Looking Expensive on a Budget: A Broke Student’s Guide.

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Abisola Talabi and Oluwatukesi Oritsetsemaye

At some point or the other, you must have walked through campus, spotted one of your friends – or enemies as the case may be – and walked past with a host of questions taking the front seats on your train of thought. “How is he looking so good?”, “Didn’t she go so broke last week that she had to come get onions from my room?”, “How exactly are they doing it?” These are just a few of the questions that must have popped into your head. Finding answers to these questions can sometimes be a bit of struggle, especially when you’re in a similar financial condition as they are.

You really cannot be blamed for entertaining all these questions. Looking good in school, or anywhere really, is essential. After all, you are addressed the way you are dressed. Additionally, apart from looking good to impress those around you, it can help you approach the right people that can help. Among other things, it sets you apart from the average looking competition at a job interview and also boosts your confidence astronomically.

However, it is important that you understand that you don’t need to break the bank to look good. If you have that notion, it might be a good idea to dismiss it as it is not entirely true.

Here are some tips to help you look good and save money at the same time:

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1. De-clutter your closet: Many students tend to keep clothes that they do not need. Asides being an unnecessary excess, it is likely to ruin your fashion style. According to fashion experts, having too many clothes makes it a bit difficult to style them properly. It’s a simple case of having too many options to choose from.

2. Wear clothes that fit: After putting away the clothes you do not need; you have to ensure that the ones left are fitting. They can’t be too big or small either. The goal here is to choose something that complements your unique body shape. While excessively small clothes might not be redeemable, you can always send the bigger ones to your tailor for amendment.

3. Iron your clothes: This is one of the most underrated tips of looking good in school. However, fitting they are, wearing rumpled clothes entirely defeats all efforts tailored towards looking sharp. It gives off the impression of poor self-grooming. As such, the importance of ironing your clothes cannot be overstated.

4. Pick your clothes beforehand: Research has shown that picking your clothes about a day beforehand is comparatively better than picking them a few minutes before the time they’re needed. This is so because, in the former, your mind is more settled and you have better chances of making the right decision. However, in the case of the latter, you are in a hurry and you might not even have the time to take a look in the mirror. At that point, you’d be picking clothes just to “put on something,” not to look good.

5. Go thrifting: If you don’t have clothes that fit and money to get new clothes, a thrift store is the next best thing. Thrift clothes are pre-used clothes popularly known as okirika in Nigeria. They are not the most preferred option but they still come in handy. Second-hand clothes are a good way to stock your wardrobe as they are cheaper and, sometimes, better in quality than their more expensive counterparts. It is important, however, to take proper health precautions when you buy them such as washing them properly, amongst other things.

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6. Get a proper haircut or hairdo: Have you ever noticed that whenever you get a new hairdo or haircut you look absolutely stunning? Well, that’s because your hair is your crown and it’s one of the first things people look at when they see you. Apart from making your hair, maintaining your hair is another habit you should cultivate. The simple gestures of combing your hair, applying hair products, etc. go a long way in making you look good. Even if you are having a bad hair day, you can save yourself with a scarf, turban, face cap, etc.

7. Live a healthy lifestyle: No matter how much effort you put into dressing up, if you do not live a healthy lifestyle you won’t really get that look you want. Healthy living leads to good hair, skin, and all round fitness. When you are healthy there is this glow that comes with it. People with an unhealthy lifestyle might be able to cover up for a while, but in the end, everything begins to look shabby.

These tips are one way or the other interwoven in making you look your best while in school, and virtually everywhere else. Remember that you don’t have to spend your entire allowance to look classy. You can look beautiful without stressing yourself excessively.