Upgrade Your Wardrobe on the Cheap

Whether you’re going on a first-date, walking into an interview, hitting the club, or going to a family function, dressing well makes you stand out. It boosts people’s perception of your own confidence, and instantly garners credibility and respect amongst your peers. Whether its attention to detail, congruency, or simply how old your clothes are, people often relate the way you dress to the way you treat yourself, and others.

You may want to dress well, but a crewneck sweater on the inside cover of GQ may cost $350 and then some. And although we’d all like to have the wardrobe of J. Cole, for those of us still up and coming, there has to be an alternative to dropping $500 on a pair of jeans. Fortunately, upgrading your wardrobe without breaking the bank isn’t as difficult as you might think. Follow these three easy steps, and feel as good about the way you look, as you do the cash in your pocket.

Buy a Scarf

Scarves are a great upgrade for three reasons. You can wear them casual. You can wear them with dress wear. And they keep you warm. They can be worn with anything from a tee shirt to a pea coat and everything in between. It’ll instantly add class to your look, and a good gray scarf can be purchased for anywhere from $7 (on sale at WoolOvers) to $70 (at Banana Republic).

When it’s cold out but you don’t want to bring your jacket to the club? Wear a scarf. When it’s -20 degrees out and you need an extra layer? Scarf. But beyond function, the simple act of adding a scarf to your wardrobe adds a quick edge to any shirt or jacket you’re wearing. Try dressing your tee-shirt or black V-neck up with a gray scarf. You can do the same with a suit.

Upgrade those Sneakers

Whether it’s casual or dress wear, upgrading your shoes makes your get-up look better. And yes, we understand there’s a time and place for sneakers and dress shoes. So we wrote tips for both. Want to keep it casual? Check out the New York brand CRTTRS and give your sneakers an upgrade. Swap out those old laces and instantly add an edge to your look. Whether you’re hitting the club or the court, upgrading your laces give your shoes an all new look, and all new class. Need to dress up? Get yourself a pair of Oxford’s on Amazon for under $100. You can’t go wrong with brown or black, and you can easily match them with most pants. You can dress them up, or down, and they can be worn with jeans, chinos, suits, or slacks. Keep them well-polished to make them last.

Shop Fitted Jeans and Shirts

If you’ve never purchased fitted clothing before, then you might not know this secret. People who do wear fitted clothing, can tell you don’t. If you’re a tall guy like me, you’ve grown accustomed to buying shirts that are just a little too short. And other people know it. Fortunately for those of us that run into this problem there are now direct-to-consumer businesses who cut out the middle men, enabling them to sell high-quality products at reasonable prices. MTailor is one of many brands entering this market, where you can buy custom fitted jeans and shirts for under $100. No more jeans that are too tight in the thigh, or are too bulky when worn with a pair of dress shoes. Not only will your clothes look better, they’ll feel better too.

We hope these insights serve an easy-to-follow guide for dressing well without leaving holes in your pocket. Remember to subscribe to our site, and receive BroTalk updates, curated news, advice, and insights delivered straight to your inbox.