Being trendy in university can be extremely hard, especially with a student budget. Thinking about outfits and spending time looking stylish isn’t our first priority as students, but it can definitely boost confidence. Even though fashion isn’t necessarily everyone’s forte, it can make individuals feel more productive because when you look good, you feel good. Feeling and being your best self can improve productivity and make your life more enjoyable.
I find it difficult to dress the way I want in university since I want to be comfortable walking to and from class, but I don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on cute clothes—I’d rather buy groceries or toiletries. Most of my friends share the same dilemma I face, so here are a couple of tips and tricks on how to shop for trendy clothes on a strict budget.
The easiest thing you can do in university is online shop. But with the click of a few buttons, you’ve spent $400 on random pieces of clothing you probably won’t wear or you’ll regret buying once it comes in the mail. I know when I online shop, I’m attracted to the most impractical pieces of clothing, which happen to be “on trend.” Personally, buying pieces like this is normally the worst decision because I can never use any of it. Instead of purchasing “trending” items, I suggest looking in the basics section on websites (like Zara or Forever 21) and purchasing simple items. This may sound useless, but basics are always the base of an outfit and you can recycle the same outfit by altering small details. Basics are also a must because you can layer pieces on top of each other so you’re warm and ensure that you’re comfortable in class.
In addition to buying basics, one thing that I like to do is to purchase statement pieces that aren’t too bold and that I can wear on an everyday basis. I like to go for patterned or textured jackets because they keep you warm in class and they make the outfit look even more put together. Another statement piece you can buy is shoes. I love wearing funky sneakers with simple outfits because they make your outfit look more cool and interesting. Keep in mind, you don’t need to purchase expensive jackets or shoes, you can find a lot of brand name dupes on websites like Shein.com and Romwe.com. Websites like these offer a huge variety of dupes and statement pieces. In addition, their items are not only extremely affordable, but decent quality as well. Statement pieces are definitely a must in my eyes because they can change any outfit.
Jewelry and accessories are normally my go to way to make any outfit look more chic. I have a couple jewelry pieces that I wear everyday, but to make my outfit more interesting, I’ll wear cool earrings, like hoops or ear climbers. Hoops are very trendy right now and they give any outfit a cooler vibe. I’m also a huge fan of layering bracelets. I have 4 or 5 silver bracelets I wear on each wrist and it gives the illusion that I spent a lot on my jewelry and my outfit in general. I find that when I wear one expensive item with the rest of my jewelry, it makes everything else look high end too. Personally, I prefer wearing solid metals and, when I layer my silver or rose gold pieces, it boosts my entire outfit and makes it look super high end even though I spent very little money on it. Some places you can find affordable jewelry on are Forever21, Shein, Mantraband, and Aliexpress. In particular, Shein.com and Aliexpress are places where I can always find cheap jewelry. Aliexpress always has “trending” jewelry and dupes for high end pieces. Though these websites take a little longer to ship, the quality of the items are worth the time.
The last aspect that truly shapes my outfit is my hair. I find that different hairstyles give very different vibes and I love playing around with various styles. My favourite style at the moment is straightening my hair and putting it into a sleek low pony/bun. This looks even more chic when wearing hoops. I genuinely feel more chic when I style this look because it’s very high end and it’s seen in a lot of fashion shows and ads for high quality brands. I also like to straighten my hair and put it in a half-up-half-down bun. It keeps my hair out of my face and it simply looks cute. Hairstyles seem like they take forever, but these ones are effortless and they’re pretty easy to pull off.
Those are some of my tips and tricks for appearing trendier on a budget. This is what I normally do, however fashion is what you make of it and anything can be trendy if you work it with confidence. If you want to see some of my affordable outfits, feel free to follow my fashion page!
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