Spending every cent of your hard earned money on clothes just does not cut the fashion mustard any longer. As modern women, we understand the importance of being financially secure - but do we have to forgo looking fabulous to achieve this? Thankfully no! It is absolutely possible to achieve that high fashion look and still have money left over to put in the bank. All it takes is a little bit of savvy, some planning and a lot of smart shopping.

Planning, planning, planning

A well thought out wardrobe is the key to being a fashion assassin on a budget. As the season approaches, splurge on three or four iconic fashion magazines such as Vogue, InStyle, Marie Claire and Fashion Quarterly; these, ladies, are your bibles (you can also pick up on the season's trends at fashion websites such as www.fashionz.co.nz and in our very own fashion section) Once you have determined the season's key trends, go back through them and start to pick out 4-5 key pieces for your wardrobe. This winter that might be: a pencil skirt, a stand-out coat, a cropped jacket, a tunic dress and some fantastic straight leg jeans or high waisted pants. Of course, you are not looking to purchase the exact pieces you see in the magazine, but similar pieces can always be found in chain stores. Also, plan to purchase two to three basic pieces of knitwear to pair with your key pieces.

Colour

Selecting a basic colour scheme for the season is a smart move as it makes shopping easier and creates a capsule wardrobe where everything goes well together. After all, why buy a piece of clothing that will go with just one item, when you could buy something that goes with your whole wardrobe! Once you have built up a basic wardrobe around this colour theme, standout pieces can be added. This winter go for a subtle colour scheme of navy, beige, cream, grey, and black. Add stand out pieces in jewel tones such as purple and emerald green.

Take stock

Save money by looking at what you already have in your wardrobe and work out if it can translate into this season's fashion. Your summer dresses can be paired with leggings and knit-wear for a stylish winter look and last year's long jumpers will look great under a cropped jacket. Scarves and hats in neutral colours transcend the seasons and if last year's coat is a classic style then a trip to the drycleaners might rejuvenate it for this season.

To save money on buying jeans and trousers, take your old boot-cut jeans and pants to your local tailor and have the leg reshaped into this season's skinny style. It will cost you about $30 and the results are amazing. The same goes for A-line skirts - ask your tailor about re-shaping them to a pencil silhouette.

Let's go shopping!

Once you have planned your wardrobe and colour scheme, it is time to get savvy and go shopping. You need to realise, that with careful planning and the purchase of the right pieces, a chain store wardrobe can look just as great as a designer one. Give yourself a budget for the key pieces and a budget for basics (it is a good idea to make an agreement with yourself that once the available money is gone, it's gone). It is also good to get into the mind set that you will not spend, say, over $150 for a key piece and over $50 for a basic piece.

Great places to shop

Farmers has done a huge overhaul in the fashion stakes recently and it is now a great one stop shop. Their pencil skirts this season are a fantastic cut and retail for around $40. They have a great selection of high fashion handbag styles in the $40-$50 range and a hosiery section in which you could browse for hours.

Valley Girl (Lynn Mall and Sylvia Park in Auckland) is full of up to the minute fashion for amazing prices. Pick up great dresses for around $40 that are super stylish, and cropped jackets that every one will comment on. This is one shop that a fashionista on a budget cannot afford to miss!

Glassons has a fantastic range of beautiful wool coats in great colours this season for around $100. Pick up fantastic merino separates such as skivvies and scoop neck jumpers for under $30 that will look great with your key pieces - i.e. under a tunic dress or paired with a cropped jacket, skinny jeans and flats. Their grey pinafore dress with pockets is too cute for words, and at only $29.95 it is a steal and a great key piece!

Number 1 Shoe Warehouse will save you hundreds! Why buy one pair of shoes when you could get three for the same price at Number 1? They have a great selection of heels and flats that are priced between $30 and $40. And we all know that a pair of high heels adds instant glamour to any outfit. Grab a plain pair and customise them yourself with a velvet ribbon or some large, flat, oval beads.

Also try:

Portmans - for knitwear, cropped jackets and accessories

Cotton On - for cheap, chic separates and great colored tights.

Supre - for great dresses to team with your winter basics.

Ezibuy - for high waisted skirts, great dresses and high fashion jackets.

Savemart - for just about anything!

Accessories

Adding trendy accessories is a cheap way to look like a princess on a working girls budget. You can pick up great bags in the latest colours and styles from Glassons, Valley Girl and Portmans. Scarves can transform an outfit - throw a patterned silk scarf around your neck to instantly update an outfit. Jewellery is an exception here - buying cheap pieces may save you money upfront, but it is not made to a long lasting quality, often breaking or tarnishing, and the cost of buying it can really add up. You will save more money in the long run by saving to buy quality pieces that will last for years.

A smart woman is a smart shopper. If you plan your wardrobe carefully and shop smart at the right places it is not hard to be fabulous - both fashionably and financially!

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