My Outfit: $117
Blazer: $42 #DKNY
Crop Top: $12.99 #charlotterusse
Shorts: $12 #Gap
Gold Chain: $10 #charmingcharlie
Shoes: $39.99 #ninewest
Polyvore Outfit: $346
Blazer: $70 glamorous.com
Crop Top: $140 lanecrawford.com
Shorts: $65 YOOX.com
Gold Chain: $6 Charlotte Russe
Everyone wants
to look luxurious and fashionable, yet so many times we make excuses or feel as
though we will never fit that mold. I am here to tell you that is not true! I
have had to teach myself how to “Dress for Less” meaning find inspiration from
things I cannot afford, and find cheaper, similar versions of those outfits. It
is a great way to feel fashionable without feeling broke.
The outfit I
created only cost me $117 total, whereas the one created on Polyvore.com came
to $346! It is easy to shop for outfits when you have already mapped them out.
It gives you a shopping guide and helps you feel inspired. This makes your
shopping trips less of an aimless wander, and more of a mission.
Having had
worked in retail for many years, I often saw people come in not knowing what
they want or how much they want to spend. So they end up doing either two
things: one they come in and over buy without really getting anything they can
use in their existing wardrobe, and end up returning it all (which is a waste
of time, money, gas, etc.). Or people come in and leave feeling bad about
themselves, unaccomplished, and unable to feel like they fit the “fashion
mold.”
The funny thing
is, we aren’t really supposed to fit the “fashion mold.” It is simply there as
art to inspire retail designers for their accessible lines (meaning the clothes
we buy in the stores). What really
matters is the way you put outfits together to express who you are. That is
Style! The problem is that people are usually unaware of their style, and if
they are aware, a lot of the time they have a hard time relating that to their
figure and/or lifestyle. So creating a mock version of outfits you might want
helps one not only shop for less, but it also helps us map out a way to create
fun looks that we enjoy wearing.
My outfit below
is a bit more high fashion than a lot of people are comfortable with, but that
is just my personal style. I take inspiration from many different elements, and
have been styling myself for years, but that doesn’t mean you can’t train
yourself to dress affordably with looks that fit your style.
Instead of
putting yourself in an “I will never be fashionable” box think of yourself with
a bit more pride. Learn what your
style is: what patterns inspire you, what colors you like/look good on you.
Then use those inspirations to create a shopping guide: how much do I want to spend, what items will be something I want to
wear often, and what items can I buy to coordinate with items I already own?
Take your map
with you when you shop, and see how much more you will accomplish on your
shopping trips. Style speaks wonders, and once you find your true style you
feel more like your true self, so apply the map I created to yourself. What
inspired me to create my dress for less look was the white blazer. I had seen
it in the store DKNY I was currently working at, and wanted to see how I could
apply it to not only my work wardrobe, but also my casual dress. I went on
polyvore.com and played around with different ideas.
Once I created a
look that I loved I went out searching for the pieces I needed to buy, and the
pieces I already had in my wardrobe. I kept in mind that I wanted to keep my
budget around $100 vs. the $346 look I created on polvore.com. Say you don’t
know how to use that website as a map for a “dress for less.” What about using a photo of your favorite
celebrity?
Even if the
outfit isn’t exactly like the look you want it is another way to map out an
idea. Obviously a celebrities’ ensemble is going to cost a lot more than what
we will buy, so it is another great example of a dress for less tactic. Below I
listed some outfits that are similar to the outfit that I created. Even though I
didn’t use this tactic it still would have been an easy way to inspire myself.
I simply typed: “white
blazer white shorts outfit” into google.com and found that so many celebrities
sported a similar look! This is when you get to apply what you like aka your
personal style. For example I wanted to add a snakeskin heel where as these
women below all went with a nude or white heel. I love turtlenecks and crop tops so I replaced
their white and nude shirts with the one I wanted. Style is in the details so
having a base and modifying it helps you navigate your style.
So if you ever
find yourself in a situation where you are trying to save money but love the
look Jessica Parker wore on the red carpet, or you see the perfect piece but
realize it’s just too expensive...apply either or both of these shopping guides
to help you! Take a picture of that piece you love go shopping with it as a way
to compare. Use polyvore.com to create a mock outfit so you can apply it to
your current wardrobe, and pieces you might want to create a certain look.
Don’t be afraid
of fashion; instead learn how to apply it to your style! It’s all about
decoding yourself in order to navigate through the things you like or the things you don’t like. Learn how to
apply what you like to your budget and your lifestyle, and how to inspire yourself
to shop with a mission. This way you never walk into a store and spend too much
money or buy things you won’t wear!
(all images found on google.com)
