Far from being macabre, black nail polish is an instant mood booster for the chic fashionista. ($2.80 at Forever21.com)
1. Reheel and polish old shoes. Getting shoes reheeled averages $5 at my neighborhood cobbler which is way less than buying a new pair of boots. Now's also a good time to get out that shoe polish (I love Kiwi brand), an old rag, and polish and shine those shoes to like-new perfection. You'll be amazed at the results.
2. Tweeze your eyebrows to a perfect arch. If you don't already do this, you will discover that it is quite possibly the quickest, cheapest way to instantly open your eyes and make you look more beautiful. Just don't over-pluck. And here's a great tip: Whereas it can cost $20 to get your brows waxed at a normal salon, you can get your eyebrows threaded for just $5 at a traditional Indian or Middle Eastern salon. In Chicago, any number of salons on and around Devon Avenue provide this amazing service.
3. Lengthen your pants. Nothing looks worse than a gal who's floodin'. This is a fashion crime I see perpetrated all the time, by women of all ages. Learn how to take out the hem of your pants, or see a tailor. Again, cheaper than buying new pants and your legs will look longer, you'll look taller and just better overall.
4. Try parting your hair to the side. If you always wear your hair up, or parted down the middle, or tucked behind your ears, you will look radically better if you leave it down, and blow-dry with a chic, side-swept part. With your hairdryer pointed downwards to minimize frizz, comb hair forwards rather than backwards as you blow-dry, then sweep it to the side.
5. Use less shampoo. I'm not going to tell you to skip out on a new tube of red lipstick or bottle of black nailpolish—those are both cheap pick-me-ups that anyone can afford, even when money's tight. What I will suggest is that you can probably save money by using less of the products you currently have to stretch each bottle further. Use a quarter size amount of shampoo, wash hair every other day or try a dry shampoo to save on daily shampooing.
6. Take a walk, get some sleep. Going for a brisk walk and getting some quality Z's will go a long way in helping you look and feel refreshed. No amount of concealer can make you look good if your health is compromised. Take care of yourself, and you will see the results.
How do you stay recession-chic?
3. Lengthen your pants. Nothing looks worse than a gal who's floodin'. This is a fashion crime I see perpetrated all the time, by women of all ages. Learn how to take out the hem of your pants, or see a tailor. Again, cheaper than buying new pants and your legs will look longer, you'll look taller and just better overall.
4. Try parting your hair to the side. If you always wear your hair up, or parted down the middle, or tucked behind your ears, you will look radically better if you leave it down, and blow-dry with a chic, side-swept part. With your hairdryer pointed downwards to minimize frizz, comb hair forwards rather than backwards as you blow-dry, then sweep it to the side.
5. Use less shampoo. I'm not going to tell you to skip out on a new tube of red lipstick or bottle of black nailpolish—those are both cheap pick-me-ups that anyone can afford, even when money's tight. What I will suggest is that you can probably save money by using less of the products you currently have to stretch each bottle further. Use a quarter size amount of shampoo, wash hair every other day or try a dry shampoo to save on daily shampooing.
6. Take a walk, get some sleep. Going for a brisk walk and getting some quality Z's will go a long way in helping you look and feel refreshed. No amount of concealer can make you look good if your health is compromised. Take care of yourself, and you will see the results.
How do you stay recession-chic?
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For professional waxing/threading/etc. that won't break the bank, ask any woman of South Asian (India/Pakistan/Bangaladesh/Sri Lanka/etc.) ancestry whom you know or work with. There are quite a few ladies from this region who run waxing/threading salons from their homes. They're experts at it because everyone gets these services done in those countries, and many women train in these skills to earn extra money on the side.
In the U.S., these home-based businesses don't advertise, but are based on word-of-mouth recommendations. Their prices are lot lower than regular salons, and they do just as good a job, if not better! :o)
I just purchased at express.com 6 blouses for 5.99 each!!! Check for coupons online for more discounts!!