Savvy spending for celeb style: How to look like your favourite star without spending like them! – by Sandra Hanna of Smart Cookies
With film festival season in full swing and awards season gearing up, scoping out celebrity fashion and style are at an all time high! From the clothes they wear to the cars they drive, fans often want the products and looks that their favourite stars are sporting. If this rings true to you, you are not alone. In fact, 76 per cent of Canadians agree people are strongly influenced by celebrity style. But just because you want to look like a million bucks, does not mean you have to spend it. Here are some of my favourite clever ways to recreate a look for less!
Rent Instead of Buy
Many of us cannot afford to splurge like a celeb in order to achieve the same look. I’m all for investing in staples like a classic black cocktail dress, but if you’re attending multiple events, that require a new look every time, consider renting instead of buying. One of my favourite sites is RentFrockRepeat. Not only do they have a great selection, they also have a ton of special offers. For example, say you’re lucky enough to be headed to a few film festival events this year in Toronto– the website lets you bundle dress orders getting any 2 for $245, much cheaper than that $1,400 Theia gown! So, the more you spend the more you save.
Invest in the Staples
Another great way to achieve a designer look on a dime is to dress high/low. This means investing in a staple piece, like a designer purse or classic little black dress, then filling out the rest of the look with bargain buys. If you’re rocking a recognizable statement piece, it automatically elevates the whole outfit. Stores like The Bay have a great selection on everything from affordable styles to high-end designers. A quick search on a site like RetailMeNot.ca will help you score additional savings with a promo code.
The Secret to Styling
Sometimes no matter how much we spend, the celebrities always look like they are in a league of their own. The secret is in the alterations! The reason celebs look so great is that their clothes are customized to their body. You can buy inexpensive items from retailers like Joe Fresh or Forever 21 and visit a seamstress to get it fitted perfectly to your every curve. If you have a seamstress you love and trust, you can also try taking in an image of one of your favourite red carpet looks and asking her to use it as inspiration for a custom outfit. It may sound counter intuitive, but a custom gown designed for you is still cheaper than a designer.
Discover Drug Store Dupes
Not only are celeb clothes expensive, but the splurging extends to the makeup as well. Have you ever wished you could find the exact same shade of nail polish as Christian Louboutin’s Escatin for a fraction of the price? Well, there’s an app for that! Beauty dupes are becoming all the rage by allowing you to replace that designer product with a drugstore buy, saving a ton of money. For nail polish fanatics, download SuperDuper from the App Store to discover the best drugstore dupes!
Get to Know Your Style Icon
If you’re like me, you often turn to fashion and lifestyle bloggers on Instagram for a little daily outfit inspiration. With LikeItToKnowIt, achieving the same look as never been easier! That said there is nothing worse than double-tapping on a fabulous outfit and discovering the sweater costs as much as a mortgage. My tip here is do your homework – get to know your style icons and follow those who are a similar body type to you and tend to wear more affordable items.