by Jessica Fayth

Created on: February 21, 2008

Is it possible to be fashionable without going for broke? The answer is yes! The trick is known as being chic and cheap. Fashion is not a luxury for the few; it is available to all. There are numerous ways to dress in stylish clothes with fabulous accessories on a budget.

Department stores are not out of your reach. In fact, they are quite economical. Macy's, Bloomingdales, Lord and Taylor, etc. offer great deals on very fashionable clothing. These stores have great sales with clothing marked anywhere from 10% to 70% off. I once scored a dress for $20.00 that was supposed to be $275.00. It was on the clearance rack by mistake and not ticketed. The manager gave me the clearance rack price. The best part about shopping in a department store is that there is almost always a coupon available to save even more money. Coupons are great money savers. You can find such coupons in newspapers, on the internet, in magazines and even at the actual department store.

Internet shopping is also a great way to shop frugally, yet fabulously. Ebay.com has both vintage and non-used articles of clothing for sale as well as handbags, jewelry, and shoes. You can even score a designer piece for less than half of it's retail value. I recently bought a $428.00 Coach bag for $250.00 on Ebay. If you crave designer looks but cannot afford the price tag, than check out bluefly.com. It is still expensive, but not as near as pricey as the original price. Smartbargains.com is an ideal site for bargain hunters. I once bought a handbag from their website for $39.99 that Macy's was selling for $148.00 at the same time. And the best part of internet shopping is that you can use a search engine to compare prices of the item you want with other websites selling the same item. Plus, you can almost always find a coupon code on the internet for the website you are shopping at. My favorite is retailmenot.com

Outlet stores are your friends. Just because something has been bought in an outlet does not make it bad. Outlet stores carry overstock, last season's products, and clothing and/or accessories made for the outlet. Lord and Taylor Outlet has an outlet. Coach has an outlet. Even Fendi has an outlet! You may have to travel a distance and search through the racks, but it is completely worth it. If you do not have any outlets near you, then check out Marshall's or TJ MAXX. If those stores are not nearby either, check out your local vintage shop. Someone's garbage is always another person's treasure. Styles constantly return, and vintage shops are great ways to bring an oldie back.

Lastly, Target is perfect for the fashionable shopper on a budget. Their design for all program enables the cheap and chic to be just that. A number of high fashion designers now sell collections designed just for Target. You can find a designer ensemble, complete with accessories, at your local Target. And if you have a dog, they can score some designer goods from Target too!

Being a fashionista does not mean you have to declare bankruptcy. There are countless ways to be stylish yet economical. It is important to look as good as you want to. Fashion on a low budget is just a shopping spree away.

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