Top Ten Tips to being a Fashion Icon on a Budget
I'm still hyped over the new Iris Apfel book, and she inspired me again, to come up and review some tips I love to follow re fashion and bargains.
1. This spring, lavender, prints, florals, ruffles and Juliette sleeves are in. So are embellished shoes, lots of statement jewelry and necklaces with floral elements, hair accessories, novelty Ts and sweaters. These are all pictured in the fashion mags, but you can often find these online, or in the library. Library sales and DAV stores sell mags for ten to twenty cents; take advantage. Also, look on line for Vogue, Marie Claire, In Style, the Spanish Telva, my favorite of all. You will find many on Issuu.com. I have my own small collection of mags that are vintage, and that give me ideas for all kinds of things.
2. Review your wardrobe archives. What do you have in these colors and motifs--find them and pair them with your own pieces, then start to look for a few good, new pieces you can mix and match. Shoes can be dyed, and there are still great selections at outlets, at Payless, Goodwill, Salvation Army, even yard sales and estate sales. You can find kitten heels, back in style again, at these venues. As an aside, my late Kitty Emma was a fashion icon in her own right. She loved to hear French, and liked putting her back feet in my lap; I would tickle them, and say "these are the real kitten heels!" Heels of all type are in, as well as boots in fuchsia nad grape, and printed rain boots, too. Look up the Bata Show Museum for ideas, and read Barbara Pym coy novels to read about Court Heels and vintage fashions 1932-80. See, also, The Subversion of Romance in the Novels of Barbara Pym for more themes of style, fashion, romance, and food.
3. As long as you know what it is, there is nothing wrong with a knock-off. The look is what counts, not the hefty tag. Hermes scarves are "honored" and imitated by many other companies, and a lot of these exist in thrift stores for a dollar or two. Hermes scarves appear on ebay for a fraction of what they cost new; just save up and expect to pay up to $100.
Same is true for shoes and scarves; the basic bags are out there. The motifs and floral patterns are also discounted at TJ MAXX and Marshall's. Look for the brands. Get friendly with outlet malls and stores online, too. You can also join clubs to buy and sell gently used designer bags, or keep up with ebay and etsy.
4. Check your ego at the door, and hit the yard sales and flea markets. Try to go early, but go anyway, even if it's afternoon. Sometimes clothes cost a quarter! A lot of times, church rummage sales have parishioners who own stores and donate clothes with price tags. Look for vintage pieces, or lace, or even things you can use like buttons or belts.
5. Novelty sweaters are in; I saw a great coral vintage sweater embellished with white bugle beads for $.50. Too bad it was a medium I have bought gorgeous vintage dresses and outfits from the moving sale of a lady I knew. She was a wealthy boutique owner who travelled. I also picked up Mexican silver jewelry of all kinds for $3 and less. Go the first day of tag and estate sales, then go the last when things are marked down.
6. Good seamstresses find old clothing with the material in good shape, or nice trims and buttons. They use the material to make new items. Finding men's sports coats and jackets and dressing them up with antique or found beads and objects is great fun, still.
7. Novelty prints, linens, old flower sacks, burlap bags, skirts, etc., can make wonderful pieces. You can sew pants, vests, skirts, sun dresses, even pillows and things for your home. These can also be cut up and make into patchwork designs, something my mom was terrific at making. Leftovers are great for quilts, doll clothes, soft toys, and other crafts. Take a look at Fran's outfits on The Nanny; great thematic motifs and patterns made into skirts and jackets.
8. I love to mix costume with real gold and silver jewelry, make jewelry from found objects, especially pins. I like to pair these jewels with novelty Ts and blazers. Faux fur trim is fun to make shrugs, but old shawls look wonderful draped with a plain black dress. My favorite little black dresses are from Calvin Klein; vintage 80s, 90s.
9. Never underestimate dollar stores, big box stores, Farm and Fleet, army surplus, men's departments, etc. You can find all kinds of things to pair and mix with your Calvins, DKNY, favorite heirloom pieces, your own designs, and the latest from Talbot's and Chico's.
10. When you travel, look for textiles. Also, souvenir jewelry, local handbags and crafts, leathers nad shoes. You will have a unique look, and share wonderful memories.
11. Think outside the dress box. Costume stores may also have accessories, which are the key in real style.
Above all, have fun. Check out materials in museum exhibits, see what the new dolls are wearing this year; they reflect the styles people like, too. Look through old mags and costume books, play with paper dolls, online and hard copy. Draw a couple outfits you might like, or cut out pieces from mags and do some collage work.
Be you, original, and creative. Keep a journal, or a set of Instagram photos or Pinterest boards of outfits you like. I have a Pinterest board called Women's apparel, and on Instagram, I'm ellen_tsagaris.
