A new you for $50

January 22, 2009 by Jill Roth 

Using those holiday gift cards have never been easier, cheaper

 

The hot fashion styles sported in 2008 may turn luke warm as students begin skimming through their closets to see what they will be donning around campus in 2009. 

Changing your look doesn’t have to mean choosing between required textbooks and that Banana Republic scarf you have been eyeing. 

You can create a fabulous, new look with $50 and a little creativity with your old duds. So grab the holiday gift cards and get ready to rock a look that will turn heads. 

Fashion evolves constantly and what we wear makes a statement about what we lust after and find artistic. 

A way to ease into creating a new look is to start with what you already have and then grab new pieces that are on this year’s hot list to spice things up. Start by investigating your closet and giving the term “spring cleaning” a whole new meaning.

Take your three favorite casual T-shirts and two of your dressiest blazers and slacks or dresses and lay them out to start.  This is the trick to turning formal wear into everyday chic.

For men, take your best dress slacks and pair them with one of your funky casual T-shirts. Pick up fashion forward looks for mere pennies this time of year, such as a black sweater with a red argyle pattern for $4.99 at Old Navy. 

Next, add a scarf and finish the look with your favorite casual sneakers. You may also spice up that vintage T-shirt you wore once last semester by pairing it with a classy blazer and a ragged pair of jeans. 

If you need some new jeans, try Old Navy loose fit denim for only $20 in a variety of colors. With various styles and colors to choose from, denim is flying off the store shelves. 

“Jeans are the biggest seller for men right now,” said Old Navy store associate Carol Reiss, who works at the location on Stephanie Street in Henderson.

This style goes for both men and women, taking the balance of dress to impress and style for less and making it stand out. 

For the ladies, grab your little black dress and throw on a pair of knee high socks. 

Whether they are argyle, patterned or solid colors, knee high socks add a cute playfulness to your most glamorous outfit.

Next, throw on a long cardigan in a bright color to add conservative flare. During the day, less can be tacky, so cover up a little. 

Accessories in 2009 will be bold – trick is to go big. The bigger the better, so add a chunky necklace, like a beaded choker from Forever21.com for $7.80 in steely gray or turquoise. This accessory is glam but goes well with your casual mix. Throw on a pair of chucks or flats to complete the look. 

Pair your old T-shirts with a flirty skirt in a floral or sequined pattern. Don’t be afraid to tastefully integrate different shapes and patterns – so the idea is to be brave.

To get your creative juices flowing, grab a nighttime clutch lurking in the closet and get to bejeweling. 

Taking a basic nighttime clutch and transforming it into daytime “must have” is cheap and easy. Go to your neighborhood Michael’s craft store and grab some flirty ribbon, beads and cameos. 

With fabric or craft glue, line some ribbon and lace around the front of the bag, pin a few baubles here and there and make a decoration that you can proudly hang from your arm for around $10.

To step out of everyday drab, try a yoga chic look by taking your glorious handbag creation and sporting it with your casual yoga wear. Yoga wear is not just for the gym anymore, Reiss said. 

“Yoga wear seems to be the big thing right now,” she said. “All the colors and styles are so popular.” 

Now, the men have around $25 left and ladies are way behind with a whopping $32. Keeping in mind that there are still oldies but goodies in the closet, ladies get a few new duds to spruce up your favorites at Forever21.com. 

A black fringe cut dress is going for $11.99 and a red and black beauty T-shirt is on sale for $5.99. This leaves you with around $14, so head over to your local drug store and go for big lashes. 

Try Cover Girl lash blast mascara for around $6 and grab a great new hair color you have been dying to try like L’Oreal Excellence Cream hair color for $8.99. You’ll run out of money, but you’ll look like a new person.

For men, I dare you to take that last $25 and spend $13 of it on a standard manicure – your girlfriend will just about have a heart attack and for the bachelors, we single ladies notice these things. 

With the remaining $12, go crazy and get a new hair color as well! Sure women do it all the time, but so can you.

Try Natural instincts for men, add a little highlight or go radical this semester for around $8.99 – then take the last $3 and hit the dollar menu at Wendy’s. 

With $50 dollars you have created a new look, gained some self-confidence and have dared to go where no broke college student has dared to go before. You have ventured into the future of fashion and back with no permanent damage done in the wallet.