Fashionista Turned Recessionista? Here’s How to Stay Fab.u.LESS

* “You can start by doing a little spring cleaning,” says Allyson Leak, celebrity fashion designer and President and CEO of Ally Marie Couture Jewelry, www.AllyMarie.com. “Go through your closet and this time instead of getting rid of everything you don’t wear just think twice about it. Ask yourself if there’s a way you can incorporate it in your wardrobe for the season or is there something affordable you could buy to wear with it.”

* “After seeing what you have, then you can figure out what you really need,” says Allyson. If there are things that you’ve decided you can do without forever, throw them in a box and have friends come over with their old things for a swap soiree! Someone else’s junk could be your next fabulous fashion find.

* Know of any aspiring fashion designers? Support them by offering to be their first muse. It’s a great way to gain some unique new fashions you won’t see anywhere else for a discount or maybe even for free.

* Raid your grandmother’s closet! She may have held on to some things over the years, and that could mean original vintage and fashionable goodies for you.

* Lots of times people need or just want t to give to charity the things that once belonged to loved ones. So scour thrift stores, leaving no area unchecked for funky shoes, boho bags or maybe even sequined clutches and coin purses!

* Concentrate on purchasing crucial pieces instead of whole outfits. “The key is to force yourself to have fashion will power,” say Allyson. Items like beaded belts, crocheted hats and jumbo leather bags are what make an outfit made up of mostly basic pieces stand out. “I think that being a fashionista today is all about being a smart shopper,” says Allyson.

* Ever had your own vision of what you’d like to wear but can’t find it? Maybe that’s your inner fashion designer dying to come out. Massive job losses have given many people enough reason to try something new. So think about making your visions a reality and testing your products out on Etsy.com.

* Give your hair and your wallet a break from chemical services. A press is just as good for straightening your hair and more affordable. Also, many are going natural so this could be the perfect time to try a new and different style that doesn’t require salon upkeep.