Dress Like a Celebrity

Most of us don't have the same luxuries that celebrities who walk the red carpet do: stylists, high-end designers happy to provide gowns for free, an endless budget for accessories, a perfect figure... But a little bit of research will at least find you gowns that have a passing similarity to the stars' fashions, but for a tiny fraction of the cost. Here are a few of the looks I recently reviewed at the Golden Globes, along with more affordable alternatives!

  

Viola Davis' Jason Wu gown featured a deep cobalt hue, a full skirt gathering into the waist at one hip, and a single sleeve effect. Wu's gowns sell at Bergdorf Goodman for $2,000 to $3,000, but you can pick up this similar "Ivonne" dress from Escapexit for only $88. It features a full, pleated skirt gathered into an open ring at one hip, and a single-shoulder bodice, in a similar cobalt blue.  

 

Ana de Armas' strapless Louis Vuitton gown featured a dramatic silver lace panel over a black dress. Perhaps not quite so dramatic, but this strapless BCBG gown features a sheer skirt and hip-length lace panels on the bodice. A slightly different fabulous, but a much more affordable fabulous, at $194 from Amazon. 

 

Michelle Williams' Gucci gown was not a win with me, but toning it down significantly still makes for a good look. Keep the single shoulder with a frothy detail, the defined waist, and just a hint of the cascading ruffles, then bump up the color saturation a little, and you end up with this much prettier Mac Duggal gown, $498 at Nordstrom rather than Net-a-Porter's usual Gucci price tag of $4,000-$9,000.

 

Anya Taylor-Joy's long yellow Dior skirt with matching bandeau was simple and sleek, to the point of being stark. Add a little flare to the line of the skirt and a bit more coverage with the bandeau, and you have this elegantly wearable Xscape ensemble from Nordstrom's for a cool $107, several orders of magnitude less than the original Dior.

 

Angela Bassett's clinging silver Pamella Rolland halter column was striking in its simplicity: Simple halter neckline and body-hugging silhouette. Compare her look ($4,000-$9,000 for a PR gown at Bergdorf Goodman) with Mac Duggal's similar gown for only $398. 

 

Kerry Condon's simple Brandon Maxwell design is a basic black off-the-shoulder column with a fitted waist and a little visual interest in the shape of the neckline. An even better look, in my opinion, is this Xscape ruffle-topped gown for $228 at Dillard's. 

 

 

Jamie Lee Curtis wore an unremarkable black strapless jumpsuit topped with a fabulous black lace Valentino cape (which sells for $7500, not including the jumpsuit). You can find a similar cape on Etsy for $52 and a similar jumpsuit at Lulu for $66.

 

If you like the drama of Quinta Brunson's black-and-red mermaid gown by Christian Siriano (which will set you back a cool $7K or so), check out this red tulle ruffle gown from E & V's Deals - it is a deal at $210. 

 

 

It's hard to find a non-designer gown that has the same criss-cross cutouts as Jenna Ortega's fabulous Gucci gown, but the graceful chiffon bell sleeves and sweeping skirt are featured in this $238 Bella Valentina gown. But if you really love the strappiness of the bodice and the shredded look of the skirt, you might be shelling out the $717 for this Herve Leger fringe gown from Bloomingdale's. 

 

Jean Smart's Tadashi Shoji jacket dress may not have been as pricy as some red carpet looks (the short version is only $508 at Sak's or Neiman Marcus), but you can get Adrianna Papell's nearly identical version - right down to the satin lapels and twisted waist detail - for $199 at Lord & Taylor. 

 

Julia Garner's dramatic pink Gucci gown featured a corset bodice and tiered ruffles. Although a slightly different silhouette, this frothy gown from Sumintras features a dropped-waist corset bodice and multiple layers of ruffles, for $190.

 

Lily James' brilliant crimson Versace gown has a voluminous train with equally voluminous rosettes at the waist over a narrow skirt and a strapless bodice with cutouts at the waist. For we lesser mortals who would vanish into that particular dress, this lacy off-the-shoulder taffeta mermaid gown with detachable train from DH Gate gives a similar impression without devouring the wearer. And it has a reasonable $240 price tag, as opposed to the $3,000-$8,000 you'd pay for a Versace at Sak's. 

