Style Doctor! New look, less than $35!

I’m poor. Like... really poor. I hit the shops with a budget of $0 and 0c. It sucks. 

For those of you who know what I'm talking about, there's nothing worse than that pang of stress when an occasion arises and you need look great... and you have nothing to wear. Or you simply want to scream because you're sick of wearing the same old tired outfit again and again. 

It’s frustrating when you know your funds are limited at best. When you need to look fab, but instead you look drab.

But fear not! With a few simple changes you might be able to bring a new outfit to life. Today, I thought I would share an outfit that I've pieced together with old stuff and new stuff, coming in at just under $35au (just in time for the weekend!) 

The Outfit

I've decided to go with a dress. Normally I'm a total pants girl. Pants rule all. But this time I wanted to do something a little different. The cardie, belt and shoes are old faves that I've brought in to this outfit. I got the dress from Crossroads when trolling their winter sales, $19.95. Outfit - done. Now I only need accessories. 

Tip 1: You might be able to save money by bringing in items you already have. If you are wearing a dress that you already own, great! All you need to do is maybe buy some bling-a-ling. Small additions can make you feel like you're wearing something totally new. If you're a pants-wearing Lass, then maybe buy a new top to go with smart jeans (smart= if you're going somewhere nice, don't wear jeans with holes or washed out fabric!) 

Tip 2: How do I know what to wear? Well... where are you going? If you're going to the movies for example, keep it simple. Maybe some new bangles and even a new way of doing your hair! If you're heading out somewhere that is a bit fancy, or you're dressing to impress, doing what I've done with a mix of new and old stuff is an easy way to sharpen up.

The Bag

It's one of the new things I purchased for this look. Kmart, $12, what a bargain! The dress made from a lace material and is very soft and feminine. I adore this bag because of the studs. It gives the look a bit of an edge. 

The Bracelets 

I'm a bangle hoarder. And for one very simple reason: mix and match! Because the studs on the bag are gold, I'm matching with some gold bracelets. I've taken a bangle from one older set and mixed it with two from a new set, (Kmart $3! WOW!). I could create at least another ten looks with just these two sets of accessories. 

The Shoes

Oh beige shoe, is there nothing you cannot do? It takes a while to find the right pare of flesh-toned shoes. Quite often they look like something your Nan would buy. But once you have them they're great for many looks. I bought these about a year ago from Rubi Shoes. I think they were about $20 and they've paid for themselves many times over!

Don't forget about me!

This belt is pretty cute, no? It actually came with the dress. I've simply decided not to wear it. But don't forget about things like this in the future. Like the pink belt I'm going to wear, this little baby can be used later to re-vamp another outfit!