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Tip Store: Clothing: Women's Clothes

MOO Designer Gym Clothes

Use an old black t shirt and bike pants. Lay them flat on the table. Have a small dish of bleach and draw with your index finger, flowers and ferns on the top and butterflies and birds on the thigh part of the pants.(Or any pattern you like). After each small application, wait to see the fabric fade and get a picture of what is needed. I wear this 'set' when I am gardening or doing outside work. It is a good talking point for connecting to the neighbours
Contributed by Lynn Dingley

Stretch Your Clothing Budget via Online Stores

Approximate $ Savings: $350.00

Hi everyone, first time tipster! I receive Sportscraft shop updates via the web. Although I love these they are way too expensive for me to justify so I wait and wait and wait, and this time it has really paid off. They offered a 50% reduction on certain things from their winter/spring collection. I bought a long wrap for winter along with great, very good quality tops. These four items cost me $128.00 in total including shipping. The normal cost would have been $440.00 - a saving of $312.00! The price for the wrap alone was over $200.00. The tops were between $20.00-$30.00. So it does pay to wait - the quality is great and I know that these tops can be worn for a few seasons. So give it a go and wait until the right time, it has certainly paid off.
Contributed by Mara Pigatto, 29th October 2015

​Massive Saving @ Target Outlet

I have discovered the Target Clearance Outlet in Dandenong Plaza! I needed a couple of new pairs of undies and a girlfriend said she was going to the Target Outlet. Well all I can say is WOW!!! I have packed almost all my clothes ready to move and the cold weather hit and I have been cold so a cardy was also on my list. I bought: Bra - Was $30 Paid $3.75 2 x Undies - Were $15ea Paid $5.25ea Brief - Was $10 Paid $5.25 Hipsters - Were $12 Paid $1.50 Brief Was $8 Paid $0.75 Top - Was $15 Paid $1.50 Cardigan - Was $29 Paid $5.00 That was a total spend of $28.25, full price was $134.00, saving $105.75! They have pretty much have everything a normal Target does.
​Contributed by Raelene Charabie, 22nd February 2014

​If You're a Small Adult Size in Clothes Check Out the Kids Section!

Approximate $ Savings: $3.50 from a $8.50 purchase

​ With the winter weather hitting I went shopping for some warmer clothes. I found that adult ladies size 8 track pants and jumpers are the same as the children's size 16. Not only are they the same size but I can't tell the difference - well part from the tag! Adults jumper: $8.50, kids jumper: $5 (I paid $4 on special). Saving of $3.50 (or $4.50 in my case).
Contributed by Deb Holliday, 12th June 2013

​Look Outside Your Section

For the Olympics my gym asked us to dress in green and gold or as our favourite athlete. I had a look at a couple of shops for some Aussie supporters kit but could only find a red t-shirt with an Olympic print for $28. When I walked into Target they had a rack of all sizes (babies thru to men) Olympic shirts. The girls print and the ladies print were identical - except for the price tag. I picked up the girls size 16 and compared it to the ladies size 8 and it was the same shirt with a slightly different cut in the neck. I tried the girls shirt on and it fit perfectly. Ladies shirt $28 - girls shirt $10. Saving = $18
​Contributed by Deb Holliday, 1st August 2012

​Online Fashion Clearance

Approximate $ Savings: Over $100 on 3 items.

Have you ever been to an undercover wear party? Such pretty stuff - such expensive prices. I've just discovered their online store, ucw.com.au, and they have a clearance section on the site which is great! I've just bought a bra for $5, Cami for $5 and pants suitable for work for $15. Even with the $10 postage fee which is a flat rate, it still only came to $35. Normally the cami would be $35 and the pants $85. I can't remember what the bra was. I placed the order on a Saturday and the package was delivered on the Tuesday immediately after. The only drawback is that you can't swap an incorrect size but they have a sizing chart online as well.
Contributed by Raelene Besford, 23rd March 2012
​ Website: www.ucw.com.au

