Chic Collaborations

Dream of owning a designer piece but not willing to pay the designer price? Have no fear! Over the past few seasons popular designers and labels have been collaborating with affordable stores such as Target and H&M to bring the average fashionista trendy pieces without the high fashion price tag. With so many fashion lovers on a budget, when it comes to trends, it seems like a smart plan to save on pieces that will most likely be out of style within the next few months and splurge on classic basics that you know will stand the test of time season after season. Now with these modern designer collections for the everyday retail therapy lover, we can have the best of both worlds, designer pieces for reasonable prices. To keep things in perspective, I've made comparisons between the prices in these affordable collections with prices of items in the label's normally priced collections so you can clearly see the great deal you would be getting. So whether you are a fan of the edgy and dramatic pieces complements of Versace or the classic and feminine look of Jason Wu, there's something for everyone!

Karl Lagerfeld for Macy's

Released late last summer, the head designer for Chanel Karl Lagerfeld, incorporated high fashion with the feel of ready-to-wear for a collection that would please a wide range of women. Unlike the other collaborations that I've only seen in magazines, I've had a chance to take a peek at his handiwork first hand! I love that the collection incorporates a fashion forward feel through details and silhouettes, without completely making the piece unwearable for the everyday fashionista. Full or fun floral printed mini dresses as well as edgy leather leggings, his masterpieces can be found in the Impulse section in the women's department.    

Price Range: $50.00-$170.00

The Real Deal in Perspective 

Chanel Lumiere Highlighting Powder $72.00 (Nordstrom)

Versace for H&M

The luxurious pieces from the Italian fashion label combine with the affordable prices of H&M for a collection that has fashionistas scrambling to snatch a beauty from this collection. Released in November, pieces from this collection have been selling out all over the online world. Selling for thousands on sites such as Ebay, if you have your eye on a Versace for H&M piece, you'll have to act quickly! In such high demand, this successful collaboration is gearing up for a spring 2012 collection release. Full of intricate cutouts, bold prints and colors, and edgy studs, this is truly a fashionista's dream collection!

Price Range: $20.00-$300.00

The Real Deal in Perspective

Versace 'Couture' Patent Crossbody Bag $1,095.00 (Nordstrom)

Jason Wu for Target

The next time you head out for a trip to Target, you may want to add a Jason Wu piece to your list! Set to release early next month the collection has been buzzing for months now as excited fans wait patiently to add one of his pieces to their wardrobes. The designer made famous through designing Michelle Obama's inaugural ball gown, he mixes classic silhouettes with ultra feminine patterns for pieces that can be worn for day or evening. Just in time for spring, this collection is full of fun dresses to welcome in the warming temperatures!

Price Range: $20.00-$60.00

The Real Deal in Perspective

Jason Wu Caged Sandal $1,240.00 (Nordstrom)

Which collaboration are you a fan of?

Inspired? Look for these items here:

Chanel Makeup

Versace Bag

Jason Wu Sandals

Photo Credits:

Karl Lagerfeld for Macy's

Versace for H&M

Jason Wu for Target

Bargain Beauty

Now that the holidays have come and gone, your wallet may be a little sparse from finding all those perfect gifts! For the fashionista on a budget, I've put together a few looks (all under $100) that will hopefully inspire you to create outfits with both old and new pieces for a look that only looks expensive! So save your holiday money for a rainy day and spend a few here and there to make an old outfit new again!

Looks for Less

Jacket: Black Blazer $20.00 (H&M)

Top: Magenta Pleat Top $17.00 (Dorothy Perkins)

Pants: White Ankle Skinny Jeans $21.00 (Dorothy Perkins)

Shoes: LC Lauren Conrad Flats $18.97 (Kohl's)

Necklace: Layered Beaded Accent Necklace $8.80 (Forever 21)

Total: $85.77 + tax

Sweater: White Rib V-Neck Cardigan $35.00 (Dorothy Perkins)

Leggings: Full Tilt Leggings $11.99 (Tilly's)

Shoes: Mojito Casual High Boot $14.00 (Peacocks)

Bag: Clutch Handbag $38.00 (Dressrail)

Total: $98.99 + tax

Jacket: Belted Trench Coat $21.40 (Forever 21)

Top: Sparkle & Fade Open Back Tank $14.99 (Urban Outfitters)

Skirt: Black V Banded Mini Skirt $12.90 (Windsor)

Shoes: Neap Tide Heel $34.99 (Modcloth)

Tights: Tights for Every Occasion $14.99 (Modcloth)

Total: $99.27 + tax

Its been cold and snowy these past few days so I went out in search of a warm fuzzy coat! Originally $89.50 I was able to get a great deal at Macy's and ended up paying only 29.99 + tax! So if you are looking for a coat to keep out the cold, now is a great time to find one. Many stores are trying to sell all of their winter items to make room for spring collections so cold weather essentials are on sale for very reasonable prices!

Snow Day Fun!

Inspired? Look for these items here:

www.hm.com

www.dorothyperkins.com

www.dorothyperkins.com

www.kohls.com

www.forever21.com

www.dorothyperkins.com

www.tillys.com

www.peacocks.com

www.dressrail.com

www.forever21.com

www.urbanoutfitters.com

www.windsorstore.com

www.modcloth.com

www.modcloth.com

Getting Crafty

Want to spice up the boring walls in your room? Looking to give a personalized gift to a close friend or family member? With just a few supplies, you can make a great handmade cork board tile project that only looks expensive! Great for posting your favorite pictures, calendars, and other special knick-knacks, these tiles are both decorative and functional! Another option is gluing mirror squares in the middle of the tiles and painting either a pretty border around them or writing a fun quote. So clear off a table, gather some supplies and get ready to let your creativity run free!

Cork Board Tile Project
Supplies:

• cork tiles (usually comes in packs of four)
• acrylic paints
• mirrors, sequins, other appliques (optional)

Simply apply a coat of paint on the tops of the tiles (don't forget the sides) and let dry. Look for tile packs that come with adhesive for easy hanging! If you want to add a little twist to your boards, you can paint and design the tiles at an angle to create diamond shapes when hung on the wall. 

Any brand of acrylic paints will work, but I like the Liquitex Basic paints because you get a lot of product for a great price!

Here are the tiles I painted! Hopefully they'll provide some inspiration when you're getting ready to paint your own!

Inspired? Look for these items here:

www.plazaart.com

www.officemax.com

Holographic Hue

My recent beauty obsession has been sparkly nail polish and lately I've been layering glitter top coats over my regular polish. The O.P.I Designer Series polish in Original is the ultimate sparkly polish and I've been wanting to try it out for a while now. Put under light, the polish creates a holographic shine that looks absolutely amazing! In normal lighting the polish is a pretty lavender shade that can work great as an everyday shade. It was a bit difficult finding this discontinued shade, but all the work was definitely work the effort! I absolutely love the color. Because the formula is so thin, it takes a good three or four coats to obtain the pretty lavender color but doesn't create a caked on look like other polishes. Another great thing about this polish is that you can't see the mistakes or smudges that you might have made along the way! Take a look for yourself! Would you try this polish?

O.P.I Designer Series in DS Original 

A Closer Look!

Inspired? Look for this item here:

www.amazon.com

Happy New Year