At Saks Fifth Avenue Downtown, a pair of Ralph Lauren pumps will set you back $507, but just down the street at Burlington Coat Factory, a similar pair costs only $40.
Also at Saks, an embellished little black dress by Laundry by Design will cost $395, however a sleeveless embellished dress with a square neckline just like this one can be found at Forever 21 for only $30.
A silk patterned Kenneth Cole shirt dress at Macy’s costs $149, but if you travel one floor up the escalator to the junior’s department, almost the same shirt dress is only $32.
High fashion does not always have to be expensive. It all depends on where you look. And though not all of us can afford an entire designer wardrobe from Saks Fifth Avenue or Macy’s, it is possible to look like a celebrity, or find an outfit just like the one in last month’s Vogue, for prices much less than one might think.
The end of November is when stores put out the best new items. These samples were taken at that time on the notion that by mid-January, prices could decrease after holiday sales.
“We just stress high fashion at an affordable price,” said Dana Mormak, manager of the Ross Park Mall location of popular and affordable store, H&M.
Places like Payless Shoe Source, Burlington Coat Factory, H&M, Forever 21 and American Eagle are all places either right here in Downtown or a short bus ride away at The Mall at Robinson, the Ross Park Mall, The Waterfront or South Side Works, where good style at a low price can be found. And if you look hard enough, even Macy’s can have good deals and discounts for those on a budget.
Those Ralph Lauren pumps from Saks are among a bevy of shoes for over $500 found there. They are made from brown suede with a rounded toe and polished leather heels. The similar shoes at Burlington, for only $40, are Calvin Klein and made of brown suede with a rounded toe, but have wedge-style heels.
Burlington carries a wide variety of shoe brands, including some designer brands. Steve Madden, Nine West, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors and Jessica Simpson are among the designer brands that can be purchased for a range of prices and can normally be found on sale for prices starting as low as $20.
Even cheaper still, Payless Shoe Source on Fifth Avenue carries a pair of navy blue faux suede Fioni pumps also with a rounded toe that will only cost $17 on sale.
“Last season we had almost the exact same shoes for $20 that Jessica Simpson was selling at Macy’s for $60,” Payless sales associate Michelle Dell said.
Dell feels that while the suede sold at Payless may be faux, the styles and quality are very comparable to those from designer stores.
The wardrobe staple of the little black dress can be found in the form of the costly Laundry by Design empire waisted dress with its scoop neck that flows into a t-back embellished with faux black jewels in a triacetate/polyester mix that costs $395. Or it can be found in the form of the less costly short and sleeveless, 100 percent polyester black mini dress with a square neckline embellished with those same faux black jewels from Forever 21 for only around $30.
“The store is universal and affordable for girls who are into high fashion but can’t really afford it,” said Sarah Howarth, a Point Park senior and sales associate at Forever 21’s Southside Works location.
The affordable and stylish Forever 21 can all also be found at The Mall at Robinson, the Ross Park Mall and South Side Works. They carry women’s junior sizes only, with the exception of the Ross Park location, which carries men’s styles. It also carries a large amount of accessories for jazzing up any outfit, from $35 for a large metallic duffel handbag to $3 for a pair of vintage-style metal earrings, as well as a collection of shoes. It might be worth checking out the store every couple of weeks for new styles as it is so popular that its entire inventory turns over every two weeks.
With its dark blue, black, white and gray Kaleidoscope pattern, the $149 silk, v-neck, Kenneth Cole shirt dress with polyester lining and a silk black band at the bottom from the designer women’s department at Macy’s Downtown is almost a dead ringer for the tunic-style shirt made by Ella J found in the junior’s department just up one floor that costs $32. This shirt has a circular blue, black, white, and gray pattern, is made from 100 percent polyester, is fitted with darts on the front and the back, and also has the same black band around the bottom.
Another staple item in everyone’s wardrobe is a good pair of jeans. At Saks Fifth Avenue, designer jean brands including 7 For All Mankind, Rock & Republic and True Religion range in price from $141 all the way to $319. Among the most stylish is a pair of medium wash, one button, skinny “Kate” style 7 For All Mankind jeans with mild distressing and embellished back pockets that cost $202.
However, for around $50, one can get a pair of American Eagle skinny jeans in a medium wash with some mild distressing called the Blue Issue Skinny 77 jean in a “vintage indigo wash.” These jeans could almost pass as the same 7 For All Mankind jeans, they are so similar.
American Eagle Outfitters is a popular place for jeans, where one can find a stylish and well fitting pair of jeans for between $30 and $50. Sizes run from double zero to 18 regular.
Also carrying a wide variety of jeans at a low price is Forever 21, whose jeans range in price from $12.50 for a pair of dark wash low rise skinny jeans, to $30 for a pair of light wash low rise flared jeans, which are among over 30 different styles.
Short, shoulder hugging, trapeze jackets have been popular items over the last several seasons. At Saks, a black trapeze-style jacket with three-quarter length puff sleeves that lead up to a rounded collar that buttons down three times in a wool/spandex/rayon mix produced by high fashion brand Juicy Couture retails for $328.
Its virtual twin at H&M is made from 100 percent cotton and also has three buttons, a rounded collar and three-quarter length sleeves, but will only set you back $30.
Mormak thinks both the store’s styles and prices are excellent for young people on a budget and that many of their styles are similar to high end fashion.
“Sometimes we’ll even get some styles in before the high-end stores do,” she said.
Some celebrities, like Madonna, have even designed clothing lines of their own for the store. Madonna’s line features a dress that she actually wore to a red carpet event.
In the world of high fashion, designer Marc Jacobs is a man who knows what he is doing. At Saks, one will find many items designed by him, including a cardigan sweater of burnt golden cashmere with shiny gold buttons like Christmas tree ornaments, front facing pockets and a sash to tie around the waist. However, this sweater is a bit of an investment at $328.
If that seems like a hefty price tag, Forever 21 has a brown, deep v-neck, viscose/nylon blend, belted cardigan that will only cost you around $20.
When looking for something particular at Forever 21, the best bet would probably be to check out the one at the Ross Park Mall. It opened on Nov. 19 and is the largest in the area, around the size of three normal Forever 21 stores. Because of its massive size, this store has the biggest selection.
Howarth believes that the store succeeds in its mission to carry lots of styles for lots of girls and pointed out that many times the fashions found at Forever 21 can also be found in national magazines like Seventeen, often times because of their ability to take celebrity trends and make them affordable.
Howarth did give one valuable piece of advice to every girl wanting to always look fashionable.
“The best way to look good is to get your clothes tailored, even if they’re cheap,” she said.
Brooke Keane is Co-Copy Desk Chief. She can be reached at [email protected].
