IDENTIFY YOUR OWN PERSONAL STYLE

It is good to develop your own sense of fashion style so that you have that sense of charisma which gives you an 'expensive' look. You may know yourself which colours and styles suit you. If your friends are honest and give you feedback you can enrol their help in developing a sense of what looks right on you. If your friends aren't always a help in this way then look for more subtle clues when you meet people. You will find that people just seem a lot more favourable towards you when your style is 'you'. Your clothes need to accentuate your personality.

ACCENTUATE YOUR STRENGTHS

If you have beautiful hair and skin then achieving style on a budget is not hard. You just need to highlight these strengths with modest use of cosmetics or hair accessories. Magazines tend to be full of articles about maximising your potential by wearing the right type of clothes for your shape. For example if you are big-busted then avoid wrap-around dresses.

SHOP AROUND FOR BARGAINS

Once you recognise what suits you then shop around for bargains both in apparel and accessories. Ebay and auction sites offer many bargains and there is a huge range of jewellery, bags and clothes. Shoes should really only be purchased new in a shop because you need to feel comfortable in your footwear to achieve a sense of style. But you can shop around at jumble-sales, discount outlets and warehouses for practically everything else. Take care to buy the right size.

PERSONALISE OUTFITS

If you are good on a sewing-machine you can add various personalised features such as cuffs or extra pockets to your clothes. But nearly anyone can take some unusual buttons from a second-hand outfit and add them to something standard that has been have grabbed for a bragain.

SET A THEME

When you are wearing an outfit then try to set a theme which runs through the outfit. This makes your appearance look really special. For example, if you like buterflies, then you could attach a butterfly brooch to a plain blouse. Then you could wear a butterfly hair-pin in your hair. Then without overdoing it with the buterflies, consider using a neck-scarf of the same colour too. Always try to match your handbag with your shoes too.

CONSIDER RENTING HAND-BAGS AND SPECIAL OUTFITS

If you really want ot achieve a highly glamorous look, it is now possible to hire handbags and outfits for a certain length of time. though this may seem expensive, it is a fraction of the cost of buying an expensive handbag and then hardly using it.

ALWAYS LOOK CLEAN AND TIDY

Last but not least, always make sure your clothese are clean and neatly pressed. Never ever wear anything with a blemish or stain on. Consider taking wipes out with you in your handbag just in case you do spill something on your clothes. Always keep your shoes clean and well-heeled.

MAXIMIZING YOUR STYLE ON A BUDGET

You don't have to spend a lot of money to look like a million bucks. If you have a million dollars, great! If you're like the rest of us who want to look chic without using the grocery money to get a great pair of shoes, rest assured it can be done. Here are some tips on ways to maximize your style on a budget:

Shop with the seasons. You want to have balance in your wardrobe; clothes for all types of weather.

Spread your shopping throughout the year to increase variety and keep your look updated and fresh. Spending a little bit of money every few months can be easier on the checkbook than shattering your bank account a couple of times a year.

Look for sales. There's sure to be some price slashing when it's time for back-to-school or Black Friday, but keep in mind there are sales throughout the year as well. Make sure you read those Saturday morning flyers; you never know when a surprise sidewalk sale is going to pop up at your local mall!

Go Vintage. Check out consignment and second-hand shops, especially those that get their clothes from the "upper west side" of town. You'll get some fantastic bargains on really great clothes.

Shop with cash, and leave the credit cards at home. The interest you can build up before you repay what you spent can end up costing you double or even triple the original purchase price.

Love it or leave it. If you don't feel amazing when you're looking at that dress in the fitting room mirror, leave it at the store. Buying an item that you're not sure about may lead to it getting buried at the back of your closet, never to see the light of day again. If you decide to pass on something but can't stop thinking about it all week, you can always go back and get it.

Mix and Match your pieces so you can go from day to night with the drop of a hator jacket. That slinky top that is perfect for going clubbing can double up on office duty under your suit jacket. You'll get more than your money's worth for items that are versatile.

Splurge on a few key pieces like a great pair of black slacks, dark denim jeans and a flirty blouse. Well-made clothes tend to cost a bit more but they are made with higher quality fabric and will last longer. For these more expensive pieces, choose timeless styles that will still look fashionable years from now. If they start to feel a bit conservative in appearance, don't worry, there are ways to dress them up. See the next point:

Accessorize! Scoop up the latest trend in bangles, earrings and necklaces at the mall. Grab a few pieces of bold costume jewelry that will add character or a punch of color to your outfits. You can spend just a few dollars on pieces that look expensive but aren't.

Buy clothes that fit you now. We all want to lose that last 10 pounds, but buying clothes that will fit us in a couple of months isn't practical. Stick what looks great on you today, and save the reward clothes for when you can wear them home from the store.