Step 1: Ask The Tough Questions

Saving money starts with being wise about what you invest in. So before you dive headfirst into the rails, it pays to swot up on a few cent-saving guidelines.

The most obvious of the lot is that if you’re not completely sure about an item, don’t buy it.

Simple.

That doesn’t mean indefinitely; go away or bookmark the page and mull it over, then come back to it in a week and see how you feel.

Step 2: Plan With Military Precision

As the old saying (kind of) goes: proper preparation prevents poor purchases.

In other words, taking stock of your existing arsenal and drawing up a plan of action is essential before stepping into the shops.

Start by opening up your wardrobe and ensuring you have all the year-round essentials a modern man, regardless of his style, needs: white T-shirts, dark denim, Oxford shirt etc.

By simply filling these gaps, you open up the options available to you when getting dressed each morning.

Step 3: Switch Up Your Grooming Regime

New clothes aren’t the only way to escape the wardrobe doldrums.

An updated hairstyle or refreshed facial hair can dramatically transform your overall look.

If others are used to seeing a pompadour on top of your head, ask for a flatter French crop next time you’re in the chair, or buck the bearded trend and try going clean shaven for a few weeks.

Step 4: Know the Brands That Have Your Back

The financial risk of a sartorial reshuffle can be buffered somewhat by knowing the brands that suit you.

If you’re already happy with the fit of a T-shirt or a particular trouser’s break, chances are you can return to where you got them from for a successful rerun in a colour, pattern or fabric you wouldn’t normally consider.

The high street is well-armed with a breadth of styles, meaning you can try new looks and sample trends without making too much of a dent in your bank balance.

Step 5: Accessorise, Accessorise, Accessorise

Jewellery is the most obvious way to add a new accent to an old outfit.

Beyond simple necklaces (we would respectfully pity the fool who tried multiple chunky chains), signet rings and wrap bracelets, switching your leather or Milanese watch strap for a Nato version is an effortless way to inject a much-welcomed pop of colour.

Step 6: Take It Up (With Your Tailor)

When all else fails, get a few judicious nips and tucks. No, we’re not advocating the operating table.

Visiting a tailor can take wallowing jackets and trousers from substandard to outstanding, giving a subtle lift to your look in the process.

Most dry cleaners have an in-house tailor that can take on trouser hems and sleeve lengths, but if your aim is to make even the most basic suit look like something you picked up on Savile Row, it’s worth consulting the experts.

Step 7: Old Can Be New

You’d be forgiven for thinking that second-hand meant second-rate, given that the two went hand-in-hand for so long.

But hand-me-downs and elderly offcasts aren’t viewed in the way they once were.