Credit crunch style

You do not, repeat, DO NOT splurge your entire budget on a designer dress for a fancy event. That is a fashion crime! I know girls who blow £900 on some mint green Versace number they wear once. ONCE. Then it hangs in the cupboard while they wear ratty old coats from New Look every day of the winter.

You will do this the other way round, babes. You can blow £400 on a superb coat that you wear for FIVE winters in a row, saving you loads of money, then you go to Primart for the Versace-a-like plunging number, because who cares if it falls apart after opening night?

Now, stop thinking about what you'll be blowing your budget on and pay attention. Before you spend one penny, you are going to go through your Spring/Summer or Autumn/ Winter wardrobe (yes, it is important to sort your stuff out like this, you can't wear black boots and black jackets all summer, even if you do live in Britain).

You're going to resuscitate as much in there as you possibly can. Stains? Treat them. Repairs? Do them. Would a higher hem work? Some beading? Could you dye that blouse a brighter colour? Cobalt blue? Fuchsia? Would new ear-rings perk it up? Sometimes new hair can make everything in the wardrobe look better.

Wash, iron, hang or fold every single precious item properly. Even your scarves. Make it look just as tempting as a lovely shop in there. It is a shop, your own personal shop where everything inside fits and suits you, so love what's there already.

OK. Now bags and shoes. Round them up, babes, slap on the Amy Winehouse because they're all gonna go to re-hab. You are going to wax, cream, nourish and polish that leather, brush, clean and spray that suede. There will be re-heeling, there will be crushed tissue paper stuffing. Rebuild your broken relationships here, remember how much you LOVED these darlings when you first got them. Cherish, respect and you will get the love back.

If you've splurged, you must treasure! Spray those shoes every time you wear them, put them on shoe trees and let them recover. Do not put your packed lunch and flask into your Mulberry. Are you out of your mind? Carry that bag on your arm or in your lap like a newborn baby.

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