FOCAL POINT STYLING: HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR FALL WARDROBE HAUL

The end of Summer is near, and so too is Fall. Yes I love interior styling and design, but deep down inside, I'm still a fashionista at heart. While fashion lovers may be swooning over perfectly styled September issues, Fall runway shows or even online editorials, our wallets may be shrinking in fear of the hits that may be coming to our budget. How can your wardrobe stay current, classic and on trend without breaking the bank? These Fall Haul wardrobe styling tips can show you how.

My Sister's Closet Fall Reveal - August 23

1. Create Your Own "Look-Book"
Whether you create a hand held notebook of tear-outs from actual printed magazines, or save paper and create a style board on Pinterest, pulling together the seasonal colors, patterns, textures that appeal to you can be a huge help. Why? Because it will help keep you focused. Just because mini-skirts are trending this Fall, it may not be the right look for you - but long skirts are. When you create your own look-book, you'll notice the repetition of a style you're drawn to. The next task to do after creating your wardrobe style look-book is to shop, organize, and clean out your closet.

Ann Taylor (boyfriend jeans) Denim Styling Tips

Fall Trend: Cognac & Tobacco leathers

Fall Trend: Torn Denim & Heels

15 Fall Trends to consider for your Style Look-Book

- Blazer (especially double breasted)
- Cardigans- softer layering essential
- Turtleneck sweater
- Chiffon (sheer) blouse for layering
- Fringe - just not on everything or all at once: pick your poison: ex: a great handbag
- Prints: Plaid:Tartan, Glen plaid - Animal Prints: Leopard, Python
- Shirtdress - also great for wearing open layered with tunic and leggings
- Black leather details - from trim to leather skirt or pants
- Skirts: Long, full, pleated or drop waist pleated knee-length skirt
- Cognac or Tobacco Leather: Handbag, boots, shoes
- Key colors: Traditional: navy, burgundy, mustard PLUS: greys, browns, blacks and winter whites
- Brown is the new black - but black is still a strong key essential this Fall & pairs great with brown
- Cross-body bags & bucket bags give your forearm a rest, but satchels & totes are still going strong
- Palazzo or wide legged pants (great maxi alternative)
- Denim - especially relaxed (boyfriend), bootcut (great to balance the butt!) or torn denim (just save the uber-crazy tears for your daughter)

Fall Trend: Fringe - Add this hot trend whether it's High like the YSL Fringe Bucket Bag or Gucci's Bamboo Handle Tote - or Low as as H&M's fringe bag for only $30.

Fall Trend: Edgy looks with Leather details & Deep side-parts.

2. Shop, Organize, and Clean Out Your Closet
After you've surveyed and scoped out what the "it" styles are for Fall, hit your closet. Look for those hidden gems you may already have. While you're at it, take the time to actually try on clothing you've been "hanging onto" - whether for nostalgia purposes or because "one day" you 'think' you may wear again. Chances are, if it's been four or more years, your lifestyle, your career or even your location (or body) have changed. By trying on these items, you'll see they either no longer fit your body or your lifestyle.

Dust off last years boots, heels or bags. Some styles can still work for this year. Sometimes, just bringing in these fall faves to your local shoe repair can help get them cleaned up (even repair a purse strap!) at a fraction of the cost of what buying all new could amount to.

Of these better items you clear out, collect the better items and take to your local consignment shop. By doing this closet edit, you'll again keep focused on what you truly need for your Fall wardrobe update while avoid buying duplicates of items you already have.

Keep the floor neat beneath your feet!

3. Sell & Shop Consignment
Gathering the best of your closet purge to take to consignment can help build up funds towards new purchases to refresh and update your existing wardrobe. Although they may not take everything all at one location or chain, another nearby location might - and it's worth it. Consigning clothing is so much more productive and easier to do than to pull together a garage sale. To help sell your items to the consignment stores itself, make sure items are looking their best with these Consignment Tips:

Material Wrld image.

- Hang all items you're going to sell vs. bringing in a laundry basket of wrinkled cast-offs.
- Make sure items are CLEAN - even if washed but hanging for a year or two, spritz with Febreze.
- Check & remove wrinkles (especially of folded items now hanging like sweaters or tees).
- Check for pills (annoying fur balls on sweaters, knits and wool): Tip: These can be removed with a shaving razor.
- Check for white deodorant marks (it happens: you try something on and change your mind) Tip: Easy to remove by rubbing fabric from the bottom of the item to (light) mark - afterwards, dust off with hand.
- Check pockets in clothing & handbags - You may discover a dollar bill, an old ID, a credit card, or a receipt with your credit info.
- Clean up shoes with leather moisturizer or Goo-Off. Goo-Off works great to bring back a shine to patent and also remove price stickers or label sticker residue.
- Bring in Fall / Winter items to consign now - Save your better Spring / Summer items to consign later in January.
- Recycle dry-cleaner hangers to hang your consignment items on. By doing this you'll help save giving away your skinny hangers. If you do bring in items with your skinny hangers and you'd like them back, be sure to ask the shop to please switch-out your skinnies to their store hangers for items they do select.

