How to be a Fashionista on a Writer's Budget

I am in love with handbags. Not just handbags, bags in general. I have a closet full of purses and bags, and I always ogle new ones when I'm at the store. I have about a dozen different Thirty-One bags, for different things -- one for the gym, one for the beach, one for football stuff, etc... I love to change purses every season, or use a different bag for going out than every day.

I also love designer bags. Coach and Vera Bradley are my two new favorites. Of course I can't afford either brand new, so I have learned how to carry designer bags on a normal person's budget. If you have some time, you can really get some great deals. Here are some of my tips from most expensive to least:

1. Outlet stores. There are about a half a dozen outlet malls within an hour's drive from me, but the first time I ever went into one was when we were on vacation in the Poconos. I walked into the Coach outlet. Yeah, the regular prices are still WAY high, BUT I happened to be in there on a day when they were having a HUGE sale. 50% off the clearance and on-sale stuff. I got over $1000 of Coach merchandise for just about $400 (don't worry, most of it was Christmas gifts). I bought my first-ever Coach purse--and matching wallet/wristlet:

(not my actual stuff--but this is what they look like)

These were a treat to myself, and will be used with extreme care. They were still not cheap, but affordable. Vera Bradley also has a bunch of outlet stores, but I've not been to one of those. I hear they are awesome, however even better is that VB is sold in local boutiques and even some Hallmark stores near me -- so if I wait until they go on sale there, you can also get amazing deals on new and being retired patterns. 

2. Poshmark.com. A resale site for high-end fashion. Like Ebay, but no bidding. I haven't used it myself, but have heard good things. They seem to have excellent deals. You can also make a trade if the seller is amenable and you have something good to trade. 

3. Ebay. You can buy ANYTHING on ebay, if you look hard enough. I managed to snag a Vera Bradley mini-zip wallet (which they don't even make anymore) in a retired pattern I was looking for to match a bag I had bought  (more on that later) for a very reasonable price. The great thing about VB is that it's made of cotton and you can hand wash it no problem, so even if it's a little dirty, they clean up beautifully. I think Poshmark and Ebay are about the same, price-wise. You can get good deals on both if you dig around.

4. Facebook. Really. If you search, you will find there are resale groups for just about everything on Facebook. they're like Craigslist, kind of, and you usually have to ask to join the group. In my local area there are no less than 4 'yard sale' sites, and I'm also a member of two different VB, Coach, D&B resale sites. The yard sale sites may require you live nearby so you can do an in-person sale, but I bought TWO VB bags from a site where they shipped them to me. These are gold mines! I bought two retired pattern VB bags (one of which prompted me to search for the wallet I mentioned earlier) and paid just $20 each, plus shipping. Both were in excellent condition, and I will use them a lot. 

I also traded something I had for a retired Coach twistlock wristlet. It was not in the best shape, but I learned how to clean a Coach fabric bag and now it's gorgeous. And because I didn't pay anything for it, I won't mind if I carry it all the time.

5. Thrift stores. This is hit or miss, but the hunt is half the fun! In my area there is one store that is the best for accessories, and it was here that I found my first VB finds. A small cosmetic bag in a retired pattern for $5, and a small ID swipe wallet in a recently retired pattern-- for ONE DOLLAR. It was the cosmetic bag pattern that led me to search for the matching bag and wallet (I still have to get a wallet to match the other bag...). 

There you have it! Now you too can carry a designer bag, and no one will know you didn't pay full retail! 

Fashion

One part of world-building I tend to leave until last (unless it is an important element in the story) is fashion. What do people wear? What are the garments called? Do I use the present-day terms? Do I make something up? And what, according to the society, is considered fashionable?

The first part of my last book, Talking to Trees, was set in our world with a 13-year-old who considered herself fashionable. I work at a university, so I'm used to what college students and recent graduates from high school think is in fashion (more on that later). But for trends among the younger set, I had to consult those more expert. That included my niece, some friends' daughters, some teachers of that age group (including my younger sister and another niece) and parents. For visual aids I could consider shows aimed at that age group, always keeping in mind when the show was filmed. Styles change quickly.

Some styles don't change quickly enough. Bare midriffs have mostly faded away from the college campus (though that could be due to the cold winter temperatures here). The pajama bottoms style is still strong, as is the 'almost falling off' jeans for males and extreme low riding ones for females. There's always the discussion in the news of the "wardrobe malfunction" for low tops but I never hear any talk (except among faculty and staff) about how uncomfortable it is to walk behind those underwear exposing practitioners (or, worse still, to see the back view seated in chairs). I guess there's a story or two there.

Another trend is whether to wear the shirt/blouse tucked in or untucked. But that decision isn't often mentioned.

One could say that for present day clothing, the writer doesn't have to go into great detail. Jeans, tee shirts, sweatshirts, suits, coats, jackets, ties, dresses, slacks, shirts, blouses, vests, sweaters, skirts, boots, high heels - all are common enough terms. It's only when you want to point out how fashionable your character is that more detail needs to be used, but then you also have to consider how quickly that will date your story. Are the jeans ripped because the character has been in a fight? Poor? Or is it a fashion statement? And then there are regional differences. Do you wear tennis shoes or trainers or tennies? Running shoes, athletic shoes, gym shoes or a brand name? Do you wear a vest or a waistcoat? What about fabric? Fleece, cashmere, or silk would all mean different things fashionwise than wool or cotton.

For fantasy there are generic terms - cloaks, tunics, smocks, boots, sandals, vests, breeches, skirts, kilts, robes, gowns - that don't require much explanation or description of the details. Unless you want to get into the embroidery. Or tassels. Or magical reflecting properties. But do you describe a kirtle? A cheton? A cotehardie? A jerkin? Or do you expect readers of fantasy or historical stories to know what you are talking about? If you do use the wrong term, however, you can be sure that there will be a reader who will notice.

For science fiction stories, there will be protective suits, pressure suits and/or space suits to mention, as well as other clothing choices. Does everyone on the space station wear overalls (or coveralls)? What type of necktie is popular in your future society - Ascot, cravat or bolo - and are bow ties still cool? What will teens wear? Will there be different casual attire for those living in rural areas on the colony planet versus those living in the city? Do merchants wear different fabrics than pilots? Are there fabrics from other planets? Would your main POV character notice?

And, what does your nonhuman characters wear? Does your dragon wear a scarf? Jewelled talon covers? Do your furred aliens wear only a harness or trousers and a vest? Does your crablike alien police wear badges? Do you mention how those are attached to the shell? (I did in one story). On ships do your alien crew members wear the same uniform (with modifications) as the humans?

For YA stories (both fantasy and science fiction), usually the most important questions are 1) is there a school uniform, 2) is it the same for both male and female (and nonhumans), and 3) what modifications are allowed for the fashion conscious?

Because Jody in Talking to Trees is fashion conscious, I had to mention what the characters wore. Jody looks down on Jeanne, who wears jeans and a plain sweatshirt, and she complains when her brother Peter choses to wear a sweatshirt and jeans with multiple pockets and loops (which he fills with food and a flattened roll of duct tape). Jeanne and Peter know they will be walking through forests and across plains and dress appropriately. Jody, on the other hand - well, Jody's denim jacket is illustrated on the cover. There is a reason why leaves are growing on it.



Do you notice fashion choices in books?