FASHION ON A BUDGET

Audrey Brooke Satchel at DSW: $99.00

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When shopping off-price stores like DSW I always search the racks for great deals on bags. A good handbag is an investment and its hard to find one that looks expensive….until now. Audrey Brooke handbags are made of genuine leather and while $99 is not a steal, it is a bargain for real leather.

Fit: What made me pick up this bag is its high quality appearance. Its structured, clean, and looks like something our favorite celebrities might be carrying. And I love the hardware!

The size is very generous–it has two large separate zippered compartments that will always keep you organized…no more searching forever for your car keys!

Shopper’s Notes: Personally, black is the only way to go. When buying inexpensive leather bags, stay away from anything with a pattern/texture or in a bold statement color because they can come off looking cheap. In black, this bag like it cost 10x as much as it actually does and all your friends will be begging to borrow it!

Money Saving Tip: If you shop at DSW and have a Rewards Card, make sure you check to see if you have any awards that you can redeem online. And if you don’t have one, get one when you buy this bag…DSW makes it very easy to add up points and then you can save $10 on your next purchase!

I will be honest, I am one of those rare Fashionistas who wears very minimal make-up. You give me a good mascara and a bit of lip gloss and I am in heaven, all that matters are those killer shoes and handbags. However as of late I have become obsessed with all things make-up. It’s as if the five-year old in me has re-awakened and all she wants to do is experiment with color and what better place to do this than at Sephora.

During my latest 8AM visit to the Wall Street Sephora, I discovered what has to be the must have make-up palette for all Fashionistas, The Allure Beauty Editor Palette by Sephora!

The palette consists of 5 mini-palettes which are made up of 6 eye shadows, one blush or bronzer and a non-sticky lip gloss, yes ladies non-sticky. It also includes one carrying case which fits all the mini palettes and can be thrown in your work tote or your evening clutch. But hold on it gets even better the value of the palette is $150 however it is being sold for $34.00, is this a bargain or what?

And the best pat is that the palette has colors for every season, so you will not have to buy make-up for a very long time. Whether you are just beginning to experiment with make-up (like myself) or are a make-up junky, you must get to Sephora as soon as possible and purchase this palette, you will not be the least bit disappointed! Have fun experimenting with the beautiful colors and don’t be afraid to try out new looks for the upcoming season!

They may just be the “it” boot of the fall and I for one am a huge fan! While I love my high heels (boots included) they are not so fun to walk in and after a summer of teetering around in super high sandals I’m so looking forward to a boot that’s not only stylish but practical too!

The “Dicker” boot by Isabel Marant is a celeb favorite- stars like Kate Bosworth, Nicole Richie and the stunning Rosie Huntington Whiteley (pictured here) have all been spotted in theirs…the only thing is these boots also come with an A-list price tag.  $800 bucks to be exact and even at that price, they’re still sold out everywhere!  Who knew so many people could afford to buy eight hundred dollar boots!? Regardless of the price tag, these boots are haunting me and they seem to be following me everywhere I go…meaning: I need them stat!

I was on a shoot for New York LIVE a few weeks ago and the stylist on set used a similar pair on a model that she swore were from the GAP…so I’ve been stalking their site since then but nothing yet.  Luckily I kept my eyes open and found a very similar style at Zara on sale for $35…but I also found this pair from Steve Madden on Piperlime.

They’re almost identical and for $129 they’re not a bad deal when you think of how much the originals are.  If you want this look, I think these are your best bet! SteveMadden.com also carries them in black and cognac (the color Rosie’s wearing in the pic) but if they’re still too pricey you may want to wait for one of those in-store sales or email coupon codes to try and save 20-30% off!

Either way, I’m getting them in two colors and I know they’ll be my go to come Fall!

For Fall there’s nothing I want more than a simple, beautifully-made, buttery soft caramel colored handbag. Luckily Coach has decided to go back into their archives and re-issue some of their tried and true styles as part of a limited edition Classics Collection.

These are the Coach bags I remember growing up and while the brand has evolved over the last decade I can’t help but be excited to see them doing what they do best again–making gorgeous, timeless bags that last forever.  These designs date back to the 1970’s but they feel so modern and fresh for the Fall. The collection features five styles and at most 4 colors, so for those of you that tend to be a little indecisive, this is the perfect collection for you!

With the 70’s influence all over the runways for this season, you really can’t go wrong with any of these styles…this one is my personal favorite.  If you’re thinking of splurging on a bag, I can’t think of a better option…but if you’d rather go the vintage route on this one (and save some $$), I’ve seen plenty of fabulous Coach bags in some of my favorite vintage and thrift shops recently so get out there and start shopping because they’re sure to go fast!

I love bangles, heck… I love all accessories; chunky necklaces, fancy earrings, glamorous headbands… I’m never one to discriminate when it comes to accessorizing.

I got a recent email however, specifically asking me how to wear bangles in a casual work environment. I suppose the best news is, this is soooo easy to pull off, you really can pair a nice stack-able bracelet set with any sort of outfit to give your 9-5 fashion a little pep!

Keys to Wearing Stackable Bangles: You want to tie in the colors/style/texture of the bangles somewhere else. Whether it’s a necklace, earrings, belt, ring, headband, hat, etc… choose one or two other accessories to link your the bangles to. Three accessories MAX is my preferred amount.

