[Amelia]

Cashmere. Chanel sunglasses. Louis Vuitton handbags. This is the stuff fashion dreams are made of. But the average woman can’t afford such splurges. So what’s a clothes-loving gal to do? Can you really have the best of both worlds – high fashion at low prices? Yes, according to Kathryn Finney, shopping expert and author of How to Be a Budget Fashionista (Ballantine Books, 2006). Read on to learn her secrets for looking luxurious AND being able to pay the monthly bills…

Looking rich without blowing your budget requires the shopping savvy of a pro. Here’s what you need to know:

[Amelia]

Budgeting Basics
You budget for rent, mortgage, car payments, and cell phone bills. Setting limits is just as important when it comes to fashion, yet somehow boundaries seem to easily go bye-bye when shopping for clothes. How can you stop the spending sprees? Establish your budget for living expenses and “with the money left over create a shopping savings account,” advises Finney. And forget credit cards – use cash or debit cards only for controlled spending.

Use your shopping account money to buy gift cards to your favorite stores, suggests Finney. When there’s zero left on your balance, you’ll have to stop spending. After all, you can’t blow it if you don’t have it.

Reality Dressing
Budget-friendly fashion isn’t just about where you buy; it’s about how you buy.

“One of the biggest budget secrets is what I call reality dressing,” Finney says. “Dress for who you are at this moment, not who you’re going to be a month from now.” Don’t make the mistake of splurging on something that won’t fit well until you lose the proverbial 10 pounds.

Live By the 70/30 Rule
Sure, it’s fun to indulge in fashion trends. But it’s bad for your budget. Why? Because fads fade away so fast. It won’t be long before this season’s hot item is yesterday’s news. The result? You waste a lot of money on clothes you’ll wear only for a short time.

Let Finney’s 70/30 rule guide your choices: Make 70% of the clothes you buy classic pieces and 30% trendy ones. You’ll get more wear out of the classics, so don’t be afraid to spend extra cash on them.

“If you carry a designer handbag, people will automatically think your entire wardrobe is more expensive,” notes Finney. That’s the beauty of mixing and matching higher-end pieces with budget-friendly basics.

[Amelia]

Finney’s list of splurges includes:
1. A basic, tailored black suit for work, evenings, weddings, and other formal occasions.
2. A little black dress for cocktail parties, dates and other special events.
3. Black pumps in the highest heel you can stand (the higher the heel, the thinner you look).
4. A black or dark brown tote. It works for every season, even summer.

When it comes to jeans, Finney believes you can find a great pair for $50. If you drop $200, you’re wasting cash for the cool name alone. The construction of the jeans and the way they fit are far more important than the label on your tush.

[Amelia]

Coming to a Store Near You
“Higher-end lines aren’t making money like they used to,” says Finney. That’s good news for the ordinary woman who loves couture but can’t afford it. Isaac Mizrahi for Target and Nicole Miller for J.C. Penney led the massclusivity trend, but look for big names like Vera Wang for Kohl’s this fall and Proenza Schouler for Target this spring.

Don’t forget to check out discount department stores like Ross, Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, and designer outlets to find posh pieces at bargain prices. The key to finding treasures is shopping in the morning when the store is clean and the merchandise is restocked and orderly.

You can also find great discounts online. Finney recommends visiting the website of your favorite stores and registering for coupons and special invitations. Some sites offer up to 80% in savings!

[Amelia]

Price Check, Please
“Focusing on price and not value is another big mistake,” says Finney. That’s especially true when shopping the sales racks. It’s easy to justify buying an ill-fitting Ralph Lauren blouse with a missing button just because it’s 40% off. But chances are you’ll spend too much on tailoring or find you have nothing to pair it with in your closet. Her advice: Never buy something you wouldn’t buy at full price.

One of Finney’s best tips is her cost-per-wear formula: Look at the price of the item and divide it by the number of times you’ll likely wear it. A low number means you’re getting the most bang for your buck.