​A Simple DIY Clothing Alteration

Approximate $ Savings: $200 +

​ After losing weight and finding my clothes were now too loose, the obvious options were to wear a belt which looks bulky under tops, pay for alterations to existing clothing which is expensive, or to purchase a whole new wardrobe which is very expensive. Instead I purchased a pack of 4 elastic sheet grippers from Spotlight for $3, and the rubber clasps at the ends easily attach around belt loops for pants and skirts, for easy, non bulky and comfortable to wear adjustment. My sister-in-law has lost over 20kg and is wearing them for her clothing as well and also finds them effective and comfortable. This would also be a cheap option for adjusting offered hand me down clothing that otherwise you wouldn't accept.
Contributed by Rebecca Short, 18th March 2011

​Designer Seconds Save Big Bucks

Check the 'seconds' and 'clearance' racks at designer outlet stores at places like DFO. I found skirts, dresses and tops that had minor flaws - such as broken zipper or stitching undone on straps. If you can sew, these minor flaws can save you up to $100 on a single item. I bought a beautiful skirt from Witchery for $14.00!
​Contributed by Helen, Chatswood, 6th May 2009

​Dressing Teenage Girls

​I thought I would pass on our strategy for dealing with Teenage girls and their want for clothes. First some background. My mother would not let me pick out my own clothes until I was 15, very embarrassing. I swore that I would never do that to my kids. Kids must be allowed to explore their individuality within reason and must learn to budget (something my mother still can't do). So when my daughters turned 12 we started giving them a clothing allowance on top of their pocket money. The rules are we pay for basic underwear, uniform, socks, pjs, shoes and school hair ties, they pay the rest. So we pay for a skin coloured bra for under their white school shirt and one coloured one for other days; one multi pack of undies; one multi pack of school socks and other socks; one pair each of runners, school shoes, summer shoes, thongs; two pairs of summer and two pairs of winter pjs; two sets each of school uniforms (as much second hand as possible due to amazing growth spurts at this age) and enough hair ties and clips for the year (note: I use them as stocking stuffers when we are having a thrifty Christmas). They buy their other clothes. We taught them to take an inventory each season to work out what they need and want as so often clothes go missing under beds etc (and it makes them do a proper room clean). We have set a rule of no super short skirts or low cleavage, etc. They get a extra $5 a week, they can choose to only buy the basics and put the left over to something else or to go overboard and spend their pocket money too. I have taught them the value of shopping for clothes at the end of season sales since the stores stock each season ahead of time. And the value of Op Shops, they know which ones get the best gear and where that gear gets put in those stores. My nearly 15 year old would rather shop at St Vinnies than street and beach, I am so proud of that. She has a wardrobe full of brand name gear and has never gone over her clothing budget for the year (she has borrowed from me when she needed a dress for a school dance but paid it back asap). She keeps a book of what she has paid for each item and then when she grows out of them she offers them to her sister for half that price, if her sister doesn't want them she sells them on eBay (this is what normally happens as her sister is a tomboy and she is as girly as they come). Also now that she has grown into one size down from me I have dug out my pre-last baby clothes and she has bought some off me. The girls also use Freecycle to look for clothes and offer ones that aren't brand name and so won't sell on eBay. My almost 15 year old often buys her clothes in bulk on eBay if she can't find what she wants at the op shop and then sells what she doesn't want or sends them to charity or freecycle. I hope this will be of help to someone. Note: I started teaching them to bargain hunt at age 3 or 4 when they got their first birthday money. I took them to the shop and they grabbed what they wanted, then I showed them something similar and explained it would leave them enough money to get (and would grab a toy or book I knew they would like). This taught them to always look at ways to get the most bang for their buck. I started this last year with Master 5 Tomorrow. Contributed by Raelene, Maryborough, 31st March 2010

​Save Money on Uniforms

I work in a large corporation that requires us to wear a particular uniform but just one pair of pant is $75! Shirts are up there too at $45, I won't even get started on the suit jacket! I know a lot of people are in the same boat, whether it be retail or a large company. I lost a lot of weight and dropped 2 sizes and didn't, couldn't and wouldn't pay the $75 each for a new pair of pants. I called the Area office/HR and asked if they had any uniforms from previous employees that had left in my size and the answer was yes, they did! I was given 3 pairs of pants for FREE. I just washed them and ironed them and they look like new. I have since been given a couple of shirts and yes, a suit jacket the same way - for free. I told a few of my friends this idea and they also asked around at work and saved on polos which for that particular company normally cost of $45 each.
​-Contributed by Martina, Langwarrin, 25th July 2009