The Trend:

Wouldn’t we love to dress in head-to-toe designer duds every day? What a dream. But who can afford that day in and day out?

Luckily for all of us, mixing designer fashion with high street pieces is actually a trend now! In fact, mixing pieces from different price points is seen as even more fashionable than going with a head-to-toe designer look many times. This trend reinforces the old adage, “Money can’t buy style.”

This trend has been going strong for several years now, championed by dignitaries like The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton and Michelle Obama, as well as fashionistas like Olivia Palermo and Alexa Chung.

We non-celebrity types often have the opposite issue. Our closets consist mainly of high street pieces, while we like to splurge occasionally on designer pieces. Whichever end of the spectrum you find yourself, here are some tips for trying the look:

Tips for High + Low Dressing:

1. Invest for the long-term

Consider the skeleton of your daily outfit. Elements like shoes, handbags, and jewelry that you wear over and over should be investment pieces. Save up, create a wishlist, dream about these items. And when the opportunity strikes, feel comfortable investing in designer versions of these classic elements.

2. Take the high street for fads

For fashion fads that will fade in a season or two, consider saving your money by going with the high street item. Even then, make sure the trend is something that is true to your style. Don’t buy into anything that’s foreign to you.

Having said that, high street options provide a nice avenue for experimenting with current trends and pushing your own fashion boundaries. The downside is low when you haven’t splurged on the item.

3. Be budget-friendly with basics

Some people may disagree with me on this, but I tend to go high street with many of my basics. Many of my pants and t shirts come from JCrew. I know my preferred styles and sizes. These basics work great for every day wear, especially when paired with statement pieces.

4. Sourcing your selections

Here are some of my favorite online sources for both categories:

• Designer fashion: Farfetch, Luisa Via Roma, Matches Fashion, Moda Operandi, Neiman Marcus, Net-a-Porter
• High street fashion: Asos, J.Crew, Madewell, Target, Topshop

The Look:

For this look, I twisted the rules above a bit… In this case, I didn’t splurge on my handbag. In fact, I went for this steal of a clutch. Why? I saw it and liked it! The colors and fun pattern drew me in – especially for less than $20!

Shop the Look:

To replicate this look, I’ve selected both a designer and high street option for each element of the look. You decide where you want to splurge and where you want to save!

Experiment with this chic approach for dressing. You’ll find you get a certain sartorial satisfaction once you master pairing across price points.

Which pieces do you like the most? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

 

Photos by Jose Martinez on location at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles