look for less

How to live elegantly on a budget [Quick Tips Video]

Secrets to living a cheap chic and elegant life.
Secrets to living a cheap chic and elegant life. I’m often asked how to have a sophisticated, upscale lifestyle without spending a fortune. This really resonates with me as it’s how I grew up.  My mom wanted to us to appreciate the aesthetics in life to enjoy art, culture, luxurious living, and designer clothes even when we couldn’t afford it. How we enjoyed the pleasures of an elevated lifestyle within our budget was easy. We didn’t sit home and ruminate about what we could not have but look for ways to live the life we dreamed about on the budget we had. Here are some simple ways to live a cheap chic and elegant life: If you enjoy the theater,

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Red Carpet Your Way: Try these celebrity style accents at home!

I'll Have What She's Having: Red carpet your way style inspiration a la Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston and Claire Danes at the S.A.G. Awards It's so easy to dismiss what you see on the red carpet as a fantasy that will never fit into your real life. But, use what you see as an inspirational launch point to punch up your personal style.  As I tell the ladies in the C'est Chic Crash Course, the nuance is in the details, so let's get to it! Feminine Spin On A Tuxedo   I love a spin on tuxedo dressing as a super feminine way to dress. Yes, menswear on a woman can be very sexy. We saw Emma Stone's tuxedo look last week, and Julia Roberts

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Red Carpet Your Way: Wear Pants to a Formal! Go against the grain and stand out (Golden Globes a la Emma Stone)

Honestly, I couldn't get myself into the Golden Globes fashion this year. There were plenty of pretty reds, a lot of ho-hum, and a good amount of  "they look nice but so what." Really, when's the next time you (or I) will be dolled up in a major gown? It's fun for the first few times your have the occassion to wear one. After that, it's too much work (for me). I was looking for a way to make the Golden Globes red carpet relatable to something that makes sense for us. Something you could look marvelous in your life, rather than the fantasy of "watching stars in gowns." I found it in Emma Stone. How fresh does a chic

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Inspired By The Golden Globes Red Carpet Fashion- Cheap Chic Celebrity Looks For Less

First Look at Golden Globes 2012 Fashions: Get the Look for Less Get celebrity inspired dresses accessibly... no need to dream about Golden Globes Red Carpet fashion look alikes as they are up for grabs and attainable! FocusOnStyle has the hot out of the sample room photos of fresh celebrity inspired fashion. Charlize Theron, Angelina Jolie, Jessica Alba, and George Clooney's sweetie Stacey Keibler floored us at the Golden Globes with their flawless designer dresses -why not try to make a statement yourself? >>MORE: Golden Globes 2012 In no time, you'll be able to confidently mimic celebrity style, if that's what you're after. And why not? Special occasions, dance formals and prom should work as YOUR own red carpet! Charlize Theron in Dior Haute Couture

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Royal Wedding Inspired Dresses- Lookalike Fashions for Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge and Pippa Middleton for the Princess in You

We've got the photos of the get the Royal look for less gowns! For every girl who has ever dreamt of being a Princess on her wedding day, now those royal dreams can almost come true! Thank Faviana-- the company known for bringing Oscar inspired dresses to you-- for having their pencils up during the Royal Wedding to sketch both of the gorgeous Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen wedding gowns worn by Kate Middleton. And, both the stunning maid of honor dress and party dress worn by her sister Pippa Middleton. The Kate, Duchess of Cambridge's Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen gown is the inspiration for the Faviana version. Merely a weekend has passed and we have the design room

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Retail Remedy: Topshop New York, An Inside Look at the newest cheap chic store in town

The fanfare, the fun, the frivolity, the fascination… I've finally had both the courage and time to make an inside trip to the brand-spanking new Topshop in New York to see what the greatest retail fuss in a long time is all about. It's been quite a while since I paid a visit to Topshop in London but do keep a media eye on its cutting edge trends, accessible pricing, and standing as a go-to Mecca for must-have cheap chic budget fashion. Topshop is nestled in the part of SoHo's lower Broadway that is sprinkled with major retail outposts to get the look for less like my favorites of Zara, Uniglo (picked up a Jean-Michel Basquiat T-shirt), H&M, Mango (the

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Shopping secrets to bargain hunt your way to top style…

Money-saving insider tips for shopping on a budget Dear Sharon:I want to look like a model but I don't have the moo-la! I need great ways for finding trendsetting clothes without spending a lot of money. Please, can you help me? --Style Saver (San Antonio, TX) Dear Style Saver: Never forget that great style is all in the mix, not in the price tag! Where you purchase your clothes and how much they cost you is irrelevant to the final outcome. Just because you spend a fortune on an outfit, does not guarantee a look that's right for you. Ironically, most of the models and ôin the businessö fashionistas who are wearing the cutting-edge clothes that you crave didn't necessarily

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LOOK BETTER FOR LESS…

Dress Tips for a Meager Budget Inexpensive clothing, for the most part but not always, lacks the quality and workmanship of a better priced garment. I'm not telling you to spend money you don't have, I'm telling you to shop discriminatingly. There are certain thrifty things that you can get away with. Natural fibers like cotton and some wool can stand up to the scrutiny of a cheaper price tag. But be careful of color and sizing. White is usually OK across the price board, but typically the buttons and seaming don't pass muster. If the seams are skinny and ragged, forget it, there is nothing to do. But if the buttons are cruddy, just replace them with better buttons.

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