in, if your fans see it, the whole world has seen it! You wouldn't be caught wearing the same dress twice, would you? Rent The Runway solves that issue for you by letting you rent from their massive collection of designer gowns and dresses. It's quite an ingenious idea for fashionistas everywhere! Here are a few of my current favorites...

4) Consignment shops, resale your old clothes and accessories for cash to gain access to new pieces! I've recently mentioned one of my favorite apps called Poshmark, where I list items and get paid for it. It makes selling your stuff so convenient, right on your phone. Just take a look at your closet and pick out 10 items that you can't remember when you last wore it, list it on Poshmark and reap the benefits! 

I still have quite a few things to learn about adulting but these tips have definitely helped me save and stay fashionable! Most importantly, these shortcuts have helped me pay my bills on time and build my credit. Loving fashion doesn't mean pay a high price tag to keep up with it, just think smarter! Dear readers, I'd love to hear about your fashion budgeting tips!