5 ways you can get yourself a brand new outfit for Christmas - without buying any new clothes

Party season is upon us, and for the first time in three years people can all look forward to going out to celebrate the festive season without any Covid restrictions.

Everyone deserves to have a merry time but, due to the cost of living crisis and recession that we are now in the midst of, people are unlikely to have as much money to spend as they hoped. However, it is still possible to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year on a budget.

When it comes to our wardrobes, the many social occasions that occur over Christmas can lead to people feeling the pressure to buy multiple outfits - especially in the age of social media when some people don’t want to be photographed in the same ensemble twice. Not everyone has the money, however, to buy new clothing.

So, to help you sparkle without splashing the cash, NationalWorld has spoken to Personal stylist Abbey Booth, who runs online fashion forum Stories with Clothes and is an accredited sustainable stylist, about the best ways to feel festive and stylish and save money.

She said: “Rewearing your existing clothes is one of the best ways of saving money although it doesn’t need to be boring! There are ways of making it exciting without spending lots of money to give you a very stylish Christmas.”

Here are her five top tips.

1. Customising

You could add unusual buttons to the sleeve or cuff of a simple black dress or add an unusual collar or hem, for example feathers, sequins, sparkles or faux-fur to the hem of a plain dress or cuffs of a top. You’ll be able to get all of these things from your local craft shop, and though there is a cost involved doing this will be much cheaper than buying a brand new item - plus you can make something completely personal to you so you can have the added bonus of knowing nobody else is going to wear something like you. If sewing isn’t your thing then dry cleaners can often do simple alterations or adjustments very affordably.

2. Dyeing

There are so many great options of clothes dyes on the market, including vegan dyes. This means it is now very affordable and also better for the planet too. You could energise an older dress, for example, by dyeing it a bolder, jewel colour.

3. Refreshing

The age of a piece of clothing can be given away when bobbles or pills start to appear on the surface of the fabric. Often older pieces can be rejuvenated by simply de-bobbling them - and you can either do this very carefully with a razor or using a de-bobbling machine. This will take off the larger hobbles and freshen up any tired looking pieces. Re-hemming trousers is also a simple way to tidy up existing pieces.

4. Swapping

We have all admired a friend’s dress or top at some point, so organising a swapping party could be a great way for all of your loved ones to get a brand new outfit for the festive season. By brand new we mean new to them, of course, not new from a shop. The premise is simple; invite some friends over and ask them to each bring a few items they’re happy to swap for a short period of time - or a longer term if you are all okay with this - and then just have some fun. This is like going shopping without spending any money. There are also some wonderful organised swapping parties across the UK if you don’t have much time so be sure to check out local events.

5. Getting creative

Think outside the box with your existing clothes and you’ll soon discover new outfits. Wear a top backwards for example, tuck a collar of a dress in for a different look or undo a shirt dress and wear loose over a fitted dress or trouser and top combo. Ultimately, Abbey says, have fun with your style, allocate some time to explore your wardrobe and she can guarantee you’ll re-discover hidden gems and be able to create new outfits without spending a penny.