I apologize if my posts have, for the most part, included clothes and accessories out of your price range -- granted, the majority of Americans can't afford $5000 purses and $300 shoes.  I will, however, honestly say that it is difficult to imitate celebrity style or haute-couture whether shelling out more than you would prefer for the latest fashions.  But it is possible to save on this fall's best trends. 

karmaloop.com



  

Labels: discounts, fall

So now that it's officially fall, it's a good idea to go through your fall/winter clothes to see what is lacking -- and you'll be surprised to find that you may already have fashionable outfits; you just need to know how to put them together.  That's where I come in.  Or, I hope so.  These outfits should be appropriate for most professions, unless you have to wear a uniform, though you could always wear them on a evening out.  



-Michael Kors angora and wool-blend shift dress, $1795, net-a-porter.com
-Alexander McQueen wool and silk coat, $3215, net-a-porter.com
-Kenneth Cole Reaction hopefully pump in chocolate, $46, heels.com
-Etienne Aigner tuscon bucket hobo, $65, endless.com
-Marc by Marc Jacobs party girl pearlie aver necklace, $228, zappos.com





-Alice by Temperley mara leather shift dress, $795, net-a-porter.com
-Milly tweed box jacket, $525, net-a-porter.com
-Prada mary-jane sandal, $695, neimanmarcus.com
-Mulberry bayswater in plum ostrich, $5000, mulberry.com
-Falke wool-blend tights, $59, net-a-porter.com
-Michael Kors purple-dial chronograph sport watch, $195, dillards.com




-Gap silky ruffle front top, $20, gap.com
-Armand Basi wool-blend pinstripe pants, $80, theoutnet.com
-American Eagle women's navy boyfriend blazer, $40, ae.com
-Nine West hereiam navy platform pump with button detail, $89, ninewest.com
-Bid Buddha union bag, $74, lorisshoes.com
-Ron Herman nautical scarf, $40, ronherman.com

Labels: discounts, fall, outfits, polyvore, work

Who says that you have to be a celebrity to dress like one?  Honestly, it is difficult to replicate your favorite fashion icons' styles without forking out more $$ than you'd prefer, but you will most likely find similar styles at Forever 21, Macy's, JcPenney, etc. 



-Karen Millen one-shoulder signature dress, $380, karenmillen.com
 
-L.A.M.B. vail natural and black heels, $300, heels.com
 
-Judeith Leiber slender curve fine crystal-embellished clutch, $1995, net-a-porter.com
 
-Mikimoto grade a akoya cultured pearl stud earrings, $680, nordstrom.com
 
-8mm triple strand pearl bracelet w/ 18k white gold diamond clasp, $2350, newyorkestatejewelry.com



-Alberta Ferretti leather and wool-blend dress, $1260, net-a-porter.com
 
-Marni studded suede pumps, $640, net-a-porter.com
 
 -Halston Heritage susan chain-mail clutch, $235, net-a-porter.com








-Kaufmanfranco strapless sequin dress, $7689, brownsfashion.com
 
-Yves Saint Laurent iconic high heel metallic gold sandals, $790, ysl.com
 
-Forzieri gold crystal jeweled heart clutch, $630, forzieri.com
 
-Versace swarovski-crystal cube necklace, $1125, net-a-porter.com

Labels: celebs, outfits, polyvore

Did everyone/anyone watch the VMA's last night?  Although nothing extraordinarily odd occurred this year--no award acceptance interruptions--the evening's host, Chelsea Handler, was undeniably raunchy yet funny.  And, granted, it's difficult to judge what were the best & worst fashions of the evening, because pop stars like Ke$ha and Lady Gaga are renowned for their inventive tastes in fashion.  So I'm taking that into consideration in determining the fashion highs & lows of the evening.  
BEST

Ashley Greene  -- presenter



The Twilight star looks positively gorgeous and chic in a color-block Giambattista Valli dress.  One might expect the white part of the dress to clash with the white carpet--why is it white instead of red?--but the contrasting black avoids this issue, and with her natural-looking tan she definitely stands out.  The corresponding black clutch and pumps makes her outfit classic yet more than your average black-and-white ensemble.  