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| Summer 2018 Public Domain |
1. This spring, lavender, prints, florals, ruffles and Juliette sleeves are in. So are embellished shoes, lots of statement jewelry and necklaces with floral elements, hair accessories, novelty Ts and sweaters. These are all pictured in the fashion mags, but you can often find these online, or in the library. Library sales and DAV stores sell mags for ten to twenty cents; take advantage. Also, look on line for Vogue, Marie Claire, In Style, the Spanish Telva, my favorite of all. You will find many on Issuu.com. I have my own small collection of mags that are vintage, and that give me ideas for all kinds of things.
 |
| Public Domain |
2. Review your wardrobe archives. What do you have in these colors and motifs--find them and pair them with your own pieces, then start to look for a few good, new pieces you can mix and match. Shoes can be dyed, and there are still great selections at outlets, at Payless, Goodwill, Salvation Army, even yard sales and estate sales. You can find kitten heels, back in style again, at these venues. As an aside, my late Kitty Emma was a fashion icon in her own right. She loved to hear French, and liked putting her back feet in my lap; I would tickle them, and say "these are the real kitten heels!" Heels of all type are in, as well as boots in fuchsia nad grape, and printed rain boots, too. Look up the Bata Show Museum for ideas, and read Barbara Pym coy novels to read about Court Heels and vintage fashions 1932-80. See, also, The Subversion of Romance in the Novels of Barbara Pym for more themes of style, fashion, romance, and food.
3. As long as you know what it is, there is nothing wrong with a knock-off. The look is what counts, not the hefty tag. Hermes scarves are "honored" and imitated by many other companies, and a lot of these exist in thrift stores for a dollar or two. Hermes scarves appear on ebay for a fraction of what they cost new; just save up and expect to pay up to $100.
Same is true for shoes and scarves; the basic bags are out there. The motifs and floral patterns are also discounted at TJ MAXX and Marshall's. Look for the brands. Get friendly with outlet malls and stores online, too. You can also join clubs to buy and sell gently used designer bags, or keep up with ebay and etsy.
 |
| Public Domain |
4. Check your ego at the door, and hit the yard sales and flea markets. Try to go early, but go anyway, even if it's afternoon. Sometimes clothes cost a quarter! A lot of times, church rummage sales have parishioners who own stores and donate clothes with price tags. Look for vintage pieces, or lace, or even things you can use like buttons or belts.
5. Novelty sweaters are in; I saw a great coral vintage sweater embellished with white bugle beads for $.50. Too bad it was a medium I have bought gorgeous vintage dresses and outfits from the moving sale of a lady I knew. She was a wealthy boutique owner who travelled. I also picked up Mexican silver jewelry of all kinds for $3 and less. Go the first day of tag and estate sales, then go the last when things are marked down.
6. Good seamstresses find old clothing with the material in good shape, or nice trims and buttons. They use the material to make new items. Finding men's sports coats and jackets and dressing them up with antique or found beads and objects is great fun, still.
7. Novelty prints, linens, old flower sacks, burlap bags, skirts, etc., can make wonderful pieces. You can sew pants, vests, skirts, sun dresses, even pillows and things for your home. These can also be cut up and make into patchwork designs, something my mom was terrific at making. Leftovers are great for quilts, doll clothes, soft toys, and other crafts. Take a look at Fran's outfits on The Nanny; great thematic motifs and patterns made into skirts and jackets.
8. I love to mix costume with real gold and silver jewelry, make jewelry from found objects, especially pins. I like to pair these jewels with novelty Ts and blazers. Faux fur trim is fun to make shrugs, but old shawls look wonderful draped with a plain black dress. My favorite little black dresses are from Calvin Klein; vintage 80s, 90s.
9. Never underestimate dollar stores, big box stores, Farm and Fleet, army surplus, men's departments, etc. You can find all kinds of things to pair and mix with your Calvins, DKNY, favorite heirloom pieces, your own designs, and the latest from Talbot's and Chico's.
10. When you travel, look for textiles. Also, souvenir jewelry, local handbags and crafts, leathers nad shoes. You will have a unique look, and share wonderful memories.
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| Some of my Costume Jewelry, vintage and big box store |
11. Think outside the dress box. Costume stores may also have accessories, which are the key in real style.
Above all, have fun. Check out materials in museum exhibits, see what the new dolls are wearing this year; they reflect the styles people like, too. Look through old mags and costume books, play with paper dolls, online and hard copy. Draw a couple outfits you might like, or cut out pieces from mags and do some collage work.
 |
| C. Klein 2018 Public Domain |
Be you, original, and creative. Keep a journal, or a set of Instagram photos or Pinterest boards of outfits you like. I have a Pinterest board called Women's apparel, and on Instagram, I'm ellen_tsagaris.
 |
| Public Domain |
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