Even if you can afford to pay full price for your clothes, you may not want to. The best reason to go bargain shopping is variety. Brand name discount stores have a great selection of conservative styles, flashy styles, and upscale styles. Thrift stores are even better, because they have some clothes that aren't in style at all. For example, I can quickly choose some slightly outdated tops, without wondering how I'd look in a cropped T-shirt, bejeweled tunic, or ruffly blouse. My trendy friends, on the other hand, can mix and match a variety of retro clothes and create their own fashion statement.

Before you go shopping, get a good idea of what you'll want to buy. If you liked a store enough to pay full price in the past, sign up for that store's emails or catalogs, so you can see the latest trends. Take a look at fashion magazines, and search the web for your favorite celebrities to see what's in vogue. For work, experts advise that you dress like your boss, so notice what he or she is wearing.

Visit a few thrift stores. Some have better selections than others. Visit low-end department stores, like Target and Walmart, and brand name discount stores, like Kohl's and Marshall's. And don't forget the outlet mall. After you've looked around, decide which stores have the best selection for you, and return to those stores for your next purchase. I find the best casual shirts at the outet mall and the best jackets at the thrift store.

There are some times when bargain shopping is not the best idea. You may buy six office shirts for eighteen dollars at Goodwill, only to realize later that one is stained, one has a hole, and one just isn't that flattering. No problem: three good shirts for eighteen dollars is still a great deal. However, if you're buying a dress for an awards dinner or a wedding reception, it needs to look just right, so the thrift store is risky. For those occasions, I recommend you try the outlet mall or a discount store. You still need to check for flaws like crooked seams, but at least you can find clothes that have never been worn.

As long as we're talking about bargain clothes, let's also talk about free clothes. One of my classmates gained weight and was taking her old clothes to the thrift store. She asked me if I'd like any of the clothes before she dropped them off. Another time my sister-in-law bought a skirt that was too long for her, so she gave it to me. And while my mom and I do not have the same body type, she use to be my same size and had some cool clothes. In all three cases, I ended up with flattering styles that were a bit more edgy than I normally would have chosen.

I must admit that for shoes, underwear, and swimsuits I only buy new clothes. But there's a surprisingly nice variety of underwear at Target, and you can find quality shoes at Kohl's. If you have the right build, you can probably find flattering swimsuits there as well.

Those are my suggestions for buying at discount and thrift stores. Stock up on all the outfits you need. Or try some new styles; if you decide you don't like them, you can just throw them away.  Better yet, give them to Goodwill.