Building a Wardrobe on a Budget

[Cherry Cyanide]

Hi all. I am working on building a respectable pinup (and burlesque) wardrobe. Problem is that I do not have a lot of disposable income at the moment. Also, my body shape is a bit unusual after massive weight loss so things like dresses from estate sales don't always fit me right. (Bummer!)

What do I need and where can I find them on the cheap? I'm receptive to any ideas ya'll might have.

I've got a decent selection of hosiery, a couple of cute bra/panty/garter sets. I have a very nice underbust corset. I've got a waist cincher I'm not too happy with. I found a lovely full slip on ebay. My roommate sews and is soon going to be making me some custom gowns for pinup, but let's face it- sewing today is just as expensive as buying a new gown in some cases. I'm kind of at a loss.

[Dolly Marlowe {*}]

Ebay, Etsy, junk shops, & estate sales are great places to find vintage pieces.
Keep in mind that the fit is awkward for a few reasons: Shape-wear was commonly worn by ladies on a day to day basis, so those tiny little waists were manmade; tailoring was also commonplace (and long overdue for a comeback IMO). You can always buy bigger & have it taken in, but letting a piece out is a bit more difficult especially as fabrics fade over time.
Sewing is a great option & vintage patterns are fun. Buying fabrics off season will save you a little $$.
You can also find "filler" pieces at stores like Target & Forever 21. Pay attention to the lines & fit of a garment to be sure they follow vintage styling. Every once & a great while, you may find a gem.
Building a great wardrobe is a labour of love. It takes lots of time & energy to acquire really great things for a bargain, but its sooo worth it!
Hope this was slightly helpful.
xoxo
Dolly Marlowe

[Auburn Hills]

Simple items like pencil skirts, capris, cardigan sweaters and a classic cotton button front blouse are very versatile pieces to start your wardrobe. Pencil skirt and a cardigan, add your waist cincher or corset and stockings - and boom you're a bombshell.

[Cherry Cyanide]

Thank you both for your suggestions. I cant wait for some shopping/sewing to take place!

[Roxie Roulette {★}]

My mum picks up great vintage or vintage styled patterns for a couple of pound and the fabric is usually about the same for a couple of yards. She gets most of her's at shows, on eBay and in charity shops. Granted, you have to be good at sewing to get the results but practice makes perfect.

Other than that you could just get a handful of seperate pieces and mix and match them all up to form hundreds - well maybe not hundreds aha - of outfits :)

[Vega {★}]

You have a big advantage here considering you live in the Bay Area! Consignment shops abound!! Have you ever been to Buffalo Exchange? You bring in the clothing you don't want any more, they give you credit, and then you use that to get new stuff! It's a great way to cycle out your wardrobe, i.e. when you used some piece of clothing in a photoshoot or event or two already and don't want to use it in another one, bring it in, get someone different! Sometimes ya gotta go digging, but it can be worth it :)

[Cherry Cyanide]

Buffalo Exchange? I'll have to look that one up! Sounds neat. I'm a transplant from down south, so I'm still learning all the nifty spots around town.

Raquelle Vega {★} said:

You have a big advantage here considering you live in the Bay Area! Consignment shops abound!! Have you ever been to Buffalo Exchange? You bring in the clothing you don't want any more, they give you credit, and then you use that to get new stuff! It's a great way to cycle out your wardrobe, i.e. when you used some piece of clothing in a photoshoot or event or two already and don't want to use it in another one, bring it in, get someone different! Sometimes ya gotta go digging, but it can be worth it :)

[Vega {★}]

Ah, you must be young! I notice younger generations (even if only slightly) don't use consignment shops as much and don't know about them... Buffalo Exchange has plenty of locations down south as well (my boyfriend is from the LA Area and grew up with it too). I don't know if it was just more commonplace to go thrift-shopping back when I was a kid, or if it's nothing more than a product of being raised in a low-income family... but shopping at Goodwill and Salvation Army, and exchanging at the Buffalo Exchange was a way of life :) There's a Buffalo Exchange in Berkeley, and one in San Francisco. There may be more, but those are the ones I know of. They tend to take things that are in season, so if you want to exchange stuff, bring in mostly spring and summer garb, because that's what they want to stock their store with.

p.s.
I don't want to insult you by saying you are a youngster!! It's equally as possible you are as old or older than I am, but you look young in your photos without being able to guess an actual age (which is always a good thing) ;)

Cherry Cyanide said:

Buffalo Exchange? I'll have to look that one up! Sounds neat. I'm a transplant from down south, so I'm still learning all the nifty spots around town.

