The average woman spends between $100,000 and $150,000 in a lifetime on cosmetics and clothes. If you want to keep up with the latest styles, it will cost you a bundle certainly. But you can look great on mere pennies, and save the real dollars for things that will really last. That is, saving half of that $150,000 over a lifetime can end up being giving you a lot more money for retirement, travel and other things you’d like to do. So here are some tips on how to do that:
Be savvy like European women are. They will mix and match things, one expensive item with ready-made, inexpensive clothes; and the whole outfit can look expensive. For example, if you have a great necklace that Aunt Susan left you in her will, put that around your neck and pop on a great, very white shirt (because that will help show it off), over a fine fitting pair of jeans; and you’ll be ready for a hot date. Or put an inexpensive top black knit top over an expensive long black skirt, and add to that something sparkling at the ears, and you’re ready for a night on the town. European women know that one beautiful item that will set you back a little on your budget will make the entire outfit you wear look expensive.
Shop the second-hand clothing stores for special items that can enhance your wardrobe just a bit. Some women never go to them, believing that everything they find either won’t fit or will look cheap. I find that in Natchitoches, Louisiana, where I live, the best bargains can be had at the local Goodwill store. I find expensive items that have been cast off by some likely well-to-do woman because the size might be a little small or large, and then I have a bonanza. This last year I got an imported fur coat (made in Greece and stenciled on the lining) and several great jackets right off the rack at the local Goodwill. I can put one of these items together with something great and new, and again the whole outfit looks classy.
I often buy shoes and bags second hand, again at house sales and those second hand stores. I have a supply of paints for leather and leather cream, along with jewelry cleaner and polish. Lots of shoes and bags only need a shine on the metal and exterior to look almost brand new. To modernize an out-of-date purse, I buy several charms and hang these on chains dangling from the zippered area, so they look just like the high-priced bags one sees these days. The charms and chains can be found at craft supply stores and even the local Wal-Mart.
I also find that I can extend items of makeup by doing economical things, such as layering one color of lipstick over another, which will give me a different shade or tone. That way I don’t need a dozen lipsticks, but only three or four in various shades that I can use one over the other. Aloe Vera gel, the kind that is virtually free of additives works well for toning skin and putting on wet hair. It shines the hair, keeps it in place and acts as a conditioner too. On the face it acts both to tone and protect the skin. I even put it on my hands at night and notice how soft they are in the morning. A small tube costs a little over $1; a large container perhaps $4 or $5, but that will last a long time.
When you’re pinching those pennies, it’s nice to know that there are simple ways to look sensational. Try some of those I’ve mentioned and discover others for yourself as well. Sometimes it’s in the most difficult economic times, that we can all become more creative than we’ve been at other times. So try that with the wardrobe, and instead of worrying about buying new clothes that you can’t afford now, try sprucing up that wardrobe with fabric renewal sprays, fabric dyes, or special trims.
It can be fun and fulfilling to discover new ways of looking good. After 50 years of doing that, I find it never fails to keep my interest up and attractiveness consistent, without going into debt to do it. That’s good advice for everyone these days. My Mother used to quote something about the lilies of the field and their being more beautiful than anything, when I worried about not having the best any time I wanted. I have learned over the years that we can all have the best on far less than we think if we take the time to look around and be creative.