Pinup on a budget - Part 1 - Basics

In the past others have told me that not being able to afford the Pin up and rockabilly style clothes stops them from dressing that way. When I first starting to get into the style I couldn't afford it at all. I was around 16/17 and still in high school with a small casual job on the side. I started out simple and worked my way up.

Because of this, I have decided to bring you a 4 part series all about how to achieve the pin up look without breaking the bank.

1. Basics i.e department store shopping.

2. Working with what you have.

 3. Second hand including Ebay and buy/swap/sell groups.

4. Brands and sales.

Basics

Now where to start, I know it can be really hard to justify spending a lot of money on pin up related items. At first I remember falling in love with every thing I saw but could never afford it, especially in one pay. Over time I learnt that you don't have to go to the big pin up specialty stores to be able to dress pin up. I started to spot things around department stores that had a pin up twist to them and defiantly wouldn't break the bank.

Here in Australia we have a store called Kmart, it basically sells almost everything from clothes to cooking appliances at a very cheap price. I found this the best place to just buy basic wardrobe items from. Cardigans in the winter are a life saver but some companies sell them for a ridiculous amount, in Kmart I could grab a plain cardigan for around $10 in some pretty amazing colours to. A few years back I even started buying them iron/sew on patches and popping them on to imitate some of the looks I was seeing online. I did use to get a ton of compliments on them too. You can buy those patches almost anywhere and in pretty much any object you want, I remember making my best friend a Doctor Who one and she loved it! 

Another thing that Kmart is good for is shoes. They have so many different coloured flat shoes to match every outfit in the wardrobe. I use to wear them but my feet just don't like them, I have to be very picky with my shoes. If I can remember, the shoes in Kmart are very rarely over $20 and I know the flats are around $10. You could probably grab around 5/6 pairs for the same price as some of the ones you see online. If Kmart doesn't have what you want then places like Target and Big W have a great range to! Even a lot of the shoe shops around stock a great range.

There are so many types of things you can find in department stores. I buy all my plain t-shirts and shirts from them and even find the odd pencil/swing skirt in them. Last year I bought a whole heap of plain coloured hair flowers from Kmart for $2 each! I wear multiple at once and they just look fantastic. No point in breaking the bank with something that can be done so cheaply and still so effective. 

Don't just stop at department stores, there are so many other great shops out there that can really help when shopping on a budget. Accessories shops are great for hair flowers and cute and quirky jewelry. Have a good look around and if you feel it would work out then go for it! I think its easier to start with all the little basics and work your wardrobe up from there. Plus with these items you can incorporate them with your own wardrobe and start to make them look your own. You will also be thankful further down the line when you buy a fantastic swing skirt and you just so happen to have the perfect matching shirt that you picked up for around $15 sitting at home.

I do hope this helps and gives you a little confidence boost in starting into the world of pin up! On my next Pin up on a budget I'll be talking about working with what you already have.