Kad’s Korner: $30 Outfit

If Style-On-A-Dime sounds like an oxymoron or something out of a science fiction movie to you, then read on: I’m here to help. My epic includes a journey around town to hunt down the best deals, all in search of the $30 outfit.

My outfit consists of:

H&M dress- $6.95

XXI Necklace-$7.80

Target Shoes- $11.88

Target Bag- $3.00

TOTAL: $29.63

I was left with an entire 37 cents to use for my own leisure! I bought a blow pop.

This total is before tax.

I found the bag first in the dollar section at the front of the store at the Ward Parkway Target. This became the inspiration for the outfit.

Next I stumbled into the dress at H&M. It was marked down, and on a clearance rack. The original price was $30!

I decided the outfit needed a statement necklace to operate as the eye-catcher. I found the right necklace for the job at Forever XXI. They have lots of cheap statement necklaces for below $15.00; I was stoked when I found this one for less than $8.00!

The shoes were a bit of a let down in my bargain hunting. I went to Target once more to wrap up the outfit with some sweet kicks. The turquoise is a necessary pop of color, and the silver trim gave the look a trendier mixed metal feel with the gold necklace. That being said, they were a bit of a splurge for $11.88.

My bargain hunting tips to you:

First and foremost – Don’t Give Up!

I found several other shoes I liked at Target for six or seven dollars, but they weren’t in the right color or size. That doesn’t mean you can’t get lucky. Clearance items are a hit or miss. Do some clearance rack excavating before you decide to splurge. I also went back to the store a week later to see if the shoes I had bought had been marked down more, or if anything else had surfaced.

Second – Dig! Dig! Dig!

The dress I found was tucked away in a corner, but I dug it out of the grave and resurrected it. Don’t be turned off by a messy clearance section. The dress I bought was pretty wrinkled, given the material it is made of, and was all jumbled up with other sizes. A smart shopper can see past this. Try to gather a vision for what potential a garment may hold.

Third – Remember: there’s a “gain” in “bargain”

Be selective. Be weary of making poor purchasing choices by buying something just because it’s on sale. Consider the quality of the item you’re buying: is the quality reflected in the price? Is it something that you will add to your wardrobe? Be honest with yourself. A wise Urban Outfitter’s employee once offered a friend of mine a piece of advice. If you wouldn’t want it full price then don’t buy it on sale.

And of course, good luck!