These days almost all of us are busy fiddling with the same accessory - our belts. And we're tightening them. In tough times, it seems that for most of us, the most important quality in dress-up as well as casual clothes is value.

"It is not enough any more for our clothes to simply look good," says Tanesha Smith, fashion stylist for Bluefly.com. "Like us, our clothes have to multi-task." She advises picking items that can go from day to night as well as ways to add personality to any outfit.

THE NEW "LITTLE BLACK DRESS"

According to Aliya Purdy, fashion trend consultant for tonic.com, "The key to budget-friendly fabulousness in must-haves is finding quality transitional pieces. "Spend money on a great dress, she advises, like the 'LBD' (little black dress).

"The LBD doesn't have to be black any more; any neutral works," Purdy continues. Your best choice? "A classic shape that suits your body type, not that of the model on the cover of Vogue. The key is to put your personality in it.

"Create variations of a trend," she advises. "Don't let a trend create you. Everyone has a neutral that works for them. "