"No matter how strategically you shop or how meticulously you curate your closet, you’ll inevitably have phases in your life that leave you yearning to refresh your wardrobe. Whether it’s boredom from wearing the same outfits on repeat, a life change inspiring you to shake things up (hello, resolutions!), or a desire to reinvent your style, I get it: You want to refresh your wardrobe to reflect who you want to be in 2025, but don’t want to break the bank while getting it there.
It’s true: Refreshing your aesthetic can be a daunting and seemingly expensive task. It’s a little too easy to get carried away, throwing item after item into your online shopping cart to go along with the vision of you that’s come with your 2025 mood board. These seven budget-friendly shopping tips will help you update your wardrobe for the new year, without blowing your savings resolutions in the meantime.
How to Refresh Your Wardrobe on a Budget
1. Start with a wardrobe purge
Believe it or not, the first step in freshening up your wardrobe doesn’t actually involve adding a single thing to your closet. Instead, the first thing you should do is purge your closet and dresser drawers of everything that no longer brings you joy. If you’re unsure as to whether or not a piece “sparks joy,” then ask yourself these questions: Is it too big or too small? Does it no longer fit your taste? Does it diminish your confidence when you wear it? If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, then add the piece to your donation pile.
By getting rid of the filler items that you no longer love, you’ll give your closet and dresser some much-needed room to breathe. This means you’ll have a better visual of the pieces you actually do love, which may even inspire you to try new outfit combinations. Put it this way: No one ever walked away from a closet cleanout without feeling refreshed.
2. Create a budget
This may sound obvious, but when refreshing your wardrobe on a budget, it’s important that you actually have a budget to work with. While many of us probably have a vague idea as to how much we should (or shouldn’t) be spending on clothing, shoes, and accessories, there are probably also many of us who do not actually have a physical budget to keep us accountable. Take your income and expenses into consideration and decide how much money per pay period you can realistically put toward revamping your wardrobe before you make any purchases.
3. Replace a few key pieces
Before you make grand plans to donate and replace every single item in your closet, take a step back and form a strategy. The key to making a difference in your wardrobe without going overboard on spending is refreshing key pieces that can be styled a number of ways. For example, do you have a white button-up you don’t reach for because you don’t like how it fits? Prioritize investing in new one that you know you’ll get more wear out of.
4. Take advantage of thrifting
If you think thrifting isn’t your cup of tea, let this be your sign to give it another try. Spending an afternoon sifting through your local thrift store can lead you to high-quality pieces for a fraction of the price you’d pay if you got them new. You can also scour sites like Poshmark, ThredUp, and Depop if you’d prefer thrifting from the comfort of your couch.
5. Give yourself 48 hours before you make a purchase
Don’t allow spur-of-the-moment purchases on things you only kind of like eat up your clothing budget. Instead, spend money on items you really love. If you do most of your shopping online—these days, who doesn’t?—consider adding items to your shopping cart and waiting at least 48 hours before purchasing. Sometimes, if you give yourself some breathing room between initial sighting and final purchase, you realize you don’t love or “need” an item as much as you initially thought.
6. Shop sales when you can
It goes without saying that sales are a great way to save on new clothing pieces. Most retailers have sales around the holidays and during seasonal transitions, so keep an eye out for pieces on your wish list during those times. Try to stay away from final sale items, though, as they risk adding more pieces to your closet that are ill-fitting or not quite what you were looking for.
7. Keep your goals in mind
There are any number of factors that can be driving your urge to hit “refresh” on your style. Figure out what that reason may be and use it as a guide as you purge and restock. While it’s easy to get sucked into wanting to try every trend, aesthetic, and outfit formula there is, be realistic and consider what your goals are. There’s truth to metaphorically dressing for the job you want; presenting as the person you want to be can trick your mind into avoiding the imposter syndrome that might come with big life changes.
If you’ve recently been promoted at work and want to dress for your new role, focus on what kind of image and vibe you’re hoping to create and work from there. Someone looking to add more professionalism to their wardrobe may consider investing in a versatile blazer, an office-ready dress, and a pair of go-to day heels; if you’re someone who used to work in an office but now work from home, you may consider swapping out your power suits for clothing that’s better suited for days spent over Zoom. Figure out what you really need, then go from there.
Emilee Janitz, Contributing Fashion Writer
Emilee is a communications strategist and lifestyle journalist with an M.S. in Public Relations from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She currently works on the content team at Enterprise SEO company Terakeet where she creates and executes reputation management strategies for Fortune 500 companies and their executives. Beyond The Everygirl, Emilee’s work has been featured on POPSUGAR, MSN, and Yahoo.