Frugal Fanciness

Last weekend, I was at an event and I was arguing that everyone should try and look the best they can instead of just settling for "good enough". More than one person tried to shoot me down saying that not everyone has a lot of money to spend on better clothes and accessories. Not once did I mention that your pieces need to be more expensive to be better, and yet that was instantly what people thought I was talking about regardless of how I worded my thoughts. For some reason, a lot of people get hung up on something having to be expensive in order for it to be better. However, the reality is that you can look like a million bucks for next to nothing. It's all about making better choices, searching out great deals and doing a little bit of creative thinking.

While Luxette is about luxury, it isn't necessarily about costliness. The only thing that paying a lot of money for an item means is that you have less money to buy other fabulous things with. The economy is down, and you've got bills to pay. So, while splurging on that designer bag may be a delightful treat to yourself, you've got to find a way to not break the bank on all of the new clothes you're clearly going to need to show your tote-able treasure off to it's finest. Alternatively, if you don't have the money to splurge on the handbag, you want to show yourself off to your finest and be super fancy as often as you can while still being able to eat.

So far as I'm concerned, there's two main tricks to looking lustfully lux for less. The first is to focus your funds on the pieces that stand out the most, and the second is to look for amazing bargains on high end goods. The two things go hand in hand as the second trick can be used to achieve the first trick.

I always say that if you've got great shoes, a stunning handbag and classy jewelry, everything else will look better by association. There are certain pieces of clothing and certain accessories that are extremely hard to make look nice if they're really not so great. Items topping the list are shoes, bags, metal jewelry, belts and winter coats. They all have the same thing in common: they all take high levels of craftsmanship and good quality materials to look well-made. It's hard to fake either of those things. Sacrifice one or the other, or worse, both, and you've got a piece that's only fit for the dull, unthinking, pajamified masses. You're not one of them! Nothing ruins a gorgeous dress so much as a pair of cheap-looking shoes, a Wal-Mart purse and chintzy costume jewelry. When you're making wardrobe selections, keep in mind which items will stand out if they're not up to snuff, and make sure that all of those pieces look smashing. When I was a kid and would complain that my shoes didn't match my outfit, my mom would tell me that no one was looking at my feet. As it turns out, we're all looking at your feet, so banish those sad PayLess shoes to the local thrift shop! Leave the Claire's costume jewelry to the tweens and buy an adult handbag... maybe even the kind that comes in its own bag.

Bag with it's own bag! This is my patent leather instant-lux kit.
This accessory trio adds no-fuss fancy to so many of my outfits~

Some of my favorite and most-complimented pieces are some of my least expensive. This is where the second trick helps with the first trick. I have the most stunning black patent leather belt from Lord & Taylor, and it makes every outfit I wear it with look that much better. It's definitely my favorite belt, but what really makes it even more my favorite is how much I paid for it. I bought it at a thrift store for $0.39! No joke. I had no idea what I was going to wear it with at the time, but I couldn't pass it up! I would say about half of my wardrobe is thrifted, but since I try and only buy things that look really nice, you'd never know. I also love buying shoes on sale. There are few feelings so fine as knowing that you're wearing $150.00 boots that you paid $50.00 for... or better yet, $20.00. Just because you want to put the most funds into the pieces that stand out the most, it doesn't mean you have to if you can avoid it!

See? It really was only $0.39! It's real leather too!

The looking-for-bargains trick extends to everything. No matter what you're looking for, chances are there's a bargain for you out there somewhere. The internet is rife with websites bringing you deals and steals on everything (one of my favorites for shoes is www.6pm.com), and the world is full of one-day sales and thrift shops. If you're looking for vintage togs or discount sewing materials, etsy and ebay can yield fantastic, affordable finds. The excuse of "this was all I could afford"should never be uttered from the lips of a true Luxette or Luxeur, and that even extends to handmade items. I have a lovely pink-and-white flowered dress that I made out of delicious vintage bedsheets that I picked up at a thrift shop for $6.00, and everyone who sees it is shocked that it cost so little. If I had bought the cheapest fabric at the fabric store, I would have paid more and had a much less impressive-looking dress. Instead, I shopped around and found a great deal by thinking outside of the box!

This is the aforementioned $6.00 vintage bedsheets dress.

You may not be able to afford a designer dress, but you can afford to look fancy just by using creative thinking as your currency. There are some things that never go on sale and are extremely difficult to find second hand; a high-end custom piece by an independent designer isn't the sort of thing you can count on finding in a thrift shop. That made-just-for-you corset, dress or hat is something you're going to have to pay for, but that doesn't mean you have to pay in actual money. If you're friends with a designer or skilled craftsperson, consider trading them for a commodity you have. You can trade goods for goods or even services for goods. A real example would be the fact that Heather Luca of Scoundrelle's Keep has traded her corsets for tattoos. I've known a couple of designers who trade items for a good cut & color. Trading may not be for everyone, but if you've got something to offer, consider trading it for things you want.

Remember, being Luxette isn't about spending lots of money. It's about making thoughtful, creative choices that make you look and feel like royalty, even if the only kingdom you rule is your own bedroom.

Enough from me! Go forth, and be fancy!

<3 Megan