I Have Expensive Taste But a Tight Budget—30 Spring Buys I Approve Of

I, like many in the fashion scene, have an expensive eye for clothing. I love admiring designers' new collections and saving up for a purchase from a contemporary or indie brand. While I do curate a selection of special pieces I splurge on in my wardrobe, I'm still on a budget, and a majority of what I shop skews affordable. Since I'm always on the hunt for new fashion items for my job, I like to think I've gotten pretty good at finding things that have the price people want but don't sacrifice style or quality.

Since spring is coming up and many are on the lookout for new items to wear as the weather gets better, I thought I'd offer a little help. Below, I've rounded up 30 pieces from all our favorite affordable retailers that I think are going to get plenty of wear this season and beyond. I'm talking about ballet flats, maxi dresses, ruffled tops, and much more. Keep scrolling and have a look for yourself.

Next, It's Me—I'm the Drama: Here's How I Style Statement Pieces Like It's Nothing

Assistant Market Editor
Yusra Siddiqui is an editor who resides in New Jersey but bounces between the suburbs and NYC. (She's a Jersey girl at heart.) After interning at Who What Wear in 2019, she found her way to the team after graduating from LIM College in 2022 with a fashion media degree. She's also spent time writing and working for publications such as Fashionista, Coveteur, and Nylon, but she always knew that Who What Wear was where she was meant to be. When she's on the job, she's perusing runway shows, analyzing the latest thing fellow Gen Zers are up to on the internet, and sharing what she can about the modest-fashion market. You can also catch her dabbling in entertainment, talking about the costume choices of the latest Netflix series or diving deeper into how the plotline affects the viewers in a myriad of ways. Lastly, she likes to create content for Who What Wear's TikTok. Her personal time is spent doing similar but also different things—deep diving into almost every new TV show (Bridgerton, Gilmore Girls, and Stranger Things are favorites), planning her next local getaway (whenever that may be), and reading the latest Emily Henry or Sally Rooney novel in one sitting.