Consignment is said to be more value than thrift. Sell at and Shop online consignment stores such as Tradesy and Material Wrld (who has partnered with Dress For Success!) Read more at MaterialWrld.com

Whatever ever items aren't up to par for consignment, donate to your local charity or thrift store. Some thrift stores even offer an incentive to donate by giving you back a dollar or percent off your next purchase with them (for example: Savers Thrift Stores). And some donation to charities can not only help put the community to work by providing jobs, but other charity thrift donations (for example: My Sister's Charity Thrift in Chandler store's profit is going to Fresh Start Women’s Foundation and animal organizations, such as the Arizona Humane Society and HALO Animal Rescue. Read more at Help a Good Cause and Save Money on abc15.com.

50% Off - Saturday August 23 - Goodwill - Central Arizona

Give back while you shop plus receive 20% off at Kendra Scott in Scottsdale, Saturday, August 23.

3. Time To Shop
Now that you've got your Fall wardrobe shopping list ready (from creating your style look-book), and you've shopped, edited and purged from your own closet, it's time to shop - but where? While you can shop some of the end of season progressive sales happening at your local consignment shops (great to save on key pieces such as a denim jacket or black bottoms - especially skirts), also be sure to visit some of your favorite specialty stores end of season deals too. Many specialty store have not only marked down spring / summer items, but on the weekends, they usually also offer additional savings from 30% - 60% off the markdown price. This can help you save on jeans, jewelry, scarves, blazers or tops.

Besides shopping specialty stores for end of season deals (and department stores too: Dillards is an excellent source for deals on better fashion jewelry!), also be sure to check out thrift stores such as church thrift, charity thrift, and thrift chains such as Savers or Goodwill. Even local chains, for example in NYC: Housing Works Thrift Stores offer amazing deals to its loyal shoppers with special promos such as these:

- Dollar Days at Goodwill (specific color tag on Thursdays are just $1)
- 50% off Saturdays (every-other Saturday at Goodwill AZ)
- Extra 20% off your entire purchase - monthly email coupon from Goodwill
- Extra 30% off Stamp Card at Savers
- $3 off Coupon - received when you donate
- Buy the Bag Deals - Housing Works Thrift Specials - watch for via their social media on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

Gird your loins NYC thrifters!! Housing Works thrift Shops will have their "Best of Fall" event August 30 - September 23!

Now that you've shopped end of season sales at specialty stores plus saved a few more dollars shopping thrift specials, head back to your consignment shop to check your balance on what you've sold - you could be surprised to find free money from your closet has has totaled from $10 - $100 or more (depending on the labels you've consigned). These funds can go towards your 'new-to-you' finds within their store - from a fab new cocktail dress for holiday parties or a splurge on that signature or statement bag you've been wanting. Consignment stores are usually selling relevant, current, on trend merchandise at a fraction of what big box retailers are selling for - and some items are actually new (you know you too have items in your closet you've bought and never worn).

And within all this fabulous Fall Haul swapping and shopping, you can feel good about helping the planet from these items ending up in a landfill, plus we're all helping each other save and create our own signature style - without busting the budget or breaking the bank.

Mega score: housing Works Thrift Buy the bag Event - 27 name-brand pieces for $25!!

Tip for extra seasonal savings: Shop end of season now - save for next spring / summer + everyday key items!

Second-hand Style tips to keep in mind when shopping thrift or consignment:

- Stay focused on what you're looking for - If it's clothing, don't go wander off into the home section.
- Most thrift stores merchandise by size and by category (Jeans, Jackets, Tanks, Long Sleeve, etc.) and also by color.
- If you're looking for something particular (for example a burgundy cardigan or black turtleneck), be sure to look through the next size up and ignore the size marked. Not all secondhand finds are true to size, especially after the cleaning care previous person applied - items do shrink and items from other countries could be sized differently than US sizes.
- Load your cart and TRY ON everything. Some items that look great on a hanger may be there for a reason (example: too small of a neck opening).
- When trying on items, be sure they 'fit' you. If they need to be altered, consider that expense in the price of the item: sometimes it's not worth it - unless you can do the alteration your self or you really love the color / style on you. Style Tip: For an over-sized blazer, sometimes a belt can do the trick to cinch in and accent a smaller waist.
- Check items for rips, tears, or stains - especially on longer items like maxi dresses.
- If you're shopping thrift for maxi dresses: LOOK DOWN - the longer dresses are easier to spot and can save you time vs. going through every item.

When you get your haul home, remove tickets, check labels and wash - whether it be machine or hand wash. Even some labels marked as "dry clean only" (such as a Lycra-knit blend) can be washed at home on gentle, and hung or lay flat to dry - again saving you money on your fall haul.

Although you're shopping for your Fall wardrobe, keep others in mind too - For example your mom. I recently sent a box of clothes to my mom in Florida from finds I scored here in AZ. Seasonal shopping together was something we use to do regularly: She really enjoyed our time together and I really enjoyed being her personal shopper for the day. I'd see things here I thought she would like and hated to pass up, so I double check on sizing + examine and clean the items, and pack a bundle to ship to her. I think she's the only woman on the planet that doesn't enjoy shopping (especially the hunting!) so she's grateful when she receives the package - not only because she didn't have to go shop for it but because I usually get her to try new things she'd otherwise be hesitant to try for herself. If you're fortunate to have your mom nearby, make a weekend (or day) of it - help her organize her closet, shop, have lunch and just spend that time together while you can.

If you're local here in Phoenix or also in the San Diego area or even online at MySistersCloset.com, be sure to check out My Sister's Closet Consignment stores for their Fall Reveal & Floor-set this Saturday - August 23!