In the first pic, she did it perfectly. Her gold, brown and black bangles link to her gold necklace and black and gold belt.

And in this more office-friendly look, her funky necklace, ring and bracelets all flow smoothly. And she gets major style points for making an almost all black ensemble look anything but basic!

As you can see, if you have back up in the accessory department, you really can pull off the bangle look with any sort of outfit! To tone it down for a casual work environment, pair your outfit with more subtle accessories and a cute pair of flats! Taking heels, glamorous hair and make up and fancy hand bags out of the equation, instantly tones down any of these looks.

Hope this helped and happy stacking! ♥

Something strange is happening in my closet…while skirts and dresses typically make up most of my wardrobe and most of what I end up wearing on a day to day basis lately I’ve been craving pants like no other.  It started back in February when I bought these and it’s been a slippery slope since then.

I’ve purchased more pants in the last 5 months than I have in my whole life! I just can’t get enough of this look and thankfully, most stores and designers can’t either right now.  There’s something super sophisticated about a pant-centric outfit that you just can’t get with a skirt and I’m so excited that for Fall everyone is showing them in ultra-bright colors and super tailored skinny styles…some are even ankle length (yay for short girls like me!) so I won’t end up throwing off the proportion when I chop inches off the hem at the tailor!

My latest pant purchase: these vibrant flame Minnie’s from J.Crew.  I saw them in-store a few weeks ago and while they didn’t have my size in stock, I was able to order them through the store’s phone line (key for hard to find sizes like 00’s and petites) which got me free shipping and the promo price of $69.50.

Now I know seventy bucks is not cheap but I know I’ll be wearing these through the end of summer and well into the fall…they’re going to be my fall staple and we all know there’s nothing hotter than red for this upcoming season!

If you’re looking to make the change from skirts to pants, I can’t recommend a better style!  The Minnie’s have some stretch to them, they’re low-waisted, fitted where they should be and I really can’t say enough about this flame color…just fabulous!  Try them, you’ll love them…oh and they also come in black and khaki!

One of my favorite fashion sites has to be Refinery29–they’re always on the cutting edge of fashion and spot every trend months before it hits the mainstream.  Case in pint, the upside down braid pictured here!

Braids have been the hot hair fix for seasons now and their popularity continues to grow….the John Barrett Salon in NYC even has their own braid bar!!  Braids are hotter than ever and the perfect solution for this humidity filled heatwave, but this reverse braid might just be the next big thing.

What do you think? Cheap or Chic? Could this be your mid-summer go to? It’s a really cool look and the top bun helps give your boho-braid a more polished appearance.

DIY Tip: Make sure your hair is blown out straight so the braid doesn’t look sloppy. Pin two-thirds of your hair up and out of the way so you can work on the braid without extra hair on the way. Now for the tricky part, braid your hair holding it straight up (a french braid style works best, but try a simple braid works too if you’re not as skilled). Finally, when the braid is about the length of your head, combine the braid and the rest of your hair and twist it into a ballerina bun. Pin with a ton of bobby pins (or a set of SpinPins) to finish!

This look is sure to be a conversation-starter, but this reverse braid might be a two girl job…what a workout for the arms! Let us know if you think you can pull this off!?! And for more fabulous braid inspiration, check out my dear friend Jenn Falik’s blog, she’s become quite the expert and last time I saw her sporting braids, she looked ah-mazing!!

So every season there’s a color that draws everyone in.  Earlier this summer that color was coral but now that the summer is winding down (so scary!) we’re all ready for a new breath of fresh air when it comes to hot hues and could there be anything more fresh than cobalt blue.

If you follow color trends, you know that not too long ago this color was oh-so hot so if you have any pieces from back then, then you’re already ahead of the game.  And in case you don’t, I have plenty of finds (under $100) that will help you add this to your wardrobe stat.

One of my favorite trends of the season is color-blocking so I love seeing it done with cobalt like this ASOS dress for only $48 bucks! And if you don’t love the turquoise and cobalt together, there are plenty of other colors you could mix in…hot pink, purple, yellow or go simple yet chic with white or cream.

Now when it comes to accessories, adding a cobalt belt or shoe can totally update an old outfit.  My faves happen to be these from BCBGeneration…I love the thicker straps and with this color its go bold or go home so they’re cobalt perfection!

And check out all of these buys that will surely satisfy your craving for cobalt!

More Asos…

If you’re a loyal reader of this blog you know that I like nothing more than shoes (ok, maybe Chanel bags but who can afford those?!) and lately I’ve been taking notice of all the fabulous shoes Michael Antonio has been adding to it’s collection.

I love how they’re able to capture the latest trends at such an affordable pricepoint and whenever I’m looking for a special show that can’t possibly existfor under $500, they surprise me!

Case in point, these gold linen pumps with a fabulous metallic platform…very Gucci like, no?  I love neutral shoes but sometimes you want neutral with a punch so when I saw these for only $49 I had to have them!

And in case these aren’t what you’re looking for here’s a few of my favorite styles that won’t break the bank and you can see the full collection here!

More Michael Antonio…