Wardrobe stretchers

Lots of people are pinching pennies these days, and all of us are being careful not to count our eggs before they hatch. Join the ranks of the fiscally responsible while still swinging with the fashion forward by using a few tricks of the trade to stretch (and enhance) your wardrobe without stretching your dollar too thin.

Vary with Vests: For men, women, little kids and teens alike, fashion is ablaze with outfit-making vests. They are no longer just for the boardroom. Men are sleekly wearing stylish vests in shades like gunmetal over untucked button-downs or even T-shirts (under $50 at kennethcole.com).

Women are also getting in on the action with vests in materials as varied as silk, denim or leather. Try an adorable shrunken sweater vest at metrostyle.com for $16.99. And kids today are enjoying similarly varied options, with vests conjuring up everything from Alex P. Keaton to punk rockers. Amazon.com has whatever you want, starting under a very reasonable $10.

Alter with Accessories: Clothes may make the man, but accessories make the woman. Luckily, they also transform outfits you already own. Throw on a sassy scarf, bold belt or a grand gloves-and-hat combo to perk up your winter coat. Overstock.com has great options, nice pricing and $2.95 shipping on most items.

Switch-it-up with Slips: Instead of buying a whole new dress or skirt, consider wearing beautiful lingerie underneath that's meant to peek out. A high-end company called Your Slip is Showing has work-of-art beautiful slips for over $100 -- we're talking organza and ostrich feathers. But if that's not in your budget, kajnsvintageprettynlace.com has beautiful options, like a pretty petticoat for $25, that can breathe new life into clothes you've already got. Bonus: Kajn's has free shipping in the continental United States.

So this fall, make your clothing dollars count by throwing on these new accessories with old favorites, turning last year's good look into today's top trend. You'll look better and your wallet will thank you, too.

(Helen Malani is the chief shopping expert for Shopzilla.com, a Scripps Networks Interactive company, and the largest comparison shopping search engine on the Web. E-mail Helen at askhelen(at)shopzilla.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.net.)

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)