Sunday Special - Affordable Fashion

Today I have a little treat for all of you. Every other Sunday I’m going to dedicate my blog to my very own, very personal, (very secret) fashion advice. You know how you browse through magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Glamour, and wish you could afford the beautiful clothes printed on those glossy pages?  Well, today I’m going to prove to you everything is possible with a little imagination. Take Vogue, for example.  I don’t know if many of you know who Anna Wintour is. For those of you who don’t know, she’s the biggest, most important fashion editor of the 20^th century. If you’ve ever seen the film The Devil Wears Prada, she’s Miranda Priestly (I totally love Meryl Streep in that movie, btw.) And I’m not just making that up. The Devil Wears Prada is originally a book written by no other than Lauren Weisberger, one of Wintour’s ex put-upon assistants in Vogue. Wintour is the editor-in-chief of the American edition of Vogue, and has been since 1988. Born in London in 1949, she became interested in fashion as a teenager. Her mother was American and her father British, who by the way was editor of the Evening Standard. Because of her passion for fashion, she always found new ways in which her father could improve the publication of the newspaper by attracting the young British population in the mid 1960's.

After leaving school at age 16, she chose not to go to college and instead started a career in journalism on both sides of the Atlantic, a cruise that finally stopped in New York at the Home & Garden magazine. Not long after, she became in charge of the British Vogue, and finally moved to America after being offered an editor position in the New York Vogue. She has been widely recognized within the publishing industry for its success ever since. Just like one of her predecessor, Diana Vreeland, she has become an icon in the fashion world. Her haircut and her wearing dark sunglasses indoors has become a common image that is deployed along the front rows of fashion shows from most of the top designers in the world.  She has become an institution comparable to the magazine she edits. Acclaimed worldwide for her keen eye for fashion trends and the support she constantly offers to young designers, she has a cold and demanding personality which has earned her the nickname "Nuclear Wintour." However, she is a true genius and I would very much love to meet her one day.

As far as Vogue’s concerned, the clothes that are printed on those pages are a true reflection of the most recognized trends in the world. But if you can’t afford $1,000 Versace pants, (I know I can’t,) you shouldn’t let that defeat your love for fashion. In today’s blog I am going to show you how you can look Vogue-worthy for under $100 dollars. Just sit back and relax, you don’t have to be rich to look absolutely glam! 

      Sudanese-born, Melbourne-based model Ajak Deng looking very chic in a purple maxi-dress and black wedge shoes. Get the complete look at Forever 21 for only $63!

Horizontal lines can be tricky because they can work against you and make you look thicker, or for you, like in this picture where the 21-year-old Argentine supermodel looks very stylish in a A.Y NOT DEAD vest.  

If you're into the whole Barbara Blade look (you know the one from the Lady Speed Stick deodorant commercial) then you'll love this very modern look and the combination of gray with coral which can be worn during the day or in the evening.  

If you're going to the beach for the summer, impress all your friends with this colorful bikini from Victoria's Secret and in the later hours of the day, if it gets a little chilly, you can top it off with a very à-la-mode plaid shirt. 

Polka dots first became very common in Britain at the begining of the 19th century and then became very popular at the end of the 1980's. Wear them today in different sizes without worrying about looking over-dotted! 

If your looking for a more cowgirl-meets-girl-next-door look, you can match a pair of Minnentoka boots with a pink and brown dress and there you have it! It's the perfect outfit to go the the grocery store or to spend the day in the countryside. 

         Finally, we should not forget our heritage and honor our ancestors with this tribal mini dress which paired with bright colored sandals looks perfect for any occasion in the sun!  In the evening you can wear a shawl over it to keep from the cold. 

I hope today's advice has has been useful to all of you and don't foget, all you need is to use your imagination! -Rx 

*All images are taken from April 2011 American Vogue print edition -editor in chief Anna Wintour- and Latinamerican Elle, April 2011 print edition.