Dress for Less

   

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)