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Fashion. It`s fun, it`s chic, and it`s the ultimate. It`s also darned expensive. It can burn a big hole in your pocket. Maybe even one in your bank balance.

So what`s a girl to do? Go broke, fashionably? Keep a low fashion profile? Or get innovative?
The answer is obvious. It`s time to get innovative, inventive and creative. Get your fashionable grey cells ticking. And step out in style with aptitude and attitude.

How do we beat the cost?

Learn to recognise genuine discount sales. When the retailers or manufacturers want to dispose off their old stock, they often slash prices drastically. You will almost always get a good bargain at these sales.
If you go in for a few neutral colours, you will find that you can mix and match them with most other colours.
For instance, you can wear beige pants with almost any brightly coloured shirt or top. This in itself, is a good way to expand your wardrobe. Avoid fixed top-bottom sets. They restrict the number of times you can use them.
This one is a must for everyone. You must know what styles suit you and what don`t. Go in for styles that complement your looks. This way, you will save yourself disappointment, disillusionment and quite a bit of money too.
Swap clothes with your siblings. You could end up with a wardrobe that is twice as big! One advantage of being a girl is that you could borrow your brother`s shirts too. And you don`t have to return the compliment!
Learn the art of dressmaking. It`s money well spent. You could save plenty once you start making your own clothes. And maybe even have a career in this field too.
If that seems to be beyond your skills, identify a good tailor who charges reasonably. Explain to him in detail about the designs that you want. Get him patterns from fashion magazines and catalogues. Buy the kind of fabric he can work well with. And you can have a fashionable outfit at less than half the cost.
Styles invariably come back into fashion after a while. So hold on to your clothes that seem unfashionable right now. The day will come when you can pull them out of the depths of your wardrobe and wear them with pride. So make sure you preserve them well.