Let’s face it clothing can get expensive. Some brands of shirts can run from hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars. However, if you’re willing to make an effort and work a little, you don’t have to spend that level of money. Someone once said that if you buy everything at half off, you are making twice as much money. In this case, we’re going to try and buy items for a lot less than 50% off.
Know your exact size
This is important; make sure you know all of your sizes. Not just small or extra large, know how long your arms are, your legs, your chest size, how big your shoulders are. If you find something that you can buy off the rack, you want to make sure it is as close to your size as you possibly can get. This will also help when you buy online.
Know the brands
If you know what the best brands are, then you are far ahead of the game. If you go to a thrift shop in a good area, and you know what a Versace shirt is, and it’s selling for $5, you will know enough to grab it off the rack before anybody else can. Ross used to be a great place for this. We used to pick up Hugo Boss shirts for less than $10. They may be last year’s shirts, but they are still Hugo Boss. If you don’t know the brands you cannot spot a bargain.
Thrift shops
Not all thrift shops are created equal. If you do a bit of research you can find which thrift shops specialize in certain things. For instance, there are quite a few thrift stores in Hollywood that you can pick up some amazing suits. There is almost a subculture in buying and selling suits by actors in Hollywood as they need to get work or need to pay rent. The quality of the suits can be top drawer. Again, this is where you need to know your Brands so you know what to buy.
Garage sales
If you are going to buy things at garage sales, go to garage sales in the wealthier neighbourhoods. This seems like obvious advice, but is often overlooked. Generally, when people have garage sales, they are just trying to get rid of things. They do not really care that much about how much money they’re making. If you are nice and friendly, you can offer pennies-on-the-dollar for things and they will often take it. Good advice is to get to the garage sales early, especially for clothing. We once picked up an Armani jacket for $5, it didn’t fit, but we still had to buy it.
Take care of your wardrobe
Once you have acquired your wardrobe, take care of it. Very often it will need dry cleaning or special treatment. This is just an acceptable cost. However, if you have your clothes cleaned and pressed, when you wear them you will look like a million dollars. Make sure you read the labels and understand how to take care of the Fabrics.
Get a tailor
Regardless of what you buy or where, it’s not going to fit perfectly. Follow what the big boys do and get a tailor. There is nothing quite like wearing custom fitted clothing. That jacket or that shirt, fitting you perfectly, is worth every penny that a tailor charges. The difference can be looking like James Bond, or looking like you’re wearing your dad’s old clothes. Trust us, get a tailor.
With a little bit of work, a bit of effort, and a bit of luck, you can be wearing the same outfits that the richest people in the country wear. You just won’t be paying the same price. We know for a little more effort we can dress like a billionaire on an entry-level salary. Let us know if you find any amazing bargains, we’re always on the lookout.
