This year, forget about blowing major bucks at the mall. Right now, it’s all about working with what’s in your closet, and spending ZERO to amp your school style. Ready to get creative? We thought so.
 
Bust Out the Boots
We know it’s flip-flop season, but that doesn’t mean you have to wear sandals until snowfall. Try wearing last year’s boots NOW—with shorts and dresses. Add some cool socks to make it sooo 2010.
 
Go All Kindsa Mix ‘n’ Match on Your Accessories
Time use those gems in a new way. Instead of wearing your necklace around your neck, rock it as a chain on your belt loop. Use your heart- and star-shaped earrings as little charms and hang them off necklaces. Or get crafty and consider turning a broken necklace into a cool bracelet. Got plenty of pins (or a stash of mom’s brooches)? Stick a ton of them onto plain blazers or a denim vest or shirt for a modern take on the trend.
 
Cuff Your Pants
Whether they’re zipper jeans or prepster cords—cuff ‘em up immediately. It’s a crazy-easy way to alter the look of your bottoms. A couple quick cuffs should do it (don’t go too short!) and you’ll instantly show off those shoes. Step up the style by wearing wild heels for a total boost.
 
The Same, But Totally Diff
Think of this as a reality-show challenge. If you’re anything like me, you wear the same combos all the time (Striped shirt? Time to wear the cut-offs…again). Grab your BFF or a fashionable friend and try to create 5 totally new outfits out of the clothes you already own. Try t-shirts with skirts, sparkly tops with ripped jeans and whatever else will look clever—and new to you.
 
Once you’ve got those down, think about different ways you can layer. Try bright tanks under plain tees for a pop of color or popping a cropped blazer over last spring’s floral dress.
 
Play Makeup Artist for a Minute
Your beauty routine can have a ginormous impact on your look. Now’s the time to search through your gorgeous-girl goodies and see what you can use in a new way. Yesterday, I realized an what-was-I-thinking shade of lipstick I bought would look cool dabbed on lightly as a blush. Bronzer works as eye shadow. Eye shadows can be applied as eyeliner. Hello, recycling.
 
Use the polishes you normally save for your pedi (too bright! too glittery!) on your nails. Or, make our oh-so-pretty GL interns and paint each finger a diff color—do the same scheme on each hand to make it less zany.