Jumper Dress: See by Chloé
Coat: Max Mara
Boots: Balenciaga
Bag: Givenchy (Antigona)
Ok so that’s actually all a huge big fat lie. I wish I had the money to buy the odd designer item but as a PhD student, that dream is far away in the future telling me I should actually start playing the Lotto if I want to spend big. However, I want that luxe life right now. I want that soft cream coat you throw on and it makes even basic leggings look glamourous. I want that designer bag you don’t clog up with receipts and suspicious crumbs because it’s too pretty to ruin.
That’s why I not only decided to find these designer look-a-like pieces that aren’t a strain on your bank balance but actively look for items that all together come to less than £100!! Yup a whole outfit for £100.
First up is this jumper dress. You can’t go wrong with a knitted outfit, it’s both stylish and cosy. I recommend a black or grey style that goes with everything, or a deep wine like this one that is a perfect contrast to a nude coat as well as being a great colour for Winter and any wine stains. Plus when it is this cold, only having to put on one item of clothing with some thick tights is the quickest and only way I want to get dressed.
I obviously had to squeeze a coat in this designer outfit, as I’ve been looking for one like this for literally years. I’ve eyed up ones in Burberry and Max Mara, cried, then looked in Ted Baker knowing full well I can’t even justify hundreds of pounds on a coat let alone thousands. So, when I saw this version on the Nasty Gal site for only £25 I thought it was too good to be true. Now I’ll be honest, for some it isn’t the holy grail of coats. Advertised as one size only, I can tell you it’s a solid size 10 that would also be fine for sizes 8 and 12. I think it would be amazing if Nasty Gal could make this coat in a true range of sizes because it’s surprisingly warm considering it’s very lightweight and looks pretty high-end for such a low-end price.
Next the boots. I know these aren’t to everyones taste but the mirror shine is just too me, especially as they’re rose gold! These ankle boots from TopShop are a fantastic version of the popular Balenciaga mirrored boots and honestly I don’t think you would be able to tell the difference, except your actual facial expression will be one of happiness with only a £35 price tag compared to the designer £650+.
Finally, no outfit is complete without a bag. Major bargain alert!!, this little gem was only a tenner from Boohoo. They have a huge collection of lust-worthy handbags for the same price and less, many of which give a serious nod to some of my favourite designers.
However, the one item which is absolutely free and the most important is confidence. If you want an outfit to look expensive you need to act and feel expensive. I managed to slip on wet pavement moments into taking these photos (I even have a small bruise as a souvenir) but I got straight back up and strutted my stuff round Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter like I actually lived in one of the gorgeous pillared homes, because I felt like a million dollars even though I spent a fraction of the price.
Disguise of The Day:
Jumper Dress (£20) – Boohoo
Tights (£2.50) – Primark
Coat (£25) – Nasty Gal
Rose Gold Boots (£35) – TopShop Update, now £10!!
Handbag (£10) – Boohoo
Gloves (£20) – Powder UK
Necklace: once my mum’s, who I’m sure will want it back when she remembers how pretty it is.
Yes I realise this all adds up to £113.50, but I managed to get a few extra 10% discounts when the stores were feeling generous, so sorry for being a bit cheeky!
So let’s go “designer”, and it can be our little secret,
boohoo disguise of the day DOTD Fenty Beauty nasty gal OOTD outfit of the day powder Primark Topshop
£35 is such a steal for boots from TopShop! I love how you’ve styled such a unique set of footwear and I’d never guess the coat was anything less than high end! You’ve quickly become one of my favourite bloggers recently, such a lovely post yet again,
Zara xx / http://www.zaramcintosh.com
Ahhh thank you!! I’m really glad you liked the outfit. I wasn’t 100% sure of the boots at first but like you said £35 for TopShop boots is a bit of a bargain so it would have been rude for me not to get them.
That’s such a lovely comment! No pressure eeek, haha. I hope I can continue to write posts that are interesting and people enjoy. X
This whole outfit is absolutely beautiful! Those BOOTS, my God! 😍 I think less than £100 for all of that including boots and a coat which can usually be so pricey is such good value. You have excellent fashion sense!
Thank you! I’m so glad people like the boots, I was worried people would be like Nope that’s too much rose gold and shine, haha. I was pretty amazed myself when I added up the prices of all the items and it came to so little! I’ll be keeping my eye out for more bargains. X
Those boots are just a massive YES! I have the silver version and they’re just SO fun! I love the idea behind this outfit – you really can get the designer look for less! x
whatevawears.co.uk
Yes! I eyed up the silver version as well and had a hard time deciding which one I wanted. Maybe one day I can buy a silver pair too as long as they’re a similar price since my rose gold pair weren’t that expensive. Thank you. xx
I love this outfit so much! Perfect for winter and the colder season! Those boots are so pretty! I’ve been obsessed with rose gold at the moment so my eyes were instantly drawn to them! Great post! 🙂
Thank you! Yes the coat is really warm and obviously wearing the jumper dress underneath made me feel really cosy. Me too! I do love a bit of rose gold, I find it so pretty it’s always the option I pick if they have a rose gold version. X
This is a such a gorgeous outfit! It looks so premium and you are definitely right very designer esque! Those boots are stunning they really do suit you. I’ll have to keep my eyes out for them in topshop
Ellie
http://www.headintheclouds.me.uk
Thank you! I’m really glad you think it looks good, sometimes you do wonder if people will agree with you haha, I think the boots are slowly becoming my favourite part of this outfit. I’ve been wearing them everywhere, I’m obsessed. X
Girl, this outfit is on point, I’m getting so much Inspo just looking at it! I would never think to pair those boots with this outfit but they just add that extra glam to it! Love it! 💕
Thank you!! I was really uncertain about the boots at first, like is it too much, are they just a bit trashy, but then I put them on and I blooming love them! Like you said they add just that bit of glam the outfit needs. X
Haha I was so ready to hear you spill your secrets! Some great dupes though, love those boots! And to be honest I still think getting a non designer outfit for £100 is pretty great when you’re including bags/ shoes etc too x
Sophie
http://www.glowsteady.co.uk
you look lovely!! and I have fell in love with those boots!! xx
Thank you! Yeah definitely. Obviously it would be great to buy designer clothing but it’s just not feasible and i think especially for me personally, when I see a blogger with yet another designer bag it does upset me knowing I can’t buy it. So that’s why I wanted to create an outfit that at least looked designer and made me feel good when I wore it! X
I Know! The coat is such a bargain, I just wish they made it in a variety of sizes. Maybe a letter or a plethora of tweets is needed to see about increasing the size range so everyone can buy their clothes. Obviously it worked out ok for me but it was a risk buying it in the first place not knowing if it was going to fit!
Happy boots! I love it. I’m 100% referring to these boots as my happy boots from now on. X