How to Look Like a Cutie for Less than an Erewhon Smoothie
Although, Hailey Bieber's strawberry glaze edition is a cute accessory to any of these under $25 outfits.
Let’s say it again for the fashionistas in the back: you don’t have to spend a fortune to look like a rich, stylish woman who knows a vintage Tom Ford for Gucci dress when she sees one.
You can actually spend an obscenely small amount of money and still look like you’re ready to be photographed on the streets during fashion week—in any of the stylish cities. I’d argue that you might actually be more camera-ready if you’ve put some time, effort, and personal style into your outfit rather than buying whatever the “trends” are at the moment.
Although, if you do want to be trendy, let’s also be thrifty. Check out seven spring trends I thrifted below:
I recently read a stat in W Magazine on their By the Numbers page that said: “44% of Gen Z makes monthly purchases from Shein” and “49% consider themselves more fashionable than most people.”
Honestly, my heart sank when I read that. First of all, nobody needs to be buying new clothes monthly. At least, not the amount people are usually buying from fast fashion sites like Shein. (Even typing that gives me the ick.) Can you add quality items to your wardrobe that you want to wear forever? Or at the very least more than once? Sure! However, the problem with fast fashion culture is that it makes you believe you need a new outfit for every outing. That is literally insane. Not to mention, incredibly wasteful.
Yes, you can be seen in the same thing more than once. Yes, your clothes should be able to be washed more than a handful of times. Yes, you can make multiple outfits with the same pieces and have them look totally different. (Side note: I think I should do a post about that with some of my favourite wardrobe staples. Thoughts?)
It’s also important to note that although I am a big advocate for thrifting and secondhand shopping, thrifters can also be part of the overconsumption problem. True, it starts with people buying too many clothes brand-new and tossing them aside in a vicious cycle of wearing and moving on. However, people who shop used clothing can still over-consume. Last week, I stumbled upon a thrift influencer’s Instagram and she proudly boasted owning almost 10,000 pieces of thrifted clothing. Now that, to me, is also a problem. Moving on…
In this post, I wanted to show you how easy-breezy it can be to buy cute looks for less. In fact, less than you’d spend on Hailey Bieber’s strawberry glaze smoothie at Erewhon. Although, that smoothie would make a delicious accessory to any one of these outfits. And it’s honestly so good. Brb I’m going to get one…
Okay, so let’s break it down: If you’re ordering a smoothie through the Erewhon app, it’ll cost you, with delivery fees & 5% tips for the driver and shopper, around $28. And if you’re heading to your store of choice and picking up your favourite smoothie from the tonic bar yourself, it’ll be around $20. But that’s with nothing extra added in, just the smoothie as it comes. Which, to be honest, are great just like that but I know some people love all the add-ins. And girl, those add up.
The following outfits I’ve styled are $25 or under—I’ll share the cost of each item under each photo. This is including shoes & garments. The bags are either gifted or handed down from my great-grandmother. Because it doesn’t count as cost for your outfit if it was gifted. Right? At least, that’s my logic here in the interest of keeping things fierce and fashion-forward yet frugal as fuck.
First, here are a few tips on how to stretch your spare change at the thrift store:
Sign up for emails from thrift stores
When you do, you’ll be notified of any upcoming sales. Hello! Who doesn’t love a 50% off day? Although I go thrifting on days where there are no advertised sales, I love a price slash. Like, why would I want to spend $20 on something when I can wait for a sale and find things for half that? Of course, the risk is that the store will usually be packed and it could be more difficult to find what you want.
Donate clothing to get an extra percentage off
Chances are, when you donate to a thrift store, you’ll get a coupon for a certain percentage off your purchase. Goodwill is also particularly good at letting you know what’s on sale when you walk into the store. For example, the strappy white Musier dress I found was originally marked $10. However, as luck would have it, it was a red tag and on that particular day, red tags were 50% off. Score!
Go to less popular stores
Words to look out for: vintage, boutique, popular brands. Chances are, anything with that kind of vocabulary attached is going to be higher in price. Although a small unknown thrift store might seem less appealing that the ones you see time and time again on social media, you’ll usually be able to find some incredible gems that other people aren’t even bothering to look for. I’ve found plenty of DKNY, Calvin Klein, Canali, and more at stores that aren’t getting a bunch of attention on TikTok or wherever.
Be prepared to hunt
Recently I posted on Threads that I was “connecting to my most primal self (chasing the thrill of the hunt at the thrift store)” and that’s exactly what it’s all about. There are endless—and sometimes extremely chaotic—racks to browse. If you really want to look, make sure you have enough time. And some caffeine in your system. Maybe even a protein bar in your purse.
3 Thrifted Outfits to Look Like a Cutie for Less than an Erewhon Smoothie
Leopard Lover
Leopard print is a neutral. Don’t paw at me, you know it’s true. Fashion-forward and fierce, leopard goes with everything and gives a not-so-subtle roar to any outfit. If you need inspiration on how to wear this perennial print, Vogue did an article about 7 ways to wear it, inspired by fashion archives. If I weren’t concerned with keeping this look inexpensive, I’d add an oversized brown blazer on top.
Outfit details:
Leopard print minidress: Goodwill, $9
Leopard print slingbacks: Goodwill, $15
Rattan purse: gifted in my blogging days, $0
Total: $24
Florals for Spring
Groundbreaking, I know. But hear me out: these florals are adorable. I’d been looking for something floral for a while and never found a print that felt like me. This one looks like I plucked the pattern fresh from my rooftop garden. If only I could actually grow some cute flowers up there… I suck at gardening. But my styling skills make up for it in this case.
Outfit details:
Strapless floral minidress: The Council Shop, $10
Calvin Klein sandals: Angel View Thrift, $15
Beaded purse: my great-grandmother’s hand-me-down, $0
Total: $25
Parisian Coded
If you’ve been to Paris, you know that the cobblestones are murder on your pedicure. Last time I was there, I made the dire mistake of wearing wedge sandals on my first morning out. (I’m shaking my head at that version of me as I write this.) I will not make that mistake again. All that walking and wobbling along the old streets? Not chic. Next time, I’ll opt for trusty sneakers or something cute like the Charles & Keith flats I found brand-new at the thrift store. And this dress is from French muse Anne Laure Mais’s brand, Musier.
Outfit details:
Musier strappy dress: Goodwill, $5
Pointed Charles & Keith flats: Goodwill, $15
Angular Aupen purse: gifted, $0
Total: $20
Admittedly, it’s difficult to create an entire outfit for less than $25. Which is why I opted to carry gifted or hand-me-down bags. You have a couple of those in your wardrobe, right? Or maybe you have pants that were passed down to you or a top that was once your mom’s.
Another good way to get clothing on the cheap—or actually free—is to go to a clothing swap. I went to one in Venice last year and found some really cute garments. I ended up leaving with less than I brought to swap, so it actually worked out better for my closet space.
Remember: the less you spend looking like a cutie, the more you can spend on frivolous yet fruitful (haha) things like Erewhon smoothies.
Ps. Even if you have a toxic relationship with fast fashion and hate to love it or love to hate it, thrifting is the fiercest option. There’s literally a fast fashion epidemic happening at secondhand stores everywhere as we speak. So, if you really can’t live without a Fashion Nova frock or a shimmering Shein skirt, try getting it secondhand first. I promise you, it’s waiting.
—MMM
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