Shop Your Closet

Have you ever gone shopping and saw this fabulous dress or outfit that you would just love to have but it was a bit out of your price range? That happens to me all the time, haha.

Unfortunately, I don't have an unlimited budget for clothing, and even though I don't officially have a set amount that I allow myself to spend on clothes each month, I try to keep it under a certain amount. If something is a great deal, then I will generally snatch it up.  However, if it is a little more than I want to/should spend, I will try to keep an eye on it and wait for it to go on sale.  Another option is to try to recreate something similar with what you have in your own closet!

This happened to me recently ~ I saw this cool Cynthia Steffe dress at Nordstrom in December and really wanted to buy it, but when I saw the price tag I decided to wait and see if it would go on sale.  I've checked online from time to time, but here it is almost 3 months later, and it is still at full price.  One morning when I was figuring out to wear it dawned on me ~ I had all of the pieces in my closet to create a similar look!

The Cynthia Steffe Ruffled Peplum Dress from Nordstrom

My interpretation

The best part about the outfit I put together is that it is totally customizable!  I can wear it without the long sleeve shirt underneath for a sleeveless look or even swap out the skirt for black pants!  (See how I styled the peplum top another way here.)  So not only did I save money by shopping my own closet, I have more outfit options!  That's a win~win in my book! :)

That's one of my favorite things about Pinterest ~ there are so many outfit inspirations out there that you can use to shop your own closet and give new life to the clothes you already own.  And don't be afraid to mix it up a little if you don't have exactly the same thing as your Pinterest (or other) inspiration.  For example, if the inspiration photo has a plain top and striped skirt but you have a plain skirt and striped top, give those a try.  Or if you have the same issue with the colors, as in the inspiration photo has a navy cardigan and yellow pants, but you have a yellow cardigan and navy pants, then give those a try too.  Many times you can use the inspiration photos for the color combinations even if you don't necessarily like the actual outfit.  I hope these tips have helped give you new ideas when it comes to shopping your own closet!

If you're on Pinterest, you can follow me here.  And if you're not, you have no idea what you are missing!  You need to check it out! :)

What I'm Wearing
Inspiration ~ Cynthia Steffe
Long Sleeve Shirt ~ Limited
Peplum Top ~ WHBM
Skirt ~ Limited, similar
Belt ~ WHBM
Earrings ~ Juicy Couture, similar
Shoes ~ WHBM, similar here and here
Clutch ~ Banana Republic