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SHOP TILL YOU DROP
(article from Ultimate Guides - Recession Busting)
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American Actress Bo Derek once said, “Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping.” With that said, although the blonde bombshell’s choice of boutique would most likely be located along Rodeo Drive in Beverley Hills, knowing where to shop and what to buy when you arrive will not only make you look and feel like a million dollars but also – potentially – save you money.

We sat down with personal stylist Annalisa Armitage Armitage, well-known style guru behind consulting firm, ‘My Image Consultant’ and President of the Sydney Chapter of the Association of Image Consultants International to find out how to maximise your fashion dollars.

Q: Does fashion shopping on a budget mean you can't look like a million dollars?
Annalisa Armitage: “Looking a million dollars has much more to do with the colour, co-ordination, fit, fabric and the body language of the wearer, than the amount of money spent on an outfit. A $5,000 suit that fits poorly will look worse than an $800 suit that fits beautifully. Someone who thinks they look great and who stands up straight, walks with purpose and smiles openly whilst making eye contact will look fantastic no matter what they’re wearing. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking the more you spend the better you’ll look. It is of course much easier to look great in cheaper clothes and fabrics if you have a great body and the glowing skin of youth. The older you are generally the more help you need from the cut and quality of fabric to help you look terrific – but only if the clothes fit you well!”

Q: What should we be doing to ensure they get the 'biggest bang' for their buck?
AA: “To get the biggest bang for your buck make sure you purchase only clothes that go with at least 3 other items you already have. Make sure that you love the item as you’ll be wearing it a lot if you’ve followed the previous rule. Never keep something for ‘best’. Ladies, if you need to buy something for a special occasion such as a wedding, afterwards consider how you could change the outfit by dressing it down by wearing it differently - for example wear the item with boots and a cardigan for less formal events. This often works well to funk up a dress that was worn initially for its elegance. Also gives you the chance to wear it many times and into the cooler months.
Always ask for a discount when you buy anything - no matter where you’re shopping. They can only say no and often they say yes or at least if they can’t give a discount they will throw in a gift.”

Q: Are factory outlets the way to go?
AA: “Factory outlets often have good bargains but you have to be willing to do a couple of things: sift through a lot of clothes before you find something you like; then hope they have it in your size; try to work out why no-one else wanted it and therefore why it didn’t sell in the main stores.(maybe everyone else saw the flaw you didn’t see at first look); and then consider what you’re going to wear it with - often what’s in the outlets is something from last year and it will be difficult to find something in the shops now to go with it. Remember, even $10 spent on an item you don’t wear is money wasted - even if it’s full original retail price was $100 you haven’t saved $90, you’ve wasted $10.”

Q: What garments should consumers be focusing on, when on a budget?
AA: “When you’re on a budget – or actually any time – never spend a lot of money on a trend – as this will be an item that you will wear for a maximum of 3 years if you get into it early. Spend your money on classic items that you can wear and wear. An example of this will be men’s suits. As the seasons go by, lapels become thinner or become wider. A suit that you expect to keep for a number of years that you spend good money on should always be bought with classic sized lapels (the lapel is ½ the width to the shoulder). This will never date! Be trendy with shirt colours, haircuts and other items that don’t cost as much as a suit and that you don’t expect to wear for as long.”

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