La Redoute
Summer Fashion: Colored Denim
“SOME PRODUCTS ARE NO LONGER BEING SOLD”
What: Colored denim is cycling back to the top of the trend heap.
What We Say: More than a year ago colored denim (a la 1985) started to make the fashion rounds. It’s popularity had been marginal on the whole (meaning it didn’t quite make any waves between the coasts) and we were pretty much ready to write it off completely, but a recent resurgence has us taking a second look. We’re seeing lots of teal blue, red, and yellow denim, and after all those primary colored dresses slipping into a pair of jeans is kind of a welcome change, if you ask us. The best news? If you picked up a pair last year and they’ve been sitting in your closet every since, all you have to do to be on trend is pull ‘em out and slip ‘em on. Priceless.
What? You don’t know what to slip ‘em on with? When in doubt, keep it simple—the color is statement enough. Think neutral tee or tank (or throw in a top with some horizontal stripes —like this henley—if you want to have a little more fun), with some wedge sandals or ballet flats, and maybe a chunky necklace if you want to dress things up a bit . . .
Some colored denim picks we’re digging, for less:
Straight Leg Jeans, on sale $19.99, LaRedoute
Style & Co. Petite Colored Five Pocket Jean, on sale $19.99, Macy’s
Morgan Low-Rise Skinny Jean, $48.50, Delia’s (buy one, get one half off)
Fall 2006 What to Buy: LaRedoute.com
Belted Wool Broad-collar Coat, $139.99 at LaRedoute.com
LaRedoute.com is a great site for those looking for French style, without the “Haute” price. From great pieces like the red coat shown above to a line by Jean Paul Gaultier, this site is a great alternative to sites like Spiegel and H&M. Here are my favorite picks:
Ribbed Sweater Dress, $34.99
Suede Slide on Boots, $29.99
Silk Smock Dress, $44.99
Hooded Wool Blend Coat, $89.99
Great Online Discount Stores
figleaves.com
- One of the biggest online lingerie stores in the UK now has a US based site and if you have a hard to fit bra size, this is the place to buy your bra!. They have a huge selection of designer undergarments,
sleepwear, and swimwear from Dolce and Gabbana, La Perla, Chantelle, and more.
They also have great online coupons and a huge selection of bras from sizes AA
to JJ.
Alternative Outfitters. Prior to discovering Alternative Outfitters, when I of thought vegan clothing I thought of large, unstylish pleather shoes. This online store has cruelty-free versions of the latest trends that even self-centered fashionistas like myself would wear.
Angelamoore.com. The popular Angela Moore catalog comes to life on the site, with quick links to their handcrafted beaded bracelets and homeware items like vases.
Asos.com. A British based site that has affordable “designer inspired” clothing. The site is arranged according to the celebrities who wore the more expensive versions of the clothing.
Bare Necessities.com. Head to Barenecessites.com and view their bra and underwear guides for detailed information and tips on finding the perfect foundation. They also have a nice selection of bras for every size.
Beauty.com. This online store stocks the top beauty products from brands like Philosophy, Nars, and more. Plus, they almost always have online discount coupons.
Bluefly.com. This site has a large assortment of designer bags from Marc Jacobs, Anya Hindmarch, Fendi, Ferragamo, and more for up to 65% off. They usually don’t stock that many of these bags, so when you see one, you need to buy it ASAP.
Coco & Delilah. Ever hip, this store is great for casual wear from designers like Tocca, Nanette Lepore, and Lacoste for up to 60% off retail prices. I’m also a big fan of the Smashing Grandpa line of funky t-shirts.
dELiAs*cOm. Although this store is known mostly for its causal teen wear, dELiAs*cOm is the perfect source for trendy shoes for Budget Fashionistas of any age. Head to the site and find designer-inspired versions of the latest styles, in sizes up to 11, for up to 75% off the price of the designer versions.
ebay.com. eBay is a Budget Fashionista’s secret weapon. The online auction site is the best place to find designer goods at rock bottom prices. However, beware of auctions on high end items that sound too good to be true. Protect yourself by paying for your items with a credit card with buyer protection or through the eBay owned paypal system.
eluxury.com Owned by the parent company of Louis Vuitton, this online store houses the official Louis Vuitton online store as well as sells bags from designers like Celine, Marc Jacobs, and Christian Dior.
Forzieri.com. Based in Florence, Italy, this online shop has an impressive selection of leather goods, fine jewelry, and stylish apparel. Prices on the main site can be pretty steep, so click on the outlet section for exclusive deals on the best in Italian fashion .
