Personally, the advent of Top Shop and the like in NYC has completely eliminated my own need to shop at Bergdorf or Bloomingdales. While these superpowers struggle to keep their under-stocked floor from looking eerily empty, Top Shop promises to sell today what my favourite movie star wore yesterday at a personal appearance in Hollywood, or what I saw in a Vogue editorial while getting my hair done at my beloved salon in Soho. And indeed I meant fashionably expensive Soho in NYC, since a Fashionista never skimps on her hair!
Remember that old saying ‘The devil is in the detail’? Well, it’s exactly right. The secret to looking good on a budget is to pay attention to your footwear, leatherwear and major accessories. An heirloom piece of jewellery that has been in your family for generations will always dress up a simple black dress from couturier Zuhair Murad’s budget line for Mango. A Prada bag can kick up the glamour on a pair of Forever 21 jeans and a sequin jacket from Top Shop. Oh, and don’t even get me started on what a pair of simple, black platform Christian Louboutin shoes can do to for just about anything in your budget wardrobe. The great thing about these big-ticket items is what my fashionista girlfriends call ‘the price-to-wear ratio’. You’ll find yourself wearing expensive basics for years, even decades to come. And no matter if you should gain or lose a couple of pounds... your feet won’t change and your hands will still be able to hold that Louis Vuitton.
Which neatly brings me to the most vital accessory in the equation of today’s glamorous recessionistas: your body. It will always be, along with a radiant smile, your most valuable accessory. Work out at the gym, run to hail that taxi, or stride a bit faster after your children in the toy shop, it really doesn’t matter what you do to stay in shape. But by all means, keep in shape, because Forever 21 stocks junior sizes, while Zara and Mango clothes are made for those genetically petite Spanish women. In today’s economy, the true fashionista must remain frugal, fit and fresh to wow and inspire.
