Because You Have to Wear Something

I was recently in a discussion with a friend who informed me she could never dress fashionably because she doesn't have money to spend on clothing. Of course, I was appalled at the comment, because I am a huge believe that no matter your budget, you can dress fashionably.

Let's face the facts. You cannot go naked. It's illegal. Therefore, you have to spend money on clothing. It might be $