However, I'm learning that even just a few accessories can make a simple jeans & t-shirt ensemble look much more put-together. Unfortunately, I just don't have the extra funds in my budget to splurge on things like jewelry...unless it is REALLY cheap.
On the rare occasion when I have time and think of it, I will browse the clearance section to see if I can find a cool necklace or pair of earring for a steal. My fashionista sister-in-law Aimee picked up a cool necklace from The Loft for me last year for under $5, so I know that deals are out there if you look for them.
The other day, I decided to pop into a new accessories store in town to see what they carried. Oh my, Charming Charlie is an affordable accessory wonderland! Their regular prices are great -- about $12-15 for a necklace and earring set and $10 for individual necklaces.
Always the bargain shopper, I decided to check out the clearance section. Yes, it was obvious why some of the things were in the clearance section. Case in point? A chain with a 5-inch rhinestoned lightning bolt on the end. (Funnily enough, L thought that was pretty cool. Then again, it was pink so of course she liked it!)
However, there were also some pieces that were cool but just a bit overdone for my tastes. The necklaces themselves were very pretty but had some dangling jewels at the bottom that were just too much. Personally, a "jewel" that is nearly two inches in diameter is just too big for me to wear on the end of a necklace. It made me feel like an 80s rapper or something.
But, the necklace was only $3, so I decided that I could make it work. With my round nose pliers, I was able to detach the ginormous "jewel" in mere seconds and create a necklace that I really like. Yeah! Really, with some jewelry making tools, it's easy to customize a clearance necklace. You can shorten the length or remove any doodads that you just don't care for. I suppose you could even take different elements from multiple necklaces and create a unique piece too! The added bonus is that you can keep whatever you remove from the necklace and repurpose it in some other craft.
Do you have any budget-friendly fashion ideas?
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For other money-saving ideas, be sure to stop by Frugal Friday every Friday at Life as MOM.
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