Raquelle Vega {★} said:

You have a big advantage here considering you live in the Bay Area! Consignment shops abound!! Have you ever been to Buffalo Exchange? You bring in the clothing you don't want any more, they give you credit, and then you use that to get new stuff! It's a great way to cycle out your wardrobe, i.e. when you used some piece of clothing in a photoshoot or event or two already and don't want to use it in another one, bring it in, get someone different! Sometimes ya gotta go digging, but it can be worth it :)

[Cherry Cyanide]

I'm not young, but thanks for the compliment! I'm 31. But I grew up in an area where there were no such thing as consignment shops. I'm going to do some research and check out the Buffalo Exchange and other venues as soon as I have some extra cash! Thank you so much for the tips! :)

Raquelle Vega {★} said:

Ah, you must be young! I notice younger generations (even if only slightly) don't use consignment shops as much and don't know about them... Buffalo Exchange has plenty of locations down south as well (my boyfriend is from the LA Area and grew up with it too). I don't know if it was just more commonplace to go thrift-shopping back when I was a kid, or if it's nothing more than a product of being raised in a low-income family... but shopping at Goodwill and Salvation Army, and exchanging at the Buffalo Exchange was a way of life :) There's a Buffalo Exchange in Berkeley, and one in San Francisco. There may be more, but those are the ones I know of. They tend to take things that are in season, so if you want to exchange stuff, bring in mostly spring and summer garb, because that's what they want to stock their store with.

p.s.
I don't want to insult you by saying you are a youngster!! It's equally as possible you are as old or older than I am, but you look young in your photos without being able to guess an actual age (which is always a good thing) ;)

[Lilly F Elliott]

I agree with you that dressmaking at home can be just as, if not more expensive than buying new these days. However it is a really usefull skill to have if just for making alterations. If you can alter a dress well, then you dont have to worry so much about fit and can pick up some realy cheap outfits on ebay, in charity shops ect ect. Taking in is easier than letting out. So size to your bust measurment or more then alter the rest to fit.
Then just team with easily available and inexpensive staples like cropped leggings, cardis, pencil skirts.
The expensive stuff is the lingerie really, I spend much more on lingerie, and corsets than anything else and sadly there isnt much to do about that. So I save as much as possible on outerwear so I can spend more on underwear. It makes all the difference..pinup and burlesque are at least as much about attitude as specific style. The lingerie gives that attitude I feel, even if no one sees it. Hair is super important too, and that is free!

[Dolly Marlowe {*}]

While you're looking into consignment & charity shops, check out your local Leisure League, VFW, or Hospice shops. This may sound a bit morbid, but when elderly people die, their things are often donated to charity shops that benefit the senior community. This can really help narrow down your search.

PS I <3 Buffalo Exchange!!!!

[Cherry Cyanide]

I never knew there was such a thing as hospice shops! I wonder if we have those here...
Dolly Marlowe said:

While you're looking into consignment & charity shops, check out your local Leisure League, VFW, or Hospice shops. This may sound a bit morbid, but when elderly people die, their things are often donated to charity shops that benefit the senior community. This can really help narrow down your search.

PS I <3 Buffalo Exchange!!!!

[Vega {★}]

Hehehe :) Well best of luck, and remember, Buffalo Exchange and other consignment shops are great because you don't need any extra cash! Just your old clothes!

Cherry Cyanide said:

I'm not young, but thanks for the compliment! I'm 31. But I grew up in an area where there were no such thing as consignment shops. I'm going to do some research and check out the Buffalo Exchange and other venues as soon as I have some extra cash! Thank you so much for the tips! :)

Raquelle Vega {★} said:

Ah, you must be young! I notice younger generations (even if only slightly) don't use consignment shops as much and don't know about them... Buffalo Exchange has plenty of locations down south as well (my boyfriend is from the LA Area and grew up with it too). I don't know if it was just more commonplace to go thrift-shopping back when I was a kid, or if it's nothing more than a product of being raised in a low-income family... but shopping at Goodwill and Salvation Army, and exchanging at the Buffalo Exchange was a way of life :) There's a Buffalo Exchange in Berkeley, and one in San Francisco. There may be more, but those are the ones I know of. They tend to take things that are in season, so if you want to exchange stuff, bring in mostly spring and summer garb, because that's what they want to stock their store with.

p.s.
I don't want to insult you by saying you are a youngster!! It's equally as possible you are as old or older than I am, but you look young in your photos without being able to guess an actual age (which is always a good thing) ;)