Everyone dreams of having Insta-worthy uni #ootd's to post every day-  however reality is that hoodies and sweats are so much easier to slip on when you only have 5 minutes to rush out the door. AND when your bank balance is being all threatening with its single digits. Rude.

Here's a little guide to getting affordable and decent uni gear so you can look *cute* *fresh* and get them stares.

First things first, Unidays. If you haven't got it, search it up on the App Store. And download it now. Basically by getting your student ID verified you can enjoy tons of discounts and promotions (not limited to retail stores but also cafes etc!) from a variety of stores, both instore and online!!

If you think about throwing some of your old clothes out, think again! A lot of clothes can be restyled to look even better and may even keep up with today's trends!

E.g. If some of your jeans don’t end where you want them to, grab a pair of scissors and cut the ends off to give them raw hems! (TRENDY!!) And frayed hems are STILL a fashion statement, so no loss there! If you've got a stubborn stain, see if you can hide it by ripping or distressing the area. Otherwise in a worst case scenario, cut them out into shorts instead :-)

Got an overized button up shirt? Open up the top buttons and pull them over your shoulders, like you would do with an off shoulder top! This style can be really flattering. You can also crop it, make it a tie wrap top or even cut it up into a short sleeve flowy shirt that you can tuck into your shorts or jeans - perfect!!

Into vintage styles? Melbourne has a ton of op shops you can visit that sell second hand clothes, cute 80s era accessories, even some designer goods starting at $5! It may be the perfect place you find Pink Floyd band tees, mom jeans or a funky sweater. You could potentially snag some really adorable stuff and the price is just a bonus :)

Here are just SOME places you can go thrift shopping:

1. Salvos Stores

- 69 Bourke St, Melbourne

2. Camberwell Sunday Market

3. Sacred Heart Mission Op Shop

- Riversdale Road & Glenferrie Road

Last but not least, if there's one place you HAVE to visit, its DFO!!

Short for direct factory outlet, there are two close to Melbourne CBD, which are Spencer Street DFO and DFO South Wharf! The Spencer Street is a smaller outlet and doesn't have the range that South Wharf boasts, but it does have Bardot which is one store that the South Wharf one doesn't. Otherwise, head to South Wharf ASAP to bag all the good deals from Nike, Adidas (yes it's hypebeast friendly!), Vans, Forever New, Windsor Smith to name a few and even designer brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Coach. Be prepared -  you may spend a good 3-4 hours there… don’t say we didn't warn you!

AND of course, keep your eyes peeled for sales! Happy shopping and hopefully get noticed and making it to Melbourne Uni's photoshoots! ;)