olivia palermo

What girl doesn’t dream of owning something Chanel…or in my case everything Chanel? They own simple, effortless, and classic and right now I am obsessing over their signature two-toned footwear– seen on everything from boots to heels and most recognizable, their ballerina flats.

Prada, another fan of the two-tone, showed their models stomping down the SS2011 runways in their own take on the trend as well! But with prices over $500 for their anything from these two houses, I will have to keep on dreamin…or so I thought.

I walked into Gap the other day and to my surprise, they have an amazing version of the two toned flats that are so perfect–and they look expensive just like the designer originals. And Gap’s price tag? A very budget friendly $49.50!!

They offer two colors: classic beige with a black toe or camel with a coral toe.  I went with the camel pair…which will be so cute for spring! Both colors are patent leather and come in half sizes so the fit is fantastic.  They also have a little extra padding inside so they’ll keep your feet comfy through the entire day!

Socialite Olivia Palermo rocks the famous Chanel flats with black pants and a cream sweater and manages to look GORGE! The good news is that this kind of look can work for anyone…just pair your flats with a pair of dark skinny jeans a comfy (and warm) sweater to exude easy, effortless, chic style–just like Coco herself!

I’ve been obsessing over this Sherpa moto-sweater that Lauren Bush is wearing ever since I saw the GAP Holiday lookbook…

and now I can save about $40 dollars on it!  From November 11-14th Gap and Teach For America are running their “Give & Get” program which let’s you save 30% at all Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic stores…you can even use the coupon at their outlet stores as well!

I’m really loving all of the stylishly warm pieces at Gap this season (not so much past seasons) like this cute cape, this sequin skirt and this outrageous fur hat– I’m very impressed with the overall campaign and the styling is dead on…no one wants to freeze in the freezing temperatures but we don’t want to look like marshmallow women under all that bulk either!

I plan on making very good use of my coupon…what will you be buying this weekend?? Click here to access the coupon!

Congrats to Irene Oquendo–she’s the winner of this great giveaway!

UPDATE: To enter this giveaway, you have to “like” our FACEBOOK page and then leave a comment there…click here to go directly to our fan page!  And if you’ve already entered a comment here, don’t worry, we’ll honor it as your entry!

It’s no secret that we’re all about great deals here at CheapChicas- and while we love hunting down the best buys out there for all of our fabulous readers, we can’t help but get a little excited when someone makes it easy to save!

365Hangers.com is my newest discovery and one of the easiest ways to get designer labels for less.  They carry all of my favorite designer names like Trina Turk, DVF, Alice & Olivia, Tibi and they’re ALWAYS 70% OFF!! That means no missing sales, no rescheduling meetings to log into your Gilt Groupe account at noon…no matter when you shop, you’ll always be saving 70% off designer names.

I was able to save $273 on this adorable Rebecca Taylor dress and let me tell you…it was hard to just pick one dress to try out, but you can bet I’ll be making many purchases over the holidays–especially at these prices!

Dresses from the Bloomingdales Aqua line (one of my faves!) start at just $23–that’s like Forever 21 prices!! How perfect would this one be for all of those upcoming parties?!

And if you’re wondering how the dress will look on your body (and not some super skinny model) then this is the site for you!

All of their clothes are modeled by women of different sizes and body shapes so you can get an accurate read on how it will look once you get it home.

Now to help you get it home faster, we’re giving away a $25 gift card to the site! All you have do to enter is follow us on Facebook and leave a comment with a link to your favorite item on 365hangers.com.

NOTE: Giveaway is open to residents of the USA only. Winner will be announced on 11/18 and notified via email.

Ever since my ears were pierced I have been the ambassador of all earrings large and dangling . That was my thing. But, the embellished necklines and statement necklaces (Olivia Palermo is the queen of these!) we have seen the past couple of seasons meant something had to give in the bling department. So, I have become a new fan of small and subtle.

Understated earrings can ensure that your look has polish from head to toe without overdoing it. Whether you are having one of those days when a sleek pony is all you have time for or you are sporting loose locks, you can never go wrong with a little stud.

Nordstrom has always been my go to accessory shop due to their continuous ability to replicate the high-end jewelry trends on a budget. This season is no exception. I got these pyramid studs, similar to Anita Ko’s running $275 a pair, for only $18! I wear them non-stop!!!

They add the perfect hint of bad girl glam without being overdone. I also love the vintage, ladylike feel of slightly larger stud earrings with faux stones like these from Charlotte Russe for only $4.oo!

Some of these even come in handy three packs, like the plastic ones you bought when you were twelve, so if you get sick of one pair you can always rotate. With so many other statement pieces available to us this season, it’s ok for the ears to take a back seat…in sparkle of course, not in style.

One of my favorite things about clothing is that each piece of clothing we wear creates a feeling. That feeling comes mainly from our previous experiences, so whether it feels like a good or bad piece of clothing is a reaction from the inside.

