1. The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) has four campuses in California offering 2-year AA degrees in 20 majors, as well as BS degrees and advanced study programs. FIDM graduates have gone on to design costumes for major television shows and movies, work for top designers, and become top designers.  You may recognize the campus from Project Runway.
2. Fashion Design and Merchandising schools are in every state across the country, and many of them are online as well. FashionCareerCenter.com provides a lengthy list of options for fashion and merchandising schools located coast to coast.
3. Fashionschools.org is a hub of information about schools, degrees, careers, fashion articles and fashion blogs. Whether you are interested in pursuing an Associates degree in Fashion Merchandising, or a Bachelors in Fashion Design, Marketing or Merchandising, this website has a list of links of colleges that offer every fashion-related degree. The site even has a feature to show you what fashion careers fit with each type of degree.
4. In order to decide which type of fashion career is right for you, it helps to read a little about each one. This About.com article is all about job descriptions of cool fashion careers, like a fashion stylist, a model scout, and a designer.
5. If you want to find out about how to get into writing about fashion, Teen Vogue has a terrific question and answer page on the subject. You might land an internship at Teen Vogue itself. The Vogue staff also has advice on which colleges you should attend to have a career in fashion, although they stress that no college guarantees you a job in fashion.
6. To find out what it takes to land a career in Fashion, check out the Fashion Career Expo web page. You can search jobs, employers, find out about hiring events, and submit your resume so people hiring fashion students can find you.
7. You can learn Fashion, Design and Merchandising outside of a classroom also through distance learning degree programs. This website has links to a number of online degree programs, like Stratford Career Institute with a degree in Sewing and Dressmaking, or the Penn Foster Schools offering degrees in Dressmaking and Design.

1. Make Use of Thrift Stores - If you know anything about fashion, you know that it is cyclical. Fashions from decades past go in and out of style. Remember when the bell bottom jeans of the 70s became all the rage in the 90s? Remember how the fashion of the 20s affected one of the more recent September Issue's of Vogue? If you understand this fact, than going to a thrift store is a fantastic way to stay ahead of the fashion curve without having to break the bank. Start buying up all those 80s throwaways now and you won't have to worry in the future.
2. Knockoffs are Okay - To clarify, everything you own shouldn't be a knock-off, and if you do decide to purchase a knock-off, make sure it's a GOOD knock-off. If you have a few pieces in your wardrobe that aren't exactly top-of-the-line, then it's okay. Walk through your local Chinatown and be sure to ask around in order to find the best places. Don't just settle for the first fake thing you see, take your time and see if it fools anyone.
3. Make Your Own Clothing - This isn't for everyone, and of course some people are more skilled than others. However, using the resources available to you, and clever fabrics, you can make some clothing that is in the same style as the newest fashion on the market. This is a great way to save some serious cash if you have the talent for it.
4. Peruse Outlet Malls and Discount Re-sellers - There are a multitude of stores that sell excess inventory for less than the market value. The trick is finding the great deals. It takes a lot of time and effort. You may have to look through several outlet malls or Filene's Basement-type stores. However, in the end, you may just find yourself a very fashionable outfit for much less than the average person is going to pay.
5. Alter what You Already Have - This is the most non-conventional of the five suggestions. That being said, it can still be quite effective for staying current with the latest trends. If you have the knowledge and skills, you can turn simple dresses into complex pieces, a la Marge in the Simpsons (the episode where she modifies a Chanel Dress). You can save money by not having to buy new things while giving yourself a chance to be more creative.

So there you have a nice list of 5 ways you can stay current with fashion, without having to spend a bunch of money you don't have. One of the criticisms of fashion is that it is something reserved for the wealthy. This idea is completely false, the less-well-off just have to be more creative.