Runway to Reality : Inspiration Station
Personal style. Where does it come from? Some have an innate sense of it. Others look to the runways in New York, Milan and Paris for style cues.
Trend-setting designer looks are cause for either inspiration or consternation. But we’re all curious to know what’s new.
Some women may be lucky enough to actually purchase the outfits seen on the runways. But most would not spend that kind of money. The creative will search for new items that fit their budgets.
Now that fall merchandise is arriving in the stores every day, it’s time to shop. Clever shopping for less is a challenge but it can be done.
Here are three hot designer looks (expensive versions are in the insets). Buy the big labels, or get it for less. You decide. It’s your personal style.
ROCK GLAM
THE LOOK: Anyone can look like a rock diva this fall by wearing the crazy mix of leopard, rhinestones and fur, whether real or fake.
HOW TO DO IT BIG: Italy’s daring design duo Dolce & Gabbanna decided to create their last fall collection of the century with sexy wild combinations of denim, animal prints, fur, flowers and glitzlike sequins, rhinestones and beads.
This model from their fall show in Milan wore one of their most glamorous rock star designs. The short mink chubby jacket retails for $6,720. The hat was made only for the runway.
The stretch silk, hip hugger, leopard-print jeans are $700. The white cotton tank top is $140. Adding the rhinestone belt costs an additional $230.
The Dolce & Gabbanna collection can be found at Saks Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills.
TOTAL: $7,790.
HOW TO DO IT FOR LESS: To get a less-expensive glam rock look, shop at L.A.’s Trashy Lingerie Store for its exclusive cotton-candy pink fox chubby jacket for $1,800. It also comes in baby blue and white.
For anti-fur shoppers, Trashy Lingerie is making a faux-fur chubby for $150 in every color of the rainbow. (The hat in either real or faux fur must be custom-ordered.) These stretch cotton blend jeans are a good copy of the designer brand, for only $19.80. The white stretch polyester T-shirt is a mere $7.80, both available at Fashion 21 mall stores citywide.
The rhinestone belt was found at Royal Flesh on Melrose for $69.
TOTAL: $1,896.60 (with real fur). $246.60 (faux fur).
