It’s All In The Details
I don’t really understand why, but cheap versions and knockoffs of designer items seem to be more elaborate. There is over-detail, topstitching AND decorative buttons. Beading AND sequins AND embroidery. In Target I saw a cute pair of linen and straw wedges – perfect for spring and so current. Problem? The linen was entwined with braided leather and beads and wood and the kitchen sink. A classic pair of shoes was made gaudy by attempting five trends at once. If all the baubles were removed, one wouldn’t be able to tell if the shoes cost you $14.99 or $74.99. However with too much detail, it is quite clear that the shoes were bought at a lower-end store.
I picked up a pair of brown leather sandals. Real leather upper, knotted leather straps creating a thong, padded leather foot bed and wood-look heel. The color was basic, the style was simple, the wood heel was current and the $14.99 price made them go right into my red cart. These shoes are simple enough to blend with any outfit, go with pants and capris and skirts with ease. No one will really tell how much they cost because of the simple, classic lines and subtle color.
The accessories department can always be tricky. You can find sunglasses that look exactly like ones in a magazine, but then they are decorated with sequins or emblazoned with a Target brand’s logo. If they are sans decoration, the materials are cheaper and they are flimsy. However, this year I was able to find a pair of black large plastic frames from Xhiliration! That are stylish and basic enough to not be obvious as to the price or designer. Last season I got a pair of silver metal frames with smoke lenses from Cynthia Rowley’s Swell! Line for $9.99. I received tons of compliments on them; they were simple enough to not look obviously from one designer (or one designer knockoff).
With jewelry you need to be careful. Low cost costume jewelry can often look cheap. Be wary of silver ad gold toned pieces, they are often far too shiny to look real and will often peel, tarnish or irritate your skin. Right now, there are great selections of beaded, shell and wood jewelry. Keep it subtle (they may have neon orange wood necklaces at Target but I bet they don’t have them at Henri Bendel) and you can have your accessories look like a million bucks. I recently bought a necklace of faux-turquoise on a knotted cord. I have wanted a chunky turquoise necklace for years but couldn’t stomach the cost. Instead I found a replica at Target for $17.99 and I have received tons of compliments.
If The Shoe Fits….
Or the jacket or the jeans or the dress, buy it! A sign of a cheaply made garment is it’s poor fit. Sleeves too long, arms too tight, collar too loose, torso not tapered correctly, hem uneven. No matter the bargain price, it’s not worth it to buy it if it doesn’t fit well. I recently found a great navy shirt dress at Target – the color was great, the self-belt was cute, it actually buttoned nicely over my bust, and the sleeves were a great length. Problem? The hem was weird. It had a shirt-tail hem so that the sides of the dress were thigh-height while the front and back were to my knees. I looked great from the hips up, but the other half of me looked cheap and messy. I tried to justify it, thinking I could shorten it and wear it with pants, layer it with another dress, possibly wear it with *gasp* leggings but then realized it was a ridiculous thought. Why work so hard for one piece of clothing? I could end up spending more than the dress costs in accessories and alterations to make it look right, or I could wear it as-is and look ridiculous. I put the dress back on the hanger and never looked back.
I have a pair of ivory trousers that I got on clearance at TJ Maxx. I have never heard of the brand, the fabric is not that refined, but the fit is fantastic. For $12.40 I got a pair of pants that I am complimented on each time I wear them. It shows that price does not always equal fit. It is worth it to take even two of the same size and color in the fitting room – one way companies cut costs on clothing is by cutting more pieces at a time. Having a larger stack of fabric going through the cutting machine means that the top piece can easily be a different size from the bottom piece. One size 6 may not fit like another size 6. This also explains why sometimes linings in cheaper jackets do not always fit correctly. However, if you give yourself plenty of time in the fitting room, you could end up with some real gems at a great price.
Trendy or Fashionable?
Just because Jessica Simpson carried around a silver leather hobo three months ago does not mean you should carry around a pleather version of it now. You will not look like Jessica, you will look like a woman with a cheap and ugly purse.
When it comes to bags, the only ones that should be bought at discount stores are ones that are made out of something that is NOT leather or pleather, or something that is quirky. Magenta faux snakeskin clutch? Great buy. White pleather Coach knockoff? Leave it on the shelf. No one will believe it is designer and it will cheapen everything else you are purchasing.
Right now, there are lots of canvas, crocheted and straw bags out there. This is an easy style to replicate at a lower price by shopping at your discount and Big Box retailers. I saw a white macramé crocheted hobo at Target just today for less than $10 that would look adorable with jeans, a tank and espadrilles this summer. This is a piece that is simple enough to look fashionable and fun, and a price that if this look is no longer fashionable next summer, you haven’t lost out.
It’s dangerous to invest in trends when you do not have the fashion budget of Jessica Simpson. Investing in a necklace, a pair of sandals or a top that showcases the season’s looks is great. However trying to dress like a celebrity on a Target budget is a recipe for fashion disaster. Have you ever seen the show on the Style network called The Look For Less? Let’s be honest here – when they do the designer looks under $120, does the final outfit EVER look like the picture from the runway? Not really. If you can’t replicate it perfectly, why try? No one is taking score on how many knockoffs you can wear, or how close you get to the original. Why not make yourself the original? Wear what looks good on you, not on a supermodel. Take colors or shapes that are popular this season and work them into your wardrobe, not exact pieces.
Matchy Matchy
Just because your shoes match your hose which matches your skirt which matches your belt which matches your bag which matches your lipgloss does not mean you look fashionable. More likely you look like a walking Now N Later candy. You will never see a celebrity or socialite in head to toe candy pink or apple green.
When I worked in retail, often I would have customers purchase items not based off of fit or style, but color. “That belt is the same exact color as the eyeshadow I bought last week!” I am not sure where this desire to be monochromatic comes from, but having all one color does not make up for having ill-fitting or unflattering clothing. It is nice to sometimes have your bag match your shoes, or have your heels pick up a color in the print of your dress, however being head-to-toe one color should be left to cute little children and not you.
Fashion is not about replication, it is about interpretation. An artist is not deemed so because he makes a perfect copy of a Monet. An artist creates his own style. Fashion is an art form, learn it, understand it, appreciate it, and take from it what moves you; make it your own. You can be fashionable on any budget, and can find great fashion in any store, from the upscale boutique to the strip mall.
(all photographs - minus the cute little kiddies - courtesy of Target)
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