Fred Flare. Great site for those who want a little more edge to their accessories. Hipsters head to Fred Flare to find everything from earrings shaped like guitars to the affordable bling of the Loop Bags.
Gap.com. I will always love the Gap, no matter how much they may stray from their denim roots. Its site is still one of the best places online to find jeans and t-shirts in normal people sizes (up to a XXL in tops and up to size 20 in pants online) and normal people price ranges. Plus they often offer free shipping for purchases over a certain dollar amount.
Ice.com. This site was created with the Budget Fashionista in mind. Quality diamond and gemstones in stylish settings and prices you can actually afford.
Jockey.com. Their incredibly comfortable line of cotton bras and underwear make Jockey an excellent stop for the anti-underwire crowd.
La Redoute.com. French women have been raving for years about La Redoute, and finally, American women can benefit from their amazing collection as well. The site has special lines from high-end French designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and Cacharel. This store is probably the only place to find a Jean Paul Gaultier bustier for $29.95.
LUSH. This international beauty phenomena has a wide range of great smelling, cruelty- free products. Their rock star soap goes well with my shower renditions of “Stairway to Heaven.”
Nordstrom.com. The online version of this higher-end department store has a large selection of
shoes and a pretty decent clearance section. The site is especially good for budget fashionistas with hard to find shoe sizes (below a size 6 and above a
10). Particularly impressive is their selection of petite and plus size fashions, which is much more diverse and stylish than their in-store offerings.
Oldnavy.com Trendy items in a wide range of sizes for prices you can afford. Old Navy has firmly cornered the flip-flop market. They actually made the plastic sandals you used to buy at Walgreen’s, stylish and affordable. All you need is $10 and you can buy an entire summer sandal wardrobe. Get an Oldnavy.com Coupon.
Overstock.com . This is the biggest outlet store on the web, which sells everything from scooters to scarves. It is the perfect one stop shop for busy moms who want to pick up something for the kids, but also want to score a little something for their closets as well. Overstock has their own line of clothing, called Prague, which produces “designer inspired” fashions.
SmartBargains.com Loehmann’s and the discount website Smart Bargains, joined to together to put Loehmann’s amazing selection of designer goods online at the joint venture. You’ll find a huge selection of designer bags from Gucci, Tods, Prada and more for up to 80% off retail prices.
Target.com. Target has the best, and one of the biggest, everyday underwear departments in the country. If only they had a fit specialist on hand. I also love their hip, affordable, sleepwear sets from Swell by Cynthia Rowley and Fred Said.
Victoria’s Secret. This lingerie store, with its popular catalog and online site, is a favorite of mall dwellers and teenage boys. Although I wouldn’t necessarily suggest this store for support bras, it’s a great place for sexy bras, trendy apparel, and jeans.
Wal-Mart. Believe or not, Wal-Mart has an excellent selection of designer-inspired pieces for ridiculously low prices. I found a sterling silver heart link bracelet, similar to a version sold at the high-end jewelry store, Tiffany’s, for less than $20 dollars. Only you and the cashier will know you bought it from Wal-Mart.
YOOX.COM.
This European online store is chock full of the best designers from Gaultier to Galliano. It’s sort of like your cool, techno-pop cousin from Italy. You can see what the clothing looks like on the mannequin that strangely floats in the middle of the screen. Selections moves fast, so be prepared to purchase what you like because it might not be there once you come back.
Zappos.com. If you have feet, you can find a pair of shoes at this amazing online shoe store. Zappos lives up to its name as the biggest shoe store on the web, carrying designer shoes and accessories from Vera Wang, Casadei, Judith Leiber, Roberto Cavalli, and more. They have a huge selection and carry tons of sizes. Plus, they always have free shipping.Searching through the site can be a bit daunting, but their huge selection of women’s, men’s, and children’s shoes from Emilio Pucci to Keds, guarantees you will find something to fit your budget. Plus, someone was smart enough to offer both free shipping and free returns.
Guide to Online Discount Shopping
Thank God for online discount stores! Now you can bargain-shop online from the comfort of your home or office cubicle. Here are some of the my favorite stores for finding discounts online. Make sure to check out my Coupon & Deals Page for discounts to these stores and more.
Bluefly.com:Bluefly is the best online site for high end designer clothing. Unlike most budget sites, Bluefly.com
carries top designers, such as Prada, Fendi, Michael Kors and Calvin Klein, at 30% to 80% off retail prices. The off priced site also has a great selection of shoes from Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo, Barbara Bui and more for up to 80% off retail price. Bluefly.com
dispels the notion that there are no good outlet stores for men. It offers an impressive array of men’s fashions from Hugo Boss, Diesel, DKNY, Calvin Klein, Versace and more. Don’t miss the $30-and-below bargains in the home section.
