How to Be Frugal Chic in 2026

In her Substack newsletter, McGrath describes frugal chic as “the art of having enough.” It is a transition from being a passive consumer to a mindful curator who only lets the best things into their life.

"The frugal chic aesthetic represents striving for a life of quality," says McGrath. "This will be different for every individual, but at its centre, financial discernment and personal taste are prioritised."

The shift happens when you realize that cultural capital—the books on your nightstand, your perfected morning matcha, or those vintage loafers you’ve resoled three times—is way more stylish than whatever bag is currently trending. 

As McGrath puts it in one of her videos, the frugally chic person "appears very luxurious on the surface, but underneath it all, she is very savvy about her money. She knows where to splurge and where to save." 

When you opt out of the performative side of wealth, you get your autonomy back. The real prize? What McGrath calls the "quiet confidence of someone who knows exactly what matters to them and isn’t afraid to edit out the rest."

So, how do you actually pull this off without feeling like you're missing out? McGrath shares countless tips on intentional living through her Substack and social media, but these five themes stand out as the definitive framework for a life that's as savvy as it is stylish. (Image credit: Mia McGrath, Frugal Chic)

1. Find Your Uniform (and Stick to It)

“Taste,” McGrath writes in her Substack, “is about what you say no to.” She is a big believer in skipping micro-trends entirely and building a wardrobe around what actually works for your life. Instead of a closet full of maybes still hanging onto their tags, she makes the case for building a capsule wardrobe—a tight, thoughtful edit of silhouettes you reach for again and again.

Treat this process like curating your own private collection. When you land on a silhouette that really works, whether it is a perfectly draped trouser or a tailored shirt, you are not just getting dressed—you have a signature. 

And yes, this is your permission slip to be an outfit repeater. When you know your look, decision fatigue fades fast. The late-night scrolling sessions fueled by having nothing to wear lose their hold because you are no longer trying on new versions of yourself. You already know who you are.

2. Shop with an Editor’s Eye

Being frugal is not about being cheap. It is about having incredibly high standards for every single dollar you spend. McGrath advocates for a buy it nice or buy it twice mentality, which means looking past the clever styling or the cool brand campaign before you head to the checkout. You want to focus on the physical reality of the garment.

Start by checking the fabric composition tag for natural fibers like cotton, wool, and cashmere. These are what make the difference between clothes that hold up and pieces that feel tired after a few washes. Next, inspect the interior. Look at the stitching to ensure it is tight and straight with no loose threads or bunching. Feel the weight of the hardware and test the zippers to make sure they glide without catching. You are looking for pieces that will look just as sharp in five years as they do today.

3. Make Your Money a Ritual

We romanticize our 10-step skincare routines, so why not our bank accounts? McGrath treats her financial check-ins like a high-end ritual. "Fresh pjs, washed hair, lighting a candle and methodically going through your expenses," she said. "Nothing is more satisfying than analytics."

To keep her financial health as polished as her aesthetic, McGrath leans on the 60-20-20 rule popularized by Scott Pape, the Australian financial expert also known as the Barefoot Investor. The framework is simple: 60 percent of your income covers living expenses, 20 percent goes toward wealth-building, and the final 20 percent is reserved for splurge and smile funds to live well.

This level of organization is the ultimate clean girl energy for your life admin. It is about being a pro at the behind-the-scenes tasks—like automating your high-yield savings or finding clever ways to save on tax season filings so you can keep more of your hard-earned cash. When you treat your financial housekeeping like just another step in your wellness routine, you replace that underlying anxiety with the power of being entirely in control of your own empire.

4. Create More, Consume Less

The biggest secret to the frugal chic life? Get a hobby that doesn’t involve a credit card. McGrath leans into creation over consumption. Think deep-dive reading, museum hopping, or finally learning that recipe. As she notes in her Substack, "Buying less helps you understand yourself better. It forces you to sit with your emotions instead of outsourcing them to shopping, which is basically just a very well-designed distraction."

5. Find Beauty in the Boring

Social media has us addicted to newness, but there is so much peace in repetition. Packing your lunch, meal prepping, and wearing your favorite cashmere sweater for the third time this week isn’t boring—it’s sustainable. McGrath believes that finding contentment in sustainable rhythms is the only way to escape the constant chase for novelty. When you find contentment in your actual daily rhythms, you stop looking for a fix at the mall.

Frugal chic isn't a total shopping ban. It's about being selective when you do spend. One perfect item is infinitely more valuable than a dozen placeholders. When you decide to splurge, look for anchor pieces in natural fibers like cotton, wool, and cashmere that offer genuine cost-per-use value. These are timeless staples you can wear whether you're 25 or 50.

McGrath often suggests scouring eBay or secondhand designer hubs, such as YOOX or The RealReal, before buying new, but some items might be worth the price the moment they hit the shelves. Based on her philosophy, these are the pieces we love and think are worth the splurge.

The timing of this movement isn't a coincidence. After years of haul culture, influencer unboxings, and the exhausting pressure to keep up with every micro-trend, we're collectively burned out—financially and emotionally.

The pushback is real. According to the ThredUp Resale Report, the global secondhand apparel market is projected to hit $367 billion by 2029, growing nearly three times faster than traditional retail. On TikTok, "de-influencing" videos are racking up millions of views as creators actively talk people out of buying things. We're not cutting back because we have to—we're doing it because chasing trends nonstop is genuinely exhausting.

That's where frugal chic comes in. It's not about deprivation. It's about realizing you don't have to sacrifice style to be financially smart. You can look good, feel confident, and build wealth without constant shopping. The key is being intentional. When you stop buying things just for the performance of it, you're not only saving money but also getting your time and mental space back.

The beauty of frugal chic is that it's not a rigid rulebook or a specific aesthetic. It's a framework for rethinking your relationship with money and stuff. Whether you're on your first entry-level salary or earning six figures, the principles stay the same: Figure out what enough looks like for you, then protect it from lifestyle creep.

Start small. Pick one area of your life and apply the editor's mindset. Maybe it's your skincare routine, or finally treating your finances like the self-care ritual they deserve to be. As McGrath has shown, freedom starts with intentional choices. The goal isn't perfection—it's building a life that actually feels like yours, filled with things you genuinely love and the time to enjoy them.