You want to look good, you want to wear what’s in fashion, but your budget is stretched about as far as it can go. What’s a girl to do? Check out some unexpected sources of high-fashion finds that won’t have you breaking the piggy bank to get new clothes.

Local Treasures

If you’re tired of the prices at your local mall or the online stores, take a look around your own city and your own neighborhood. Chances are there shops near you that offer on-trend, unique items you won’t find anywhere else. You can get personalized service, and you’ll also be the first to get in on sales and clearance events.

If there’s a town near you that caters to tourists, hit those stores up during the off-season when you can often get steep discounts. When you shop boutiques for sales, you’ll get one-of-a-kind items that will give your wardrobe an instant upgrade while saving you money.

Thrift Stores

Thrift stores are where you can find rock-bottom prices, but if you’re looking for really fashionable items, you have to wade through a lot of regular stuff to find that one jewel in the junk pile. Thrift stores are a good place to find shoes, boots, and handbags, often from well-known brands. They’re especially great for Halloween costumes and basics like tee shirts, sweatshirts or jeans.

Consignment Shops

Consignment stores are thrift stores that specialize in high-end fashion items. While the prices are higher than a regular thrift store, the selection tends to be better, and the prices are still less than what the items would cost if they were new. Some consignment shops specialize in particular types of clothing, like baby clothes or plus-size fashions.

Discount Stores

If you hit them at the right time, discount and dollar stores can be a surprising source of cheap fashion finds. Most of them sell socks, handbags, tote bags, flip-flops, sandals, hats of all kinds, gloves, and scarves. You can also find slippers, headbands and clutch purses. The downside is that their selection changes every week, and the good stuff sells out fast. If you can spot them when they get in, be sure to stock up.

The best way to discover low-priced, high-fashion finds is to get out of the mall. You can find some good things there, and it can be fun to go, but you are probably going to spend more money than you want, and there is a high chance that someone else will have the same outfit. Instead, venture out to new places and look for great deals.

Photo Credit: Hope Ave Boutique