Written by Menswear Style in Tips & Advice on the 18th November 2019

If you’re a fan of men’s fashion but you don’t want to spend a fortune on your wardrobe, this guide can help you. Building an amazing wardrobe doesn’t have to be something that costs a lot of money. You don’t need to own the latest designer brands to have style or become known as a fashionista. Below, you’ll find 11 ways you can begin to build your own incredible clothing collection without going broke:

Avoid Dressing Like Everybody Else 

If you have an Instagram account you probably see a lot of influencers dressing in a way that looks very similar to one another. If you want to build an incredible wardrobe, then you should focus on your own personal style and how to develop it. If you get into the habit of copying outfits from influencers you’ll likely spend way more than you need to on clothes - and a lot of those clothes will be ‘fast fashion’, which is terrible for the environment as they quickly end up in landfills.

Find Unique Fashion Icons 

Instead of copying other guys, see if you can find your own unique fashion icons from the current day or history. You might choose celebrities that you admire. Maybe you love Johnny Depp and Harry Styles’ looks, or perhaps you prefer the laid back but polished look of Steve McQueen. When you find unique fashion icons you can see what you truly like about the way they dress and apply this to your own style. You don’t necessarily need a fashion icon for this to work, but you should have a good idea of what has worked for you in the past and what doesn’t work for you. Ask yourself the following questions: 

- What are my favourite outfits? 

- Why did I love these outfits so much?  

- What outfits haven’t worked for me and why? 

In every outfit you wear you should feel your best. You may realise that although you like the way an item or material looks on somebody else, you don’t like it on yourself. You need to work hard to define your own personal style and use that when you shop for clothes. 

Shop In Thrift Stores 

Thrift and vintage stores are awesome places to find your clothes. You will save a ton of money this way, and you’ll be able to find high quality pieces for a fraction of the price (if you search long enough). You might find rare vintage items, or newer items that would have cost a fortune had you bought them new. Don’t turn your nose up at second-hand or vintage stores until you’ve tried them - they could bring a whole new element to your look.

Make Your Own Clothes  

Making your own clothes might sound like a stretch, but there’s a lot you can do - even if you use old clothes. You could turn a pair of jeans into a nice pair of shorts, for example. You could even pay a seamstress to create or alter something for you. This is a great way to make the most of what you’ve got, save the planet, and enjoy your favourite garments for longer. 

Create A Capsule Wardrobe  

Consider creating a capsule wardrobe. This means building a wardrobe where you can pair pretty much everything with everything else. You can do this by doing the following: 

- Coming up with a colour palette that suits you best 

- Figuring out where the gaps are in your wardrobe garments 

- Using things until they are unusable (have holes in them, rip, stains etc.) 

- Knowing the materials and styles that you love 

Having a capsule wardrobe is smart - you’ll spend much less time getting dressed in the morning, be able to pair most of your items with other things you own, and you won’t need to shop nearly as much. Many people who are addicted to clothes shopping don’t shop because they need clothes, but because they want the dopamine hit that comes with buying something new. If it gets particularly difficult, they may end up looking for loans without guarantors to cover their habit. You don’t want to put yourself in a difficult situation for a new wardrobe, so be smart.

Buy Used 

Search Facebook marketplace and sites like Depop or Thrift+ to see what used items are on there. You might find something you were going to buy new for a fraction of the price. There's a reason the second-hand clothing industry is growing rapidly right now. 

Only Buy Pieces That You Need 

Never go shopping for clothes with the idea of ‘just browsing’. This is a guaranteed way to end up buying things you don't need and spending money that you don’t have. By vowing to only ever buy pieces you need, you’ll be forced to think more carefully about the items you buy. This also means that you can spend a little more, knowing that the item will serve you well. You won’t need to replace a high quality item nearly as quickly as a low quality item. 

Know How To Spot High/Low Quality Clothes  

Make sure you get a feel for high and low quality materials so you can spot something that will last you. If something is cheap, ask yourself why. This doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad purchase, but you should know what to look for.

Have Your Clothes Altered 

If you have clothes that no longer fit or are damaged, consider having them altered or fixed at websites such as Clothes Doctor. You could also buy clothes that are too big for you from thrift stores if they are a great deal and have them sized down to fit you. Get a little creative! 

Don’t Forget About Your Accessories 

Accessories make a huge difference to just about any outfit. Have a selection of belts, watches, and any other pieces you might like to wear. They can make the same outfit look slightly different drastically. It's a clever trick stylists use.

Master The Art Of Layering 

By mastering the art of layering, you will be able to make the most of what you have throughout the year. You will be able to wear summer clothes during winter, and maybe even vice versa. It’s all about getting creative and learning to style yourself!

With tips such as Make Your Own Clothes and Create A Capsule Wardrobe, this blog post features 11 Ways to Build an Incredible Wardrobe Without Going Broke.