“It’s better to have five to ten things you wear than to have fifty things you don’t wear,” Finney says.

Aside from after-holiday sales, the best times to scour the sales racks are July through August and January through February since stores are marking down their seasonal merchandise to move it out.

[Amelia]

A Touch of Tailoring
Looking rich isn’t just about the label on the tag. What’s more important? The way your clothes fit. A flawlessly fitted suit not only looks expensive, but it works magic on your waistline.

“In my opinion, tailoring at department stores is always better than your local tailoring store,” says Finney. Department stores can’t afford to mess up, and your neighborhood tailor can’t offer you the same refund protection if something goes wrong.

For more of Kathryn Finney’s budget-friendly shopping tips, check out thebudgetfashionista.com.

[teal]

High style fashion is becoming more expensive these days..But you have written very nice post..This is really possible to look luxurious in budget..We are having very different way to doing this..Fall fashion look helps to look stylish in budget..

[Lovely]

i love latest trends! use lots of accessories and look stylish

[Luxe]

Amelia, on 28 July 2010 - 04:38 AM, said:

A Touch of Tailoring
Looking rich isn’t just about the label on the tag. What’s more important? The way your clothes fit. A flawlessly fitted suit not only looks expensive, but it works magic on your waistline.

“In my opinion, tailoring at department stores is always better than your local tailoring store,” says Finney. Department stores can’t afford to mess up, and your neighborhood tailor can’t offer you the same refund protection if something goes wrong.

For more of Kathryn Finney’s budget-friendly shopping tips, check out thebudgetfashionista.com.

I have to disagree a bit here with the notion that off-the-rack fashion is always a better fit than a custom tailored fit. For those of us who are petite (5'4" and under) or those who have particular fitting issues such as long legs, short waists and those who are plus size, there is hardly EVER a "perfect fit" to be found at the local mall or retailer. In fact, a trip to the mall can be downright disheartening, since NOTHING fits properly. Luckily, there are more designers today who cater to persons with particular sizing/fit needs-- and the number of designers who undertake such endeavors is growing.

A good example of this is Allison Izu who is doing amazing things in the world of petite fashion by INTERACTING with her clientele on a PERSONAL level to determine if her designs are fitting properly.

I believe that women know BEST what fits THEIR style and size-- and sometimes that perfect fit just cannot be obtained off-the-rack!

[Ann]

Amelia, on 28 July 2010 - 11:34 AM, said:

Cashmere. Chanel sunglasses. Louis Vuitton handbags. This is the stuff fashion dreams are made of. But the average woman can’t afford such splurges. So what’s a clothes-loving gal to do? Can you really have the best of both worlds – high fashion at low prices? Yes, according to Kathryn Finney, shopping expert and author of How to Be a Budget Fashionista (Ballantine Books, 2006). Read on to learn her secrets for looking luxurious AND being able to pay the monthly bills…

Looking rich without blowing your budget requires the shopping savvy of a pro. Here’s what you need to know:

Yeap, I suggest you to check wholesale online such as vonstyle net, here are several benefits that you can get when you shop wholesale apparel. Even though it’s a wholesale store, chances are you can by minimal purchases. But anyway, the concept is that the more you buy, the less you spend on individual pieces, get high fashion at low prices? right?

[Annie]

[Strega]

Quote

When it comes to jeans, Finney believes you can find a great pair for $50. If you drop $200, you’re wasting cash for the cool name alone. The construction of the jeans and the way they fit are far more important than the label on your tush.

I thought so too, but isn't not just jeans only then?

[Hily Watson]

Talking about me I use to shop that stuffs only which suites me,as per latest trends and also falls into my budgets. This make me look perfect as it suits and fits me and this give royal look. Yes sometimes price matter if stuff demands for quality.

[Florrience]

I love SimpleStyle, i'm not so LuxuryStyle , hehe

[Mona]

Quality over quantity is also budget-friendly when it comes to clothes shopping. Or any shopping for that matter. ))