As a mom who embraces the frugal lifestyle, I’ve spent a lot of my time perfecting the craft of staying stylish without breaking the bank. Not only have I gone through trial and error perfecting my one method of remaining fashionable, but I have also taken the initiative in my husband’s journey through understanding frugal male fashion strategies. In this guide I will focus on the importance of allowing yourself to remain fashionable while still adhering to the terms of a frugal lifestyle so that not only your family is thanking you, but you will be thanking yourself.
Understanding Frugal Fashion Fundamentals
In order to properly adapt an understanding of frugal male fashion, it is important to recognize what you gain from obtaining this lifestyle. These fundamentals not only allow you to save money (which has its own benefits especially in today’s economic climate), but it also forces you to accelerate your understanding of male fashion. These two benefits combine to make you a father who not only leverages his choices for the betterment of his family, but also is smart enough to not have to sacrifice a sense of individuality in return. Even if male fashion isn’t important to you personally I promise guys that your significant other will thank you for years to come once you adapt these core principles.
Some of the most common misconceptions that come with the phrase “Frugal Male Fashion” are easily debunked once you approach the concept in an educated manner. Most people hear this phrase and respond in their head with something like “You must be sacrificing quality, time, or value in order to be frugal”. While there are some merit to these claims, this only comes once you realize that not everyone has a successful strategy. The truth is with the right amount of information and a genuine desire to have commendable style, you can easily outshine the people who choose to spend hundreds to thousands each year at big box retailers.
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Principle 1: Making The Most Of Your Essentials
Before we get into where to buy new clothes, it’s key that you can make proper use of what you have on hand. Odds are that you have a collection of generic shirts and pants alongside whatever else is collecting dust in your closet. If for some reason you don’t have a good collection of generic shirts I would highly recommend checking out the Amazon Essentials Collection of shirts and picking out a few colors such as black, white, navy blue, and whatever else you see fit as a start to your journey. Now that you have a few generic shirts and pants, styling will be the name of the game. Take advantage of resources like pinterest and find ways to experiment with the articles of clothing you have grown accustomed to. See how it looks on you to tuck in the sports tee you have or leave your favorite dress shirt unbuttoned. It is crucial that you have the ability to impress with your current wardrobe in order to make use of the principles following this one.
Another way to make use of your current wardrobe is stepping into your D.I.Y mindset. Take a look at your forgotten pieces and see what you can make out of it. This is another way in which pinterst can be a valuable resource. You don’t need to be a fashion designer to make use of forgotten clothes; make use of things like dyes, scissors, bleach, and whatever else you can do to be creative. Understanding how to max out what you have on hand will make every other aspect of mastering frugal male fashion that much easier.
Principle 2: Don’t Be Afraid To Thrift
The key to making the most of second hand stores is knowing what to look for and what not to look for. Choosing to prioritize the essentials will not only allow you to save tons of money in the long run but also make shopping so much easier. My rule for secondhand shopping is that you should be looking for pieces to compliment outfits you already have rather than looking to construct entirely new outfits. A good example of this would be going out of your way to find a nice cardigan from a good brand. It is very easy to get overwhelmed at these stores by the amount of options and more options makes it a lot easier to be disappointed. You can tell I am a fan of pinterest by the amount of recommendations I give but use your resources mentioned previously to find these complimentary pieces that you desire. You can definitely utilize the thrift store as much as you feel comfortable but I feel it is good not to simply think of the thrift store as your end all be all solution to frugal fashion. It is very easy to pick up a large amount of clothing impulsively and ultimately get tired, having the wrong mindset can easily cause you to waste money in places that should be saving you. My favorite things to get my husband at the thrift store include pieces like: jeans, pants, button downs, sweaters, cardigans, and even suit jackets and ties. Honestly the thrift store is one of my favorite places to get high end elegant attire. Utilize the thrift store in whatever way you feel comfortable but remember there are other resources out there and in order to be properly frugal and fashionable you need to utilize each one uniquely.
This picture is from one of my favorite thrift finds that my husband has made an essential
Principle 3: Discounts And Discount Stores
This section is by far my favorite. The amount of resources available to you here should be able to replace any consumerist fix you may have for the retail shopping experience. Not only do big box retailers offer deals that can be passed on, but making use of discount stores that work year round will have you filling up your wardrobe without having to justify your choices to your wallet.
If you want the higher end options while also getting the mall experience, go out of your way to find an outlet mall. These stores sell out of season clothes that are phased out of the main branch at a massive discount. Here in Tampa I have access to a Ralph Lauren outlet store and pieces that would go for upwards of $500 dollars consistently sell anywhere from $30-$100 dollars. These stores should act as a guilty pleasure considering you have mastered all of the previous principles of frugal male fashion. This is the place that you take your family when they want to go to the mall rather than taking them to big box retail malls.
Alongside the outlet malls you also need to be familiar with all of your discount stores available to you. I’m sure if you have a significant other you have heard of names like: T.J Maxx, Ross, or Marshalls, but have you ever checked out the mens section? Not only do these stores offer a wide amount of options at a low cost, but there is a way higher chance of good options for men since most shoppers happen to be women. These places are also a great source for accessories like fragrances, haircare, electronics, hats, socks, and a whole lot more. Plus while you are there you can easily pick out a gift that your significant other is sure to enjoy.
Conclusion
In the realm of mastering frugal male fashion, it can be very easy to get lost and abandon the mission all together. But by adhering to the principles of this guide not only will you spend no more than you need to, but your sense of style and identity will have the chance to shine in a way you would have never thought was possible. Hopefully this guide has made you excited about reshifting your mindset and impressing your loved ones as you finally learn to step into yourself.