Emma Stone  -- presenter



The Easy A actress and presenter appears to have chosen a rather unexciting black outfit -- but, upon closer inspection, this leather Emilio Pucci dress contrasts well with Stone's pale, nearly translucent skin.  Stone shows off lean legs in a dress that, were it cut only a couple inches shorter, would be like Heidi Klum's disastrously short dress at the Emmy's.  But the redhead pulls off this classically chic outfit. 




 


Taylor Swift  -- nominee, performer



The country/pop singer surprised viewers with a Kanye West revenge song, an as-yet-untitled track from her upcoming album.  But it is no surprise that Swift showcased her signature girly glam style, in a soft, strapless D&G dress and Mad Men-esque retro waves.  It certainly is strange that she performed barefoot, though it is understandable that the 5'11" singer/songwriter would elect to express her feelings in this way.  





Lady Gaga -- nominee/winner





While I am wholeheartedly against (and rather disgusted by) the pop star's meat outfit (when she was accepting the "Video of the Year" award), she looks quite stunning in this Alexander McQueen -- the outfit as a whole appears to be a tribute to the late, beloved designer, and it is from his last collection.  This dress, and the corresponding headpiece and insanely high shoes, express McQueen's signature avant-garde style, while simultaneously expressing Gaga's unique style.  












WORST

Katy Perry -- nominee, presenter






This Marchesa dress is certainly emblematic of the pop star's wacky fashion -- however, unlike Lady Gaga's McQueen stunner, Perry's dress is rather tasteless.  People may argue that the VMA's is all about inappropriate outfits, but to me this dress seems more like a Project Runway mess than anything else.  At least the engaged singer is smiling.  










Evan Rachel Wood -- presenter






If the face of the new fragrance Gucci Guilty can't pull of the label's one-shoulder animal-print dress, who can?  The pale redhead was smart to choose a dark outfit, yet the print is unflattering and does not create curves, as you would expect a printed dress such as this to do.  I'm sure the True Blood star has some great legs hidden underneath those unnecessarily tall black boots.  














Ciara -- performer






The pretty R&B singer, who appeared to be lip-synching during her performance with Pharrell Williams, shows off toned arms and legs in this Givenchy Haute Couture dress.  Yet it is as if it was meant to be two different dresses: the lacey top clashes quite harshly with the ultra-feathery bottom.  What kind of animal is she wearing down there?  












Ke$ha -- nominee, presenter






I'm sorry Ke$ha, but your "garbage chic" music style doesn't translate well to the red (er, white) carpet.  We certainly appreciate your originality, but couldn't you have found a similar dress that wasn't actually made out of garbage?  She may be attempting a fierce pose in this shot, but it's obvious she's more than slightly uncomfortable. 

Labels: best and worst

You've probably heard of sites like gilt.com and ruelala.com -- they offer tremendous discounts (sometimes approaching 90%) on everything designer, from sunglasses to home goods to fashions from the runway.  Yes, they are private sales, but it's absolutely free to sign up.  Note: if you want to snag the best bargains (esp. ones that are in your size), it's best to go to these sites right when the "boutiques" (as they call them) open.  You can even ask to be reminded of when your favorite designers are going on sale.  Here are some of the best deals on these sites at the moment:  


 
RueLaLa 

Calvin Klein

Marcey brown top

$45 (originally $295)
*85% off!!




Ideeli 

Vertigo Paris


Jungle leaf printed top with buttons


$33 (originally $160)
*80% off!!






Editors' Closet


Rotary


Women's gold tone watch


$50 (originally $395)
*87% off!!






Gilt


Junior Drake


Annette hobo


$149 (originally $550)
*70% off!






HauteLook

Marie Chavez

Agate bracelet


$31 (originally $121)
*74% off!!








 


Beyond the Rack


Blue Tassel


Embroidered tunic in aqua


$25 (originally $100)
*75% off!




Billion Dollar Babes


CO2


Cashmere leggings in beige


$89 (originally $220)
*60% off!!

Labels: discounts