SmartBargains.com: Smart Bargains is a great site for end-of-season and overstock items from designers like Tod’s, Fendi, Prada, and Isaac Mizrahi. They also have a substantial plus-size and petite section. The bargain and last-chance sections are great for filling most of your male holiday gift-giving needs: you can find Zegna silk ties for $29.97 and Armani wool suits from $799.99. While there, pick up a little something for yourself, like a Versace nylon tote for $179. The site has teamed up with the brick & mortar off price retailer, Loehmann’s, to offer a wider selection of designer fashions.
Ashford.com: This site has the most amazing selection of designer watches in the world—at up to 70% off retail. This is the perfect site to shop for high-end male accessories like Rolex watches. Ashford.com
also sports an impressive selection of precious and semi-precious stone jewelry, including a fabulous pair of garnet chandelier earrings set in yellow gold.
The Snob: One of the first and largest online vintage retailers, The Snob is a Florida-based company with a large collection of vintage Chanel. This store has a comprehensive, searchable, online database of vintage fashions from designers like Versace, gently worn authentic Hermes handbags (including vintage), Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Prada, Valentino, Missoni, Malo, Fendi, Jil Sander, Manolo Blahnik, Gucci, Chanel and Prada shoes and bags. All merchandise is authentic and in excellent condition, and some items have never been worn. Check out their large selection of plus-size vintage and consignment items.
YOOX.COM: The site looks like it was designed by an Italian club kid, but it has amazing prices on very high end designers like Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, and Marni. I once found a red Givenchy coat, retail price $3000+, on the site for around $500. A word of caution: the site has a limited stock and items sell fast, so if you see something you like, purchase it ASAP.
eBay!: With the hiring of style guru Constance White, eBay!
has started to focus on budget-conscious Fashionistas. Good deals can be found here, especially in the area of vintage fashion. I’ve purchased several items from the online flea market, most recently a vintage hat covered with silk daisies circa 1962. Be very clear of your goals when shopping on eBay, to avoid buying a fake. If your goal is to get a Louis Vuitton monogrammed bag because J.Lo carries one in the ads, then you may not care whether the bag is real or not. However, if your goal is to get a Louis Vuitton bag because you have always wanted such a bag, then it is best to buy it at a reputable seller of the bags, like eluxury.com. Before spending any money on eBay!
, check the sellers’ ratings and look over buyers’ comments. In addition, always use a credit card that has buyer protection. That way, if the item is fake (which happens more often than not), you may be able to get your money back via the credit card you used to purchase the item.
Zappos.com: The ultimate online shoe store has some of the hottest fashions, like Uggs, Charles Jourdan, and Marc Jacob shoes up to 50% off the original in-store prices in it;s clearance section. Zappos.com
also offers free shipping, free returns, 110% price protection, on all items, saving you much more dough! What I like most about Zappos
is that they have styles and sizes to fit everyone, not just people who wear a “standard” size 8.
Overstock.com : Overstock
is like your favorite outlet store, but online. With products ranging from scooters to bras, this store is one of the best places to look for the latest styles at amazingly low prices. We recently found a Steve Madden cropped, fur-hooded jacket for $39.99.
La Redoute: La Redoute is a like the french version of H&M offering high end designs at budget friendly prices. Fashionistas outside France can also find great deals on mass market lines from well known french designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and Cacharel. I’m a big fan of the shoes.
Newport News: The quality is questionable, but the style is great. Find Anne Fontaine like wrap white shirts for less than $30 and slouchy suede boots for $49. The site also carries plus size, tall, and petite sizes.
Asos.com: Think Forever 21 meets H&M. This UK based outpost that ships to the US, has a large selection of tops, bottoms, and dresses directly inspired by your favorite celebrities. 90% of the items in the store cost less than $40. Not a bad price for a knock off top similar to one worn by Sienna Miller.
Visit our Online Coupons section for coupons and deals to your favorite online stores. Know a great online discount site that should be on this list? Post it below.
La Redoute: Affordable French Designs
La Redoute is the French equivalent of H&M, featuring the latest styles and exclusive bridgelines from designers like Jean Paul Gaultier (of Madonna cone breast fame) and Vanessa Bruno at prices that normal people can actually afford.
The Jean Paul Gaultier corset dress is so hot, that people will swear you picked it up on your last trip to Paris. Prior to discovering La Redoute, the only thing I could afford from Cacharel was their Anais Anais perfume. Thanks to the online fashion mecca, I can actually purchase a bag from the designer without having to eat ramen noodles for next 3 months.
Head to La Redoute.com
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