Five Ways to Make Cheap Clothes Look Fancy

1 - Stay away from distressed fabrics

While a distressed look, especially a distressed denim, can be fashionable, cheaper distressed items are not usually very convincing, and will often look old and worn out very quickly. If you're looking for a distressed jean, buy a regular pain and wear them out yourself. It will take time but the final look will be much better than a cheap product!

2 - Buy simple clothes - you can accessorise

If you want the best wardrobe, 70% of your clothes should be essential basics, with only 30% statement or on trend pieces. Buying simple, plain clothes will not only help you keep to that ratio, but will also leave you with better quality products. Embellishments, pleats, or decals are often hard to get right on a budget, and cheaper items with these additions will look worn and ratty much quicker than a plain item of the same price. Remember, you can always add some accessories if you think your outfit needs something else, but it's much harder to take the jewels off a shirt!

A plain white blouse will make any outfit look classier and more expensive than a patterned or jewelled one. Picture: H&M

3 - Keep the washes to a minimum

Only wash your clothes when absolutely necessary. Repeated washing will wear down the fabric, and cause the colours to fade, making an item look cheap and old. Small marks can be removed with a sponge, and make sure you follow those washing instructions, there's a reason that dress is dry clean only!

4 - Tailor your clothes - don't buy tailored!

If you're looking for a tailored blazer or a perfect pair of trousers, it's often cheaper to buy a standard pair off the rack and get them tailored yourself. It can be about £20 to get a perfect tailored look, but it's often much cheaper to get the right fit on an item you already own rather than searching for a new piece. If you stay out of the shops, you're less likely to splurge!

5 - No wrinkles

I'm sure I'm starting to sound like your mum, but wrinkles make even expensive clothes look cheap! Ironed or steamed clothes without wrinkles look classy and more expensive than rumpled pieces. If you take good care of your clothes, you show people that you value them, which can make people believe they're worth a lot more than they were!