How to change your style without emptying your pockets

My first client, who I can't truly call a "client", is my older sister Ebony. We have always done our shopping together but this time she was on a mission and enlisted my help.

The goal: Change my style without emptying my pockets!

Ebony is the mother of 4 year old Madison. Her current wardrobe revolves around that role -- sweats, jeans, and workout sneakers. Ebony favorite colors are black, black and black. Our goal is not only to revamp her wardrobe by editing her style but also by throwing in colors that she may not have always been comfortable wearing. With her new job as the Director of Special Events for a major military foundation she needed to revamp her style to better suit, no pun intended, her more visible role. While her job allows for her to dress down on a daily basis. She also required those basic pieces to not only up her dressed-down style, but also to be more suitable and figure flattering for her major events.

Our shopping hub: Potomac Mills Mall - Woodbridge, VA

This is Ebony's standard shopping location because it houses a variety of stores, with a variety of styles, encompassing a variety of budgets. Of course we targeted her standard shops for those pieces that she knows flatter her figure most (Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, and Gap). But in addition, I also had to introduce her to the meccas for Frugalistas like myself (TJMaxx, Marshall's, and Old Navy).

The result: 14 pieces for $384.41

4 pants
2 Dress
2 Shirts
1 Sweater
1 Blazer
4 Pairs of Shoes

Take-away Tip: Don't be afraid to mix more expensive pieces with less expensive basics to achieve the style you want