This past Monday, I got to experience wardrobe consultant Tina Adams’ expert eye walking around The Mall at Green Hills, but with a specific budget in mind. Here was the goal: find 8 fall essentials from the region’s highest-end mall for under $550. Tina came in with room to spare. Grand total? $513.
Whether you have a bigger budget or a smaller one, the key to seasonal wardrobing is selecting pieces that can work several ways at at a price point you are comfortable with. We found a mixture of weekend casual and work-appropriate pieces that can be put together in a variety of combinations. If you have some extra money, add a skirt, a dress, a pair of heels and a great pair of pants in a rich fall color and you are set!
The point here is to take these 8 items and make them work for you and your budget!
8 Fall 2013 Wardrobe Essentials for $513. by StyleBlueprint featuring advice by Tina Adams Wardrobe Consulting
*For any information on these items, please click on the image above.
Our first stop was Nine West. Tina pulled the leopard print pointy flats (pictured below) and noted that animal prints are almost like neutrals in their versatility. The pointier toe, as opposed to a rounded toe, gives the illusion of a narrower foot and a longer leg. The cowboy boot bootie (also pictured below) works with both skinny jeans and boot cut jeans. If you are under 30, Tina says go for it and pair with a skirt. For those over 30, she cautions that this combination may not be as flattering as you want it to be! The shoes are $79 and the booties are $109.
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Next we wandered into Gap, where all their denim is currently 30% off through August 25th. This means the Always Skinny and Perfect Boot styles (shown below), which are regularly $69, are just $49 a pair. For the Always Skinny pair, grab the dark rinse for a flattering look that easily goes from day to night. This pair will work with flats, heels, and booties, and will tuck into knee high boots, as well. The Perfect Boot style is just the thing to grab in a faded wash. As fall’s weather brings brisker weather, you can still wear your white jeans, but these faded jeans make a great replacement for the change of seasons.
It’s hard to be at the mall and not wander into Nordstrom. While there, we found these great tops in the photos below. The chambray top is on sale for just $39. Wear with a luxe skirt for a high/low look, or pair with the dark skinny jeans and the leopard shoe choice for a modern way to mix denims without looking too “straight from the ranch.” The grey silky top is just a great loose top to pair with the skinny jeans if left untucked, or tucked into the faded boot cut jeans.
Nordstrom for $58
Nordstrom on sale for $38.98
To add to all these looks, we needed a good cardigan and leather jacket. With our budget, we had to look for a “vegan leather” look and found this one (of all places) at New York & Co. We liked the tan color best (online they only have black). It’s $89. While this may end any hour, for now if you go with a friend, it’s buy one, get one 50% off, which puts our budget for this ensemble at under $500! Check out the details:
Lastly, this gauzy cardigan from Loft is just $50. Notice how it doesn’t add bulk and has no pockets to add weight to your upper thighs. It’s a perfect layering piece for our Southern climate. It’s available in several colors and you can tuck it into a skirt, wear with just the middle button buttoned, or wear it loose when you need a bit more coverage.
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We hope that today’s post gave you hope that a closet full of multipurpose pieces does not need to set you back thousands of dollars!
Tina Adams Wardrobe Consulting is known throughout Nashville and beyond as the place to go to find a stylist who will talk straight to you and ensure your closet is filled with items that make you feel as good as you look while wearing them! They also have discounts at many stores, which they pass straight to their customers, saving you time and money and eliminating money wasted on clothes that don’t get worn. You can trust their opinions, as there is no commission paid, just the package pricing. Their “style book” is made up of outfits from your closet and is a dream come true. To find out more, click here.
About the Author
Liza Graves