Romance is the feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love. And as far as clothing is concerned, there is nothing as romantic as a feminine blouse. Just like the peasant blouse Olivia Palmero is wearing.

The whole outfit just shouts Fall. Peasant blouses are romantic instead of sexy. They have that barley sheer allure to them that shares just enough without giving away anything. There is a sophistication that is coming back to clothing this Fall. And one of the number one items on the forefront of the movement is the Romantic Blouse.

Match a blouse with a pair of trousers or a pencil skirt for work. For a more casual approach match a blouse with a pair of cut off jean shorts. There are many variations of blouses depending on the collars and the sleeves. Pick which style best suites you!

More Asos…

I have been dying to share something with yall since June and now I finally can!!

Earlier this summer the fabulous Karen Blanchard of wheredidugethtat.com (follow her on Twitter: @KarenBritChick) and myself were asked to be a part of an H&M spread in the September issue of ELLE magazine–with JULIA ROBERTS on the cover! To say that I was shocked and totally honored to be asked is a total understatement! Even having the issue in my hands today-I’m still in total disbelief!

We spent the day “modeling” (I will never refer to myself as an model…you have to be taller than 5′0″ for that!) and playing dress up in H&M’s new Fall collection and it was seriously a dream come true.  Everyone from ELLE was incredible to work with (Eddie and Rebecca, y’all are THE best!)–and the entire team from H&M made me feel so welcome!

Now let’s get to the the clothes…we shot three looks and the first one was my favorite!  It’s the one that ended up in the magazine (pictured right)! All of the clothes perfectly suited my style and y’all are going to LOVE the entire Fall collection!

Here’s what I’m wearing: Cobalt Blazer, $32; Ruffle Blouse; Bow Skirt $29; and Fold-Over Boots.  I’m missing prices on two things, but everything on set that day was under $99…God I love H&M! I’m pretty sure everything I wore is in-stores now and I can’t wait to mix and match these pieces with my wardrobe!

I’m so excited to share this with all of you and look out for some very cool behind-the-scenes and trend videos to come later this week!  And if you want to see some bonus pics from the shoot just click here… [click to continue...]

Nowadays, come Tuesday night I am firmly planted in front of MTV. I watch The Hills mostly to feel smart and like I have my life together but The City, now that’s a good show.

I shamefully replay episodes On Demand just to get outfit ideas. But, hello, why isn’t Olivia given the boot? I mean seriously, Joe, why?

Well, I think we all know why, the girl has “an eye” for style. She is clearly not afraid to throw any social punches but what I actually love most about her style right now is how she incorporates a tropical punch of nail color with almost any outfit.

The aesthetic of bold tropical colors kind of embodies her style; it is girly without being too girly and sophisticated with a little more playfulness than your average red.

The color is not so much new, like the lavender and taupe seen this spring, but that it can be used as a sort of unexpected accessory. The pop of color with an otherwise complete outfit gives this old fashioned color a modern twist.

Honestly, Olivia’s budget must be endless but the nails are one thing about her that is easy to emulate on the cheap!! The first time I wore this Revlon color, Hot Tamale, I seriously didn’t think I would last more than a day with it on. But I love it and it strangely goes with almost anything!!  I have found my summer alternative to dark nails…I am a total convert.

You know… this kind of reminds me of the mid-to-late 90s when retro sunglasses à la Jackie O. made a brief comeback. Well, now we’re seeing the same retro throwback trend in a way, but this time with a modern twist: I introduce to you, the oversized cat eye.

While verging on daring, what is easy about this trend is that it comes in what seems to be every color of the rainbow…

I’ve seen Gwen Stefani and Olivia Palermo sporting them in tortoise shell and Scarlett Johansson and Nicole Richie rocking them in black (très Catwoman), but lately I’ve also been spotting celebs wearing ones in fun colors like turquoise and blue like here on Jessica Biel.

You’ll find a selection of possibilities to start your search below, and all at under $100.00, most under $50.00.

Whatever color your fancy, this trend is both carefree and bold… a power combo if you ask me…

Everyone is talking about how big nudes are going to be this coming spring, so it’s no wonder trendsetter Olivia Palermo is already a bit ahead of the rest of us.

Sporting an all-over neutral-heavy look could be disastrous, but what I think makes Olivia’s outfit work so well is the fact that she cleverly pairs her beige accessories with a printed dress which instantly adds a splash of contrast… but not *too* much to ruin the overall effect.

Plus, sporting bold jewelry isn’t as in-your-face when the piece blends in a bit more with the rest of the landscape, if you know what I mean. Here, Olivia’s necklace almost looks like it’s part of her dress, (and I’m not usually one to laud the whole “matchy-matchy” thing)… its brilliant!

For the total look, casually swipe your hair back in a loose chignon and you are officially good to go.

Remember, it’s all about the power of pairing: look for prints, but in neutral tones; for jewelry that is bold, but composed of clear or cream-colored beads; and for booties that are daringly high, but sold in a more demure color.

Here are some items to get you started… !