 

Jennifer Coolidge upped the ante on the "little black dress" with her body-hugging sparkly off-the-shoulder Dolce & Gabbana column. You can own something similar with this Sierra off-the-shoulder dress from Windsor Store for $110. 

 

Neicy Nash's Dolce & Gabbana column was paired with a voluminous wrap that looked great in photos but must have been a pain to move around in. This purple gown from JJ's House for $158 (rather than the $2,000-$8,000 a D&G gown costs at Shopstyle) also features a sparkly panel on the bodice and has an attached capelet that looks much more comfortable and easy to manage than its designer counterpart. 

 

Elizabeth Debicki's awful Dior column was badly fitted, but it did have a lovely a-line silhouette. This rose velvet Bodycon gown is only $99 at Nordstrom and shares a similar silhouette with a deeper slit, adding visual interest with the texture of the velvet rather than a structured bodice detail.

 

Hannah Einbinder's delightfully retro strapless Carolina Herrera tea-length gown (a style that runs about $3,000-$6,000 on Shopstyle) featured a full tulle skirt and a white satin bow across the bust. This $170 little black dress from Light in the Box features a nearly identical silhouette, and anyone handy with a needle and thread could easily add a bow to the bodice.

 

Janelle James' midnight blue Safiyaa sheath with attached illusion cape had two major selling points for me: the lovely sleek silhouette of the base gown, and the gracefulness of the illusion cape. Depending on which detail you prefer, either of these dresses from JJ's House might work for you. The $121 one-shouldered column features a single trailing scarf and an a-line skirt; the $160 full-skirted version features a full illusion cape (a scarf off each shoulder) and a spangled v-neck bodice.

 

Sheryl Lee Ralph's cobalt blue sequin Aliette halter dress had a flared silhouette and a short train. This MACloth halter shares the fabulous color, sparkle, and silhouette, lacking only the short train of the original. Not bad for only $119 as opposed to $2,000-$4,000. 

Now get out there and dress like a star!

Following Fall Fashions

I love checking out fashion trends, although generally the "high-end" trends are a bit too out there - and too expensive! - for me to follow within my own wardrobe. But there are definitely ways to follow the current fashion trends without breaking the budget or breaking out of your personal comfort zone.

The fashion magazine Elle posted an article about fall 2017 fashion trends back in August. Here are some of the items from their list, along with my suggestions of how to incorporate these trends into your own wardrobe.

Power Red

According to Elle, many designers are featuring monochromatic vivid red outfits, including suits, coats, boots, and separates. The look above, by Oscar de la Renta, will set you back $2,390 for the blouse and $1,090 for the pants.

 

But for less than $20, you can get these cute red skinny jeans from Macy's. Pair them with this double-layered georgette top for $18 from JC Penney and these red suede booties from DSW for $40, and you've got yourself some Red Power!

Vintage-Inspired Furs

These coats look like they could have come directly out of your (fashion-conscious) grandmother's closet. Long, elegant fur coats are everywhere this season. The genuine fur coat above easily costs in the 5-figure range.

Check out this gorgeous full-length faux fur coat from Burlington Coat Factory at only $120! Just as beautiful as the designer version, no animals were harmed, and you've got several thousand dollars left in your pocket.

Glitterati Boots

Silver spangled slouchy boots, sparkly turquoise booties, and black stiletto boots studded with rhinestone flowers are all on the fashion list for fall 2017. These elegant knee-high silver boots with black toe caps from Chanel carry a $1,575 price tag.

Pop into DSW and pick up these silver sequined booties for a cool $50, or these silver sock booties from Target for $38. Or if you're willing to pay a little more, how about these turquoise open-toed boots from Macy's for $119?

Western Front

Frontier and western styled wear featuring cowhide, leather fringe, and brightly colored Southwestern prints are everywhere this season. I couldn't find a price on this Ashley Williams cowhide jacket, but her "puffy" fabric version goes for $355, so probably triple that price for the new leather version.

Get your own Southwestern flavor with this printed cardigan with fringed front for $47 from Boot Barn, or go a little more fancy with this fringe-trimmed cropped suede jacket from Neiman Marcus for $86. And wear either one over this basic white Western shirt with black piping from WalMart for $35.

70s Plaid

It worked for your mom's couch; now it's working for everything from suits to jackets to gowns. This Bottega plaid wool trench coat will probably cost you $2500 or more.

Save your money and spend just $70 on this beautiful and classic tartan plaid coat from Chadwicks of Boston. For even less, pick up this short plaid skirt from J Crew for $37 or this longer one (also from Chadwicks of Boston) for $45.

Broad Shoulders

Although not quite as squared-off as the giant Dallas and Dynasty power suits of the 80s, designers are showing jackets and coats with broad shoulders that extend past the natural line of the shoulder. The black-and-white version here, from Marques Almeida, will cost you almost $1,500.

Fortunately, the stores don't seem to be showing any jackets with shoulders quite as extreme as on the runway, but this pretty cranberry jacket from Express for $77 will let you have a more reasonable version of the trend at a much more reasonable price.

Fishnets

Not just stockings, but mesh shirts and other accents, combined with both casual and dressed-up looks. I don't know the price of the fishnet shirt in the Phillip Lim ensemble above, but considering that the mesh bralet on his site was $363, I certainly won't be buying one.

You can get a pair of fishnet tights at a party store for $7, but if you want them to last for more than a wearing or two, I'd splurge on micro fishnet tights from Target for $10, or these larger-patterned ones for $13 from H&M. (You can also pick up a mesh crop top at H&M for $10.)

Couch Florals

If your mom didn't have a plaid couch in the 70s, she had a floral one. You'll recognize the floral patterns in dresses, shirts, gowns, and even suits this season. The Delpozo design above costs well over $4,000, based on the price of a similar but simpler floral print gown in their collection.

Florals are super-easy to find right now, including this lovely fit-and-flare dress from Dress Barn for $54. Wear this floral tank from WalMart for $10 under a cardigan or a jacket for an instant floral infusion. Or pop on this printed maxi-shell from Nordstrom Rack for $27 on top of your outfit for a wash of floral bliss.

Mid-Length Skirts

Designers are showing lots of soft, floaty, flared skirts ending well below the knee, paired with gladiator sandals, boots, and heels. Based on the prices of Carolina Herrera's collection at Saks, the outfit above probably goes for between $2,500 and $3,000.

This soft wrap skirt from The Gap is only $34, and this fleece skirt (also from The Gap) is $42. If you like the lacy look of the skirt above, try this crocheted A-line skirt from Macy's for $60.

Buttoned Up

Buttons, buttons, everywhere! Not just functional ones, but as details on skirts, dresses, and gowns. The gown above, by Rosie Assoulin, would easily be priced at $5,000-$6,000 or more.

You can get your button fix for much less with this split-sleeve maxi shirt dress from Bloomingdale's for $54, or this cute denim button-up pencil skirt for $58 from Macy's.

Chocolate Brown

Another great monochromatic trend, this warm brown is likely to suit a few more people than the vivid scarlet that's also in fashion at the moment. The Tod's boots above cost $1,265 at Saks, so I shudder to think what the complete outfit must cost.

You can easily put together your own version for a fraction of the cost, by swinging over to WalMart and picking up this stretchy pencil skirt for $13, this long-sleeved scoop neck t-shirt for $10, and these slouchy microsuede boots for $27.

Wide Belts/Belted Coats

Paired with dresses, jackets, coats, and separates, wide belts in self or contrasting colors are being used to define the waist. A Nina Ricci dress similar to the one shown above is priced at $4,690 at Farfetch.

You can either pick up a wide belt to wear with some outfits you already own (The Gap has this one for $26 or get a fancy braided one from LL Bean for $35), or pick up this belted fit and flare dress at Macy's for $50 or this belted shirtdress at Banana Republic for $46, or this

Russian Doll

Gorgeously colorful embroidery, often on a black or dark background, is appearing on pieces such as boots, coats, jackets, and dresses. The Naeem Khan look above goes for a minimum of $3,000 and likely significantly more.

This similarly embroidered sheath dress is only $27 at Macy's, and this tunic or dress (depending on how tall and/or brave you are) is $48 at Forever 21.

Formal Velvet

Gowns in solid-color velvet are popular this season, mostly in jewel tones and relatively simple styles. Alberta Ferretti's gowns, such as the yellow velvet pictured above, are priced anywhere from $2,000 to well over $6,000.

Believe it or not, you can pick up this plunging burgundy velvet side slit gown for $132 at Sears! If you're a little less daring, go with this cranberry velvet, open back gown with side slit for $76 at Nordstrom.



So now that you know what the trends are and how to follow them on a budget, get out there and get trendy!