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Diane Kruger's get-up at the 2009 CDFA Fashion Awards in New York was KILLER. Any ideas how to get the chic modern look for a frugal, recession-fighting gal?
-Trisha (June 18, 2009)
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Dear Trisha,
We also loved Diane Kruger's Jason Wu dress at the CFDA Awards (check
out our Best Dressed Celebs of the Week: CFDA Edition). Style wise, that girl can do no wrong!
Since we all want a little Diane (and Jason) in our lives, we found a few similar dress options for the frugal fashionista.
At Charlotte Russe, we found an almost identical version in black, but the shoulder details are amazing! Dillard's carries a red dress quite similar to Diane's, but be sure to change up the belt.
We won't be surprised if we see several version's of Jason's dress on retailer's racks this fall!
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How come all the clothes that you think would be affordable turn out to be more expensive when you look at the price tag? For example, example a cute sweater that you think is $29.99 turns out to be $68.99? I thought it might be because of the mateial it's made out of, and how much it cost's them to make it, But I would like to know an expert's opinion.
-Julia (June 13, 2009)
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Dear Julia,
There are many different factors that go into pricing a piece of clothing. Markup on clothing is very high (between the retailer and the customer it can sometimes be 100%, especially for denim) and is one of the largest factors in the surprising prices of some garments.
There are usually three channels of distribution for clothing: manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. Each of these channels markup the garment in so they can all turn a profit. In order to save costs and secure further control over quality some retailers deal directly with manufacturers, cutting out the wholesaler and their markup. Certain stores/companies have the buying power to force manufacturers to fulfill their orders at a loss so that they, the retailer, can provide incredibly low prices (ie. Wal-Mart) but often quality suffers as a result.
The quality of a garment can be judged by several factors such as design, construction, material and fit. All of these factors play a role in determining the retail price the consumer pays for their clothes.
Let us make a hypothetical example to better illustrate our point. A black, cotton t-shirt at retailer A costs $29.99 while at retailer B a black, cotton t-shirt costs $59.99. Assuming that both retailers marked-up their t-shirts using a 100% markup, what is the reason for the difference in price?
Retailer A: Is an internationally recognized company/brand with retail outlets around the world and deals directly with a manufacturer.
Design: standard crew-neck black t-shirt.
Construction: hem lines are single-stitched, a few stray strands of thread are visible.
Material: 100% cotton. The fabric is a plain woven cotton and it feels a little starchy and stiff.
Fit: standard (fitted once or twice on a fit model)
Retailer B: Is a smaller company/brand with retail outlets in only one or two countries and deals with a wholesaler.
Design: crew-neck black t-shirt with cuffed arm-hole detail
Construction: hem lines are double-stitched, no stray strands of thread are visible.
Material: 100% cotton. The fabric is an organic cotton jersey and it feels very soft, light and flexible.
Fit: The neck is a little wider, the arm holes are looser and the shirt is longer than a standard fit. (fitted two to three times on a fit model)
As the example above illustrates markup plus the differences in: a company/brands purchasing power and purchasing avenues, the design details, construction, material and fit of a garment all combine to determine the price that you, the consumer pays.
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I love punk culture and fashion but i feel it's hard to find fashionable punk pieces when the only rock inspired store i can afford is Hot Topic (not the style I'm going for!). What stores or websites would you suggest and what pieces do you think are esssential for a fashionable punk wardrobe?
-Sharde (June 12, 2009)
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Dear Sharde,
We feel your punk pain. While we love the punk looks we see on the street or in the pages of Elle (Elle's style director Kate Lanphear is the queen of mixing punk looks with everyday attire) , many items are either:
a) designer - Sass & Bide, Julien MacDonald (Fall 2009), Vivienne Westwood, etc.
b) vintage - meaning only a lucky few still have these pieces in their closet or inherited them through hand-me downs.
That being said, we suggest raiding as many vintage shops as you can in order to pick up other people's punk castaways. If you live in Toronto, hit up Kensington Market or The Rock Shop (they sell a bevy of vintage rock t-shirts). Luckily there are other punk shops online besides Hot Topic. Be sure to visit Hell Cat Punks (amazing Japanese punk clothing), Red Haze and Electric Chair.
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I need help in my fashion BIG TIME! My friend is trying her best to help but I'm just too fussy. I basically wear the same thing every day, skinnys, a t-shirt, sweater and a scarf. I'm trying to explore with fasion but it just doesnt feel right. Oh PLEASE,PLEASE HELP ME!
-Maddy (June 11, 2009)
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Dear Maddy,
Well this certainly is a style dilemma! There is nothing wrong with your go-to outfit. If you want to switch it up try wearing a pair of boyfriend jeans or peg-leg pleated pants instead of the slim jeans. Otherwise we suggest throwing some accessories into the mix. Build up a killer shoe collection. Replace the scarf with a statement necklace or add a stack of bangles to the look. You can even play around with the scarves you wear. For example, if you normally wear a longer, larger knit scarf try wearing a classic square silk scarf instead. Or you can even change up how you wear you're scarf. Click here for a helpful link on 28 different ways to tie and wear a scarf.
As for new fashionable clothing options it is difficult to make a suggestion without knowing your own personal aesthetic, body type and personal taste, especially since you are admittedly fussy. Try picking out a few outfits you like while browsing websites or while flipping through a magazine and then try to emulate the look. Or to narrow down you're style choices, model your new signature look after your favorite celebrity. We definitely suggest trying to decide what style category you would like to fall into. Are you a punk? Are you preppy? Are you classic, sophisticated, feminine or tomboy? Or are you a mix of two different styles? Once you decide which category you would like to fall into, picking out clothing to match this style will be a breeze!
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