By keeping an eye on trends and knowing what you can (& will!) wear, you can pull off fabulous the frugal way. As promised in my "Surviving On One Income in the SF Bay Area" hub, I want to explain how I clothe myself and my family in both trendy and classic clothes while keeping my frugal budget in-line.

I subscribe to one fashion magazine, purchased at a discount through one of my kids' school fundraisers. I use it as a tool to help me stay abreast of styles, colors and shapes for the upcoming year. Armed with a season full of knowledge I always look out for pieces to update my wardrobe. Ditto for my kids.

Here is what I call my Lucky 7 Frugal Fashionista tips:

1) Don't limit yourself to second hand stores and garage sales only. Yep, you heard me right! I'm actually tired of all the articles that encourage newbie frugalers to shy away from department stores and malls, making it okay to only purchase things like socks and underwear new. Shop everywhere. During my pre-frugal life I was one of those women who turned her nose up at thrift stores. As my expenses grew (more kids, credit cards, mortgage) I got wise to the world - but even then I started small. A shirt here, a pair of pants there, but still the majority of my clothing and those for my children came from the mall or a mass discount retailer. My comfort level improved andI slowly got the hang of it. Some seasons I could score 90% of my wardrobe from a second hand source, other seasons the mix could be 60% second hand & 40% new - but in the end you couldn't distinguish what came from where when it was all pulled together.

When I do shop the mall or discount retailers I usually buy at the very end of a season. I regularly score classic all-season pieces and next-year pieces from a high end department store that has their "Take an Additional 50% - 75% off Clearance" end-of-season promo, with a final price well below that of a thrift store. Having said that, you can't beat thrift stores for their daily color tag specials, and vast clothing and accessories selection. A thrift store in my area also sends coupons to their regular customers for $3 off a $10 purchase and $5 off a $20 purchase + a VIP card for their regular shoppers that eventually gives you $10 off a $20 purchase. I have scored a well-made authentic, all-leather designer bag valued at $80 used on eBay and $250 new at a department store for a thrifty $6.99. I have also purchased in-season, dark denim, cotton/spandex blend jeans for under $8. At the mall a similar pair would've cost upwards of $30. Shop everywhere and keep your mind open.

2) Stay away from private labels at discount department stores. In my area, there are multiple discount department stores (Ross, Marshall's, etc.) that sell clothing originally from high-end department stores as well as private labels they purchase exclusively for their stores. My experience (during my pre-frugal days) was that 75% of the private label pieces I bought from these retailers survived 2-3 washings before a button fell off or a seam unraveled. There is no value to cheaply-made pieces! Instead buy only labels you know have a good reputation, or invest your money in a used well-made piece from a second hand source. It amazes me to this day that there are people out there who refuse to buy second-hand but will buy this junk thinking it's better for their families.

On an another note, store brand pieces from mass discount retailers (Target) are usually of much higher quality. Before making a purchase at any store (new or second hand) check the garment out -- are the buttons sewn on tight? What is the fabric weight like? Are the stitches-per-inch small or large? Generally the more stitches per inch the better.

3) Keep abreast of things at least 1 season ahead. Usually magazines are informing their readers a full 2 seasons ahead of what's to come. My July issue will start highlighting fall trends as well as next year's spring trends. When shopping the thrift store route, this is the perfect time as sweaters and other fall/winter items are priced to move. It sounds crazy to purchase a sweater and coat when it's 100° outside, but you'll be pretty pleased with yourself come winter when you and your kids put on those trendy jackets knowing you only paid $4.99 each for them.

Most trends (colors, styles) stick around for a few seasons. So although the printed shorts and t-shirts you purchased for your kids at last year's end-of-season sale may be different from what's currently in the stores, many times you'll find that the color palette is still the same. This is actually true for both clothing and home décor as well, so keep that in mind when you want to redecorate a bedroom - you may find a sheet set and comforter that will fit your theme at a price you can afford.

4) The Tween and Teen Fashionistas. I realize there is a point in time when tweens and teens start forming their own fashion style which basically means they only want to shop at those teen-specific mall specialty stores (Abercrombie, Hollister = expensive.) In my case, my two oldest basically began to dislike anything I brought home for them -- especially if it was from a second hand source, although they tended to turn their noses up at the many new items I brought home, too. The ironic thing is if we were to find that exact same thing while shopping together at the mall, the "cool factor" changes since they saw the item themselves before the purchase was actually made by ol' mom herself.

What worked for me was keeping the communication lines open. First, I set 2 limits: 1) "No" to the overpriced $19 thin branded t-shirts and $45 hoodies from those famous teen specialty mall stores unless it was on clearance, or it was for a special occasion such as their birthday, and 2) Their wardrobes would consist of both second hand and new sources - no ifs, ands or buts.

I then purchased a teen fashion magazine for them (again at the discounted school fundraiser price) for use as a reference to help build their style opinions. We then made a window shopping trip to the mall as well as peruse store ads online without making any purchases unless of course it was for something that we already knew was needed and it was discounted at an additional 50% - 75% off clearance price. Coupled with all this fashion knowledge, my older kids built a list of wants and needs, keeping in mind what they currently had in their closets to work with. We took that list and headed to several thrift stores.

You would be amazed at what we found: T-shirts, jeans, tank tops, shorts, purses, hoodies, shoes - all pieces similar in color and style to what they saw at the mall a few days before. As long as everything was washable (including some high-end canvas shoes I purchased for a song) they were okay with it. Once many items were checked off the "needs" portion of their list, they would then hand over their lists to me so I can "fill in the blanks" when I made shopping trips on my own. Since anything I purchased came from their list, it was usually met with approval. To constantly encourage a "keep-your-mind-open-and-shop-everywhere" mentality, I always included a few items from their "wants" list as well.

Voila! Happy tween and teen fashionistas, a mom with a happy wallet + quality time with the kids. A friend of mine, a single dad with a fashion-specific teen son used the same concept sans the fashion magazine and window shopping mall trip. They simply perused surf and skate board publications and referenced their favorite sports teams to help dad and son determine their fashion styles.

5) Know when to buy. I only buy socks and underwear during the back-to-school period, or when my favorite undergarment specialty store is holding its twice-a-year clearance event. (I also stock up on school supplies for the entire year during this period.) In July and August I purchase summer items and décor I need for my home since many of it is clearanced to make room for the back-to-school merchandise. During the holiday and after-Christmas periods I tend to stock up on fashion accessories, my favorite fragrance, lotions, shampoos, creams, etc. since there are so many boxed items and gift packs at a good price. In January I buy storage bins to store all my off-season treasures. For thrift stores, I usually only buy if I have a coupon, or if they are having a special sale during a major holiday or event (usually "30% off All Clothing" or "50% off Everything".

6) Know when to stop. This is easier said than done, especially when you are looking at $15 t-shirts marked down to $1.98. Or if you see a high-end beige trench coat at a thrift store for $4.99 and you wonder if you have room to store it next to the high-end black trench coat you purchased a month before. If you don't need it and can't store it, then don't buy it.

7) DIY. Do your own mani and pedi. Color your own hair. Cut your own child's bangs. If you can't go cold turkey, then cut back 5-6 times a year and use the money toward that designer handbag you've been eyeing. You'd be amazed at how much savings you can pocket.

There you have it. It is possible to live a frugal, yet fabulous fashion life. It's always in style when you and your wallet look good. Good luck and have fun shopping... everywhere and with an open mind, of course!