How to save money on fashion

Clothes are expensive: the average American spends more than $1,400 on clothes each year, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. That’s nearly as much as the average person spends on gas in a year!

The number might seem high, but it can easily be dialed up if you have expensive tastes, buy cheap clothes that wear out quickly, or buy things you don’t need. What’s a penny-hoarding fashionista to do?

If you want to cut back on your clothing expenses, you’ll need to choose your purchases wisely and take good care of what you already have. Here are 20 ideas to get you started.

Shopping for clothing without blowing your budget isn’t easy, but these strategies will help you decide what’s actually a good deal, and what purchases will cost you more money in the long run.