5 Ways to Expand Your Wardrobe this Winter

0

Expand your wardrobe this winter

I love to shop for clothes. I love to see what the new styles are, imagine myself wearing them out and about, getting compliments … the whole thing. But, now that I’ve found myself as a working mom of a very active 2 year old and a 3 month old, I don’t enjoy shopping for clothes for me as much as I used to. Not to mention the fact that babies are crazy expensive and I have less “play” money to go shopping with. So, maybe you find yourself in a situation like mine, or maybe you just want to save money, or maybe you really don’t like to shop for yourself. Whatever the reason, I hope you find these five tips helpful!

Use scarves in a variety of ways.    

You can tie a scarf to make a cute, kimono-style vest! Take your desired scarf and fold it in half. Take one end from one side and tie it to the middle of the scarf. Take the other end from the other side and tie it to the previous knot, and voila! Or try this method. Now, not only can you wear that scarf two ways, but you’ve just made another outfit. I have done this several times and loved how it looked each time.

Other ideas for scarves: try wearing the same scarf in different ways. Or tie the ends together to make an infinity scarf.

Mix up the scarves you wear like necklaces. Try wearing a different one  with the same sweater to change up the look.  

Re-wear your maternity clothes.

I was pregnant with my first kid during the winter, so a lot of my winter clothes are actually maternity clothes. As long as it is not obvious (like it has gathered elastic on the sides to stretch for a baby bump), no one will notice unless you tell them. The loose-fitting look is still pretty popular. There are even companies that make dual-purpose clothing that can be for pregnant or not-pregnant women. If you are lucky enough to have purchased some of those items, by all means wear them! If not, try wearing something you already own and see if you like it.

I also never gave up my maternity skinny jeans. These have an elastic band and not a full panel, so they basically feel like leggings. Plus, they make great holiday eatin’ pants, in my opinion.

Layer!

I was watching a daytime talk show a while back and a guest on the show just happened to be a “style expert”. She said that if you can’t imagine 4 different ways to wear something, then don’t buy it. I thought that was pretty frugal advice. I used to be really bad about buying something for a special occasion to have it never be worn again. So, layering different items of clothing can easily help avoid this. Layer some of those summer tank tops under a sweater or cardigan, layer leggings under a short dress and pair with boots and a cardigan (or that scarf vest you made!), or layer a sweater over a long tank or tunic to add length and mix up the look.

Go through your closet and add old clothes back into rotation.

This is something that I have done recently. Look through your closet for items that you haven’t worn in a while and get creative. Maybe you have a dress that you loved a few years ago but have just left it hanging in the back of your closet for a few seasons now. Bring it back out and see how you can wear it in a different way. Maybe you could put a sweater over it and use it as a skirt.  You can also add a skirt over the dress to create a different look.

Get creative and see what combinations you can come up with!

Shop the blowout sales!

Sometimes stores will have huge end-of-season clearance sales where you can get clothes way discounted. Use this time to stock up on a few new items for next year. Also, if you are good at guessing how fast your kids will grow, it is a great time to stock up for them as well. That way when the first feeling of cold, frosty air hits your nose, you will be ready for action! Actually, you can do this for the warmer seasons, too!

I hope this is helpful or at least sparks some creativity! Comment below and let us know what you think or what you have tried!

                                                                    

Previous articleMeal Planning and Recipes for the New Year
Next article5 Ways to Introduce Your Kids to Opera
Anna Nader
Anna was born and raised in Birmingham, AL. After getting married, she moved back to her hometown of Alabaster (just south of Bham). Anna and her husband Mike have been married since 2013 and they are excited about their growing family! They have two children, Liam, who is 4.5, and Daphne, who is 2. Anna graduated from UAB with her Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. While at UAB, Anna was a member of the Blazerettes dance team which is part of the Marching Blazers, UAB's marching band. Anna has been teaching in the early childhood field for over 10 years, and has also been a dance teacher for the 8 years. Anna was a contributor for Birmingham Moms Blog before relocating to the Sarasota area in Summer 2018. Anna and her family are excited to get to know the SRQ area and community!