There’s been a lot of coverage recently about the credit crunch affecting everything from food to petrol prices, but what about the effect on your wardrobe?

Trivial I hear you reply, but actually in these quite depressing times, a little clear up in your closet and reinventionof pieces you had forgotten; can actually save you money in the long run and make you feel better about yourself.

It’s ever so tempting to run into Primark on a daily basis and grab anything off the rails that looks remotely fashionable, but once your fix has worn off like a cheap sugar rush, you’re left with something that will not last beyond the next fashion season.

The triumph of Primark also happens to be its Achilles heel; particularly in relation to how their products are made and the potential backlash that they may face because of it. We’re all guilty of
hitting the shop for a cheap fashion fix, be it shoes; accessories or those ‘must have’ jeans. The initial effect of this fashion splurge is utter elation, because you’ve secured a whole new wardrobe for a rock
bottom price, and still have the power to dazzle for a fraction of the cost.

But what about the comedown? That inevitable crash you experience after every high, when you see half the population wearing what you thought was an exclusive find. Or when you find things aren’t quite the quality you expected, it unavoidably makes you feel like you’ve wasted money rather than invested it.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of fast fashion and I think the high street has done a great job making women feel like they’re wearing designer labels, without the accompanying mortgage loan to pay for it. But something has to give sooner or later, and if this credit crunch is going to teach us anything, it’s how to shop within our means and how to look damn stylish in doing so.

So first of all, as boring as it may sound, invest in key pieces; this is a classic way to save money and still look good. A smart pair of tailored trousers, a selection of skirts (a-line, mini and full), a trendy trench coat and a fitted blouse are all looks that will never go out of style, no matter how you wear them.

The key is to accessorise with a clever waist-clinching belt, a heavy pendant necklace, chunky bangles or even a supersized or mini clutch; the choice is yours. Another great way to beat the crunch is to reorganise your wardrobe; simple, yet effective.

As soon as you start rummaging through all your old clothes, you will realise just how much stuff you have. It’s so easy to forget the amount of items we accumulate in a year and most of it thankfully, is still wearable on a daily basis.

Even raiding the vintage haunts and charity shops on the weekend has now become a classy way to shop, thanks to the likes of Sienna Miller and Aygness Deyn, who have championed the quirky and off-beat look from the start.

The hard fact is, we can’t control the rising costs of living in Britain, but at least we can go some way to facing ‘the crunch’ face on, looking nothing less than fabulous.

by Laura Terry