Shelby Tolar is a  freelance makeup artist.
Shelby has been an artist for as long as she can remember, but only recently did she find her passion in makeup. “Makeup artistry is so dynamic. The canvas is never the same twice,” Shelby notes “–and I love that.” Shelby loves the diversity of beauty, and works to enhance her clients’ natural beauty, rather than covering it and changing a woman into an unrealistic ideal. She and her adorable youth pastor hubby, Matt, have been married for 4 years in August.  As sweet as she is talented, Shelby is sure to go far with her passion and poise. Today, she writing on how to get a high class look on a shoe string budget! Like Shelby’s page on Facebook at Shelby Tolar Makeup Artist !

“My love for fashion started when I was quite young. I had a unique way of pairing things together that mostly included a thrifted men’s dress vest and bright feather earrings, but thankfully, I have moved on to much better style choices. I now thoroughly enjoy what I like to call “dupes.” It’s a classy and trendy way of saying, “knock off.” I find the clearance racks to be one of the most exhilarating areas of the store and usually always hit those up first! Many women can find a great article of clothing that fits her style well, but not everyone can find that at a discounted rate, which makes it all the more sweet. Some may call it a sickness, but I call it living life to the frugal fullest. Let me share my favorite tips with you!

Here are my favorite stores:
TJ MAX
Target
Local Consignment Stores

Proud Maxxinista
Out of all the shops in and around the mall, I choose TJ Maxx as my favorite! Often times I end an unsuccessful shopping trip to the mall with the sweet aroma of TJ Maxx. Some may find this store overwhelming because you have to search a little harder. However, they do a great job at keeping those racks organized and categorized by size and style and I promise it’s worth it!
They receive new merchandise on an average of 3-5 times a week so there’s always something new for you and they take Macy’s and Nordstrom’s “leftovers.” Also, if you are looking for an extra great bargain, they tend to do all their markdowns on Wednesday’s. Happy hump day to you!
My favorite brands at a fraction of the cost:
– Kate Spade
– Lucky Brand
– Limited
– American Eagle Outfitters
– Nike
– Tommy Hilfiger
– North Face
*Attention all Crossfit, Zumba, Yoga, Pilates, & Fitness ladies alike, TJ Maxx is your active wear headquarters! I seriously refuse to go anywhere else. Those cute colorful shorts with the blissful spandex under layer run $60 at Nike. (No seriously, I just checked!) I have bought all mine for $12.99- $16.99 at TJ Maxx. With savings like that, you can throw in a sports bra and a razor back tank for under $50!
I prefer to sneak over to the men’s section and pick up a “bro tank” for $7.99 to top off the complete look but that’s just me!
Target
Everyone loves Target so of course it made it to this post!
There are always several clearance clothes racks ranging from 50%-65% off, but did you know there’s a serious markdown schedule for each day of the week? Ladies, I’d like to introduce you to Tuesday and Thursday, your new best friends. Target marks down their women’s clothing on Tuesdays and shoes (& lingerie) on Thursdays. (Can you say red heels and something sexy for your husband? Spicing up your love life on a budget, great marketing Target!) Moving on. We all know that Target can overprice some of their clothes at times, so here’s just a few more tips if you can’t wait for the markdown schedule. Check for “re-packaged” items. They could be returns and due to that, they are automatically marked down. If you are seeing a very one-of-a-kind item, scan it! It’s most likely a return item that is no longer sold in stores and that just means more money in your pocket! Target is run by humans and as we all know, humans are not perfect. That’s why the price check scanner is also your best friend. Don’t put back that amazing $40 dress just yet; scan it to make sure someone didn’t make a mistake. Now, if that dress remains $40, follow the checklist below. This will help you decide if it’s really worth it!

• Is it in your budget?
• Do you look beyond amazing in it?
• Do you love, love, love it?
• Could you find the same thing for less?
• Is it dry clean only?
• Do you NEED it?

Extra Tip – Just because it’s marked down, does not mean it’s cheap. It is so tempting to grab that almost perfect dress off the sale rack because it’s marked down from $85 to $50. Stop and think. Would you buy it at full price? Could you find something better for less or, could you find the same thing for less? Do not let the sales tag fool you, $50 is still $50.
Consignment Stores
Consignment stores are some of our best-kept secrets. Be honest, have you ever kept your “diamond in the rough” store a secret or only told close family and friends? We women don’t mess around when it comes to bargains do we?
Ask around to some of your friends if they know of any good consignment/resale stores in your area. You might just be surprised! Not all resale stores are created equal so check them all out. There are some you will step one foot in before turning around, and then there’s some that you will get lost in for hours. Ask the owner/manager the best times to shop and when they get the most new merchandise. They tend to be eager for business/publicity and unlike us, have no problem sharing all their secrets!

Offseason Shopping
Offseason shopping is exactly how it sounds. Instead of waiting to find that perfect pea coat at the beginning of winter, try searching in the summer months at your local resale/consignment stores. So many people clean out their closets at the beginning of each season to make room for what they need in that moment. The last thing people want in their “summer closet” is a bulky trench coat, that they didn’t wear last season, taking up space that would be better used for that new killer maxi dress you just got! Just looking at that coat makes them sweat, and out the door it goes. Now, obviously there are other reasons for getting rid of clothes such as; style change, size change, downsizing, etc.
Now that you know how to shop, here’s how to dress!
Many women think they must be dressed from head to toe in stylish pieces. Don’t discount a great pair of jeans or a button up. You may have had that certain piece for years and think it’s outdated, but I promise there are ways to make it look chic. The way you button, roll, tuck or belt something can add so much character to an outfit.