With everyone worrying about money, the recession and the credit crunch, it is becoming more difficult to look good without overspending. But if you are determined to look stylish without going over budget, here are some great ways to update your wardrobe on a shoestring.

• Make the most of what you have got - try looking at the clothes that you already have and how you can adapt them for different situations. Summer dresses can be worn with coloured tights and cardigans for  a cool spring outfit, dresses can be layered over jeans for a more casual look.
• Accessorise - This is the best way to turn an outfit into something new. Accessorise a plain top with lots of chunky beads and necklaces for a great look.
• Customise - try changing your clothes by adding embellishment, sewing on buttons, cutting necklines out of t shirts and shortening skirts for  a completely new and unique look from old clothes.
• Swapping - try visiting a clothes swapping website or swishing party to get a whole new wardrobe without spending any money.
• Versatile pieces - buy only versatile pieces of clothing that can be worn for many different occasions. Also make sure you get the best value for money by comparing prices of the different options.

These Redoute Creation Cropped Trousers are perfect for the summer. They will go with a variety of tops for a great summer casual look.

I apologise for the name of this post and realise that everyone is probably more than fed up with talk of the credit crunch and recession. Even more irritating though is talk of credit crunch style, recessionista’s and the like. There is something particulaly uninspiring about finding a new outfit for under £50 or rehashing all those old items in your wardrobe that you thought you would never wear again.

But as much as I like to bury my head in the sand and pretend it is not happening, the credit crunch and recession is probably affecting almost everyone in one way or another, including myself. It would be foolish to ignore the state of the economy and plough on with my usual spending habits regardless. So I have pledged to stop spending as much on clothes, for a little while anyway. But when I do buy some thing, I am going to be sure that is something that I really love.

Whilst doing a bit of online window shopping I came across this Adidas dip dye dress and after a bit of though and consideration, I think that it definitely fits all of the criteria for a credit crunch purchase.

1. I love it

2. I will wear it all the time

3. It will wash easily so will last for ages and no dry cleaning bills

4. I already have shoes that will go with it so no need to spend more money on shoes.

5. I love it!

I am starting to get sick of the word ‘credit crunch’. I am sick of reading about how to feed a family of 4 for under a fiver, how to get a stylish outfit for under £10 and how to have a night out for under £15. Maybe it can be done and maybe in the current economic climate, this is the sensible approach. But lately, I have been getting an overwhelming urge to have the mother of all spending sprees, the night out to top all nights out and live off smoked salmon, champagne and very expensive icecream.

The whole recessionista wardrobe thing, where you invest in classic basic items that you can wear for years to come, has always been my approach to dressing anyway. But since the credit crunch, all I want to do is get the latest fashion that I know come next year I will never wear again. Classic and basics are really boring me so here is my anti credit crunch shopping wish list.

Alexander McQueen embroidiered shoes

Aimee McWilliams high waisted white silk trousers

Ballantyne Cashmere Scarf

Not wanting to harp on to much about the current economic situation, but as many will be feeling the pinch, including myself and especially in the run up to Christmas, here are my ideas on how to update your look without buying a whole new wardrobe of clothes.

Cinch in with a belt - All sorts of outfits can be updated by cinching in with a belt this winter. Try it with coats, dresses and tops. Skinny belts will look really up to the minute. I love this Costume National Belt with a dimante detail.

Glam it up with costume jewellery - Big, bright and sparkly is the way to go with costume jewellery. Try cocktail rings, statement necklaces and long dangly earrings for a bit of added bling.

Evening wear in the day - You can get away with almost anything for daytime wear this winter. Try wearing last years evening wear including ruffled, chiffon, sparkly and lace tops. Try layering over a polo neck jumper or under a chunky knit for added warmth and to dress down the look a bit.

Coloured tights - coloured tights are every where this winter. Buy a variety in bright pinks, purples and blues. Wear with  last years sweater dresses or any other dresses for a easy on trend look.

Since the whole credit crunch, recession thing started, I have read countless articles extolling the virtues of buying good quality basic clothes over lots of cheap high fashion, through away clothes. For the most part, I absolutely agree but there are times when only a bit of cheap high fashion will suffice.If you do decide to take the quality over quantity stance, which is probably also more environmentally friendly and ethical than the cheap high fashion option, you will need to ensure that you take really good care of your fashion investments, so that you get plenty of wear and your moneys worth out of them. If you really do get fed up with them, you can sell them second hand.I once invested a very gorgeous, soft and warm cashmere jumper which I loved wearing in the winter. I wore it constantly for 3 winters in a row. The forth winter, I got it out of my wardrobe to wear on a particularly cold day and to my horror, found a  moth hole the size of a 50p right in the front of it. I was devastated and couldn’t understand why despite cedar wood balls a moth had managed to nibble it. My advice to you, if you do choose to invest in cashmere is to go completely overboard with the cedar wood.

It is also very important to store you investment properly.  Choose nice hangers to hang items and if folding and storing use acid free tissue paper. Keep your investment spotlessly clean. If it is dry clean only get it regularly cleaned pointing out any stains/ marks to the dry cleaner in advance. If you do need to remove stains, there are some great tips on Fabric Link

I would definitely invest in this lovely boat neck cashmere jumper, but I would look after it better this time.

If you are suffering from the effects of the credit crunch or struggling with the size of household bills and cost of living you will probably be finding that there is not much money left to buy new clothes. But panic not! I love buying expensive designer clothes as much as anyone, but when stagflation hits don’t let it get you down you can still look stylish.

Style is not really about what you wear it is about how you wear it and spending lots of money on expensive clothes is not the only way to look stylish. In fact quite often I find that most stylish clothes that I own were probably bought when I did not have much money to spend so took a lot longer considering what to buy. The result - less impulse buys, more well fitting, carefully considered clothes that make me look and feel great.

So it really is true. You don’t have to spend loads of money to look great and in many cases  those that do spend loads of money on clothes, don’t look at all great. You only have to look at Go Fug Yourself for the proof.

For some great Credit Crunch Style try shopping online and don’t forget to compare prices to get the best deal. My favourite bargain is a tailor made shirt fitted to your body measurements.