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In case you haven't noticed, I have a soft spot for leather jackets. Upon perusing my collection, I noticed a lack of feminine details in my leather goods. This epiphany led me to find this beautiful Madison Marcus Universe Ruffle Leather Jacket ($572). The ruffle detailing is divine but the price tag is way out of control.
To see the look for less, read more
I shared my 10 Fall Essentials, but now realize it was a tad insensitive to dangle gorgeously expensive items at you when the economy is dire. To make up for it, I present the budget shopper's guide to Fall. It has similar items to my original list, only cheaper versions. You'll find nothing over $50. Does that sound good? Let's get the shopping festivities started with a jeweled stunner that adds spunk to any outfit.
It's finger blinging good this season so go ahead and stack those rings! How, you might ask? Just revert back to childhood days when you played dress-up and stacked a ring on each finger on your hand. Just remember to keep those rings funky and chunky like the famous girl named Mischa pictured to your left. Oh, and yes, you most certainly can mix and match metals and stones — there are no rules here.
Is Avril Lavigne more like Heidi Montag than we knew?
Heidi is launching a juniors line with Anchor Blue in April, and now Avril is launching her own junior apparel line, Abbey Dawn, for Kohl's starting in July.
Lavigne's collection will feature new pieces every 60 days, with a blended aesthetic of rock 'n' roll with a feminine edge. Since the initial collection is created from the pop singer's own closet, expect lots of bold colors, iconic prints, tartan plaids, checks, and stripes in prices ranging from $24-$48.
The power suit is back: but with a new power. It's now machine-washable and with a flattering cut. For all you young professionals out there whose suits are like a uniform, take a breath of fresh air. No more hauling piles of blazers, pants, and skirts back and forth to the dry cleaners on a weekly basis!
Nicole by Nicole Miller has an affordable "Smart Suit" at JCPenney: $132 for jackets, $72 for pants, and $60 for skirts. Erin Fetherston for Target has the more feminine washable skirt suit at left coming out in mid-November, and Kohl's Apt. 9 label offers a washable tweed pantsuit. Some are also wrinkle-resistant, so you can just wash and wear.
Not too long ago we flashed the news about Vera Wang's collection for Wisconsin-based department store Kohl's - a far cry from the designer's concrete jungle of NYC. A recent article in the NY Times revealed some interesting challenges the queen of bridal couture is facing with her midmarket retail endeavor.
The most obvious concern with creating mass market collections is that it undermines their prestige amongst affluent customers. They cited Halston as the classic example, who was dropped by luxury retailers after signing a deal for a line at J.C. Penney (remember them?!). However, times have changed and after cheaper lines at H&M for Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney, to name a couple, I don't think Chanel or Stella's reputations have suffered. Then again, I am not (yet) an affluent customer. Vera feels this risk was outweighed by the resources and business expertise Kohl's brings to the table.
The other challenge was that Vera simply needs mo' money. She has reached a crossroads after her business rapidly grew and she lacks the resources, ie. cash, to keep expanding. A lesser known fact is that designers need a lot of funding to keep afloat. Wang puts it, "We need a lot more to play in the sandbox, so to speak." She reached out to Kohl's in an effort to keep her business bountiful.
Lastly, perfectionism has a price when exploring new territory. Wang had a hard time adjusting to the requirement of producing fewer styles in greater quantities. No more chucking extravagant fabric that isn't perfect to the curb Vera! The good news is compromise was achieved and a gold brocade skirt that is a $68 replica of a $890 one from her Fall collection made the cut. Yay!
Sorry for the long update but I thought all of this was very interesting since we're in the midst of a high-low fashion revolution. Look out for Simply Vera at Kohl's stores in September.
Many of you fashionistas have been betting on which celeb is going to turn into a designer next? Well, lucky for you and me, the latest retailer-cum-celebrity collaboration is between Kohl's and an actual designer: Vera Wang.
Simply Vera, as the line is called, will reflect Vera's signature detailing like the use of tulle, roses and ruched belts. As of September, we'll be able to hit up Kohl's for Vera's affordable dresses, coats, silky tops, shoes and scarves. Not surprisingly, Simply Vera will be the highest priced brand sold, but we're talking Kohl's here, so at prices from $30-$70 (though some select items are over $100) it will certainly not break the bank!
If Vera's Fall collection is any indication of what's to come at Kohl's, we can't wait!
Did you all know that Elle (the magazine) has a clothing collection at Kohl's? Talk about wearing all sorts of hats at once! Right now, the Elle collection at Kohl's is on sale and there are some cute items to be had, like this Trapeze Crop Jacket, $20 (originally $30). One can never have enough black cover ups and the Peter Pan collar on this one is so lovely.
So let's all support one of our favorite fashion mags and shop away!
