There are many things you can do to save money on clothing. Keeping up with the latest fashion trends can be pretty expensive and if you don't have the budget for it, you will likely spend too much and get in debt or wind up barley surviving. Before you go out shopping, take a good look at your wardrobe and evaluate what is in it. The rule of thumb is, if you haven't worn it in a year, it shouldn't be in your closet.

Items in your closet that are in good condition can be sold on Ebay or taken to consignment stores. You may not get back the same amount you paid, but at least you can collect something besides dust. Before you go out shopping, establish a shopping budget and stick to it. It is a smart idea to establish a yearly clothing budget, this way when the end of the year comes around you won't overspend on Christmas presents.

Instead of purchasing new clothes, try sharing clothes with someone who has similar tastes and budgets as you do. This is a great way to get new clothes without spending any money. Never buy a item that is on display at the store. Look up the item on the internet to see how much it is being sold for online. May times you can find the display item for cheaper on Ebay.com and other web sites.

When you walk around the store with the clothing item, take a look at it and ask yourself if it is really necessary. If you can't justify your purchase, then you don't really need it and you should place it back on the rack. Check for clearance items as well. That $60 sweater may be marked down to $9 because the retailer is gearing up for the summer season and needs to move the winter inventory out of the store.

Another easy method to follow is to purchase your summer and spring clothing in the winter and your winter and fall clothing in the summer. By purchasing "out of season" items, you will be saving yourself a ton of money. Winter clothing is much cheaper in the summer because no one is buying it. This is a great way to buy new clothing without paying full price.

Always stay within your budget and your lifestyle. Most people only will wear 25% of their wardrobe on a regular basis. If you dress in jeans and a t-shirt on a daily basis, there is no point in having 15 dresses and 20 pairs of slacks in your closet. Try to avoid going overboard when you are shopping. Don't buy a new wardrobe each year; instead try to update the clothing you already own. Add small accessories to your wardrobe such as handbags, jewelry, scarves, and hats to keep you up to date.

Clothing is worn on a day to day basis because of how it fits, not because of the label. If the clothing item you try on is not comfortable, don't buy it. Purchase items you know you will wear, if you don't, you are just wasting money. Avoid the flashy styles and purchase classic styles that will flatter your figure. Trendy clothing comes and goes, but classic styles will make up the staple of your wardrobe. Again, consider using accessories to keep your style up to date.

When you purchase new clothing, keep it coordinated with the items of clothing you already have in your wardrobe. Try sticking to a small palette of colors. Before you purchase an item, find out what you need to do to have it cleaned. Try to avoid clothing that is expensive to clean like dry clean only items.

When you come home from work, change out of your nice work clothing and wear old clothing around the house. This will save your nice clothing from getting worn out and spotted with stains that can occur in the home. If you get stains in your clothing, treat the stains as quickly as possible so they don't set in and ruin your clothes.

You should always put away seasonal clothing at the end of the season. This is a great way to prevent yourself from wearing seasonal during an off-season time and wear it out. You want to keep the seasonal clothing nice enough to wear the next time that season come around.

Purchase new clothing when they are on sale. When t-shirts, jeans, and underwear are on sale; stock up on them. This is a great way to save money for the essential clothing items that can be worn out quickly because of how often you use them. Consider purchasing clothing that can be worn in multiple seasons.

Purchase new clothing from discount stores and outlet stores. You can often find the exact same clothing that is being sold in the major department stores for a fraction of the price. Costco and Sam's Club also sell name-brand clothing for half the price. Lucky Brand jeans are commonly seen in Costco and cost roughly $30 versus the $70 or more you will pay at the retailer.

Purchase clothing that can be used for more than one outfit. While jeans go with practically everything, consider purchasing other pants that will coordinate with multiple jackets and other tops. If you wear a certain type of clothing a lot, purchase a brand that can hold up to frequent wear.

Fancy clothing can be found for discounted rates if you shop for it. You can find discounted wedding dresses, tuxedoes, prom dressing, and clothing for cocktail parties in the retail stores for hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars. Go ahead and try on the type of clothing you want and then wait a few weeks or months for it to go on sale. Garage sales, thrift stores, and consignment stores will get many of these fancy styles in a few months and they will be significantly cheaper than the retail store is offering.

Never purchase clothing that is the wrong size. By the time you lose those 10 extra pounds, the dress could be out of style. Never purchase clothing that is too small because you may not ever be able to wear it. After you get in shape, then you can treat yourself to a shopping spree for a new wardrobe.

If you purchase an item of clothing that you just aren't sure about, take it back. You don't want to purchase something to see if it will "grow" on you. This item of clothing will be worn once or twice and then stuck in the back of your closet.

At the end of each season, clean out your closet. Take the clothing that has been sitting in the back of your closet and sell it or give it away to charity or to friends and family members.

Thrift shops often have nice used clothing. Try to find a thrift shop in a nicer neighborhood, as they will have the nicest used clothing. You can also find nice used clothing at the thrift shops next to the big malls. The stores in the mall will give away unsold clothing to thrift stores. Often this clothing is brand new or has small defects in it like a bad zipper or a wrong stitch.

Check garage sales for nice used clothing. Church rummage sales and neighborhood garage sales are full of clothing and will give you the best selection. Consignment stores are another great place to find nice clothing. The items sold at a consignment store and cleaned and sized. A consignment store will not accept clothing if it is not in good condition or that no longer has value. Flea markets also are a great place to get nice clothing for a discounted rate.

Try to purchase essential clothing items in bulk. Socks, underwear, scarves, and children's clothing can be purchased in bulk and can greatly reduce the amount of money you will spend for these items throughout the year.

Wholesalers are another great place to purchase clothing at a discounted rate. Stores like Nike and Old Navy often have outlet stores with higher-end products that are sold for half the price. Nike will sell off brand-new shoes that were retuned because of small defects.

When you are purchasing clothing at a outlet mall, price shop the amount they are advertising with what is being sold at your local mall. Sometimes you can get a better deal at your local retailer versus the "sale" at the outlet mall.

Check the manufacturer's web site for clearance items. Companies like Old Navy will clearance out items that are not being sold in stores quickly and you can get nice clothing for half-price. Other companies like Eastbay.com will sell of last year's style of shoes, so watch for nice shoes that will cost you half the price they would if you purchased them when they are first released. You may also be able to purchase more than one pair of shoes in the same style, this way you have a replacement when the other shoe wears out.