As more people keep an eye on their bank balances and credit cards, fashion and beauty trends that save money are also growing in popularity.
From the revolutionary fast fashion of stores like Zara and H&M to more naturalistic hairstyles and makeup, the most frugal fashions are holding their own against more expensive trends.
Here Quid takes a look at four of the hottest elements in fashion and beauty and how they could potentially save people money.
The Fast Fashion Revolution
The opening of stores like Zara and H&M in Australia mean that shoppers have access to the latest trends at much lower prices than is typical of designer brands.
These stores churn out new items on an almost daily basis, with basics like jumpers and tops selling for as little as $7. Not only do these stores mean people can get more clothes for your money, they also provide an easier way to try out new trends without breaking the bank.
While there are some drawbacks to fast fashion, with critics questioning the quality and ethicalness of clothing production, they are set to change the retail landscape in Australia as more people look for fashion at lower price points.
Vintage Clothing
Fashionistas are always looking for that one outfit or item that will set them apart from the pack, and vintage shopping is often the way there.
While celebrities and the well-off may shop at expensive vintage boutiques, other options give people the chance to get great clothes at prices much lower than the retail world would normally allow, as London-based style site Byoutiful.com explains.
“By bypassing the department store and foraging e-bay, charity stores or dress agencies you can often pick up a designer number for a fraction of its original price,” Bethan Morgan writes.
From St Vinnies to Red Cross, Savers in Melbourne and even online sites like eBay or Gumtree, buying clothes second-hand is a trend that is set to stay.
Natural Hair
Hair fashion appears to have also picked up on the money saving trend, with runway styles that are easy to replicate without spending a lot of money on products and accessories.
Easy styles like beachy waves or “bed hair”, buns, ponytails, braids and topknots have been gracing the runways for the past few years and continue to do so in 2014.
A side part, for example, is one of the key trends for international 2014 spring/summer collections, with fashion mag Elle observing “a deep part that hovered where the eyebrow tapers. The resulting bangs were swept over the forehead, sometimes with polished precision…”
It just so happens that this trend also helps put off trimming fringes and bangs and keeps product use to a minimum, giving people a chance to save money at the hairdresser’s and at home while still staying stylish.
Similarly, when it comes to colouring, the styles with real staying power are proving to be those that are also lower maintenance. The two-tone ombre look, for example, has be reimagined countless times over the past five or six years, giving people an excuse to let their roots grow out of more solid colouring styles.
Balayage and microfoiling, on the other hand, have helped people get softer, more natural shades in their hair that can then grow out without being obvious straight away.
According to Oscar Oscar colourist Michael Kelly, these three styles are also set to be the hottest colour trends in 2014. The minimal use of colour on hair, and that customisable nature of these styles give people a chance to get an edgy look in ombre, a “natural beach babe” look through balayage or total glamour through microfoiling – which Kelly says is the “ultimate colouring technique for achieving an expensive looking blonde” – without breaking the bank on maintenance.
Minimalist Makeup
Makeup is an expensive part of everyday style and beauty routines, with recent data from the Commonwealth Bank showing the average Aussie spends $258 per year in cosmetic stores alone.
But an Oscar’s recap on the Vogue website suggests people have an opportunity to keep it simple (and save money in the process). The iconic style publication says that the key makeup trend at this year’s Academy Awards was “picking one feature and making the most of it”.
Highlights included winged eyeliner, nude and coloured lips as well as the classic smoky eyed look – all of which can mean less is more when it comes to the products used.
While not everyone spends a lot of money on fashion and beauty, there are a lot of ways that it can quickly add up.
But as shoppers become savvier with how and where they spend money, trends are also changing to reflect this focus. And with the right smarts, that means anyone can be both cheap and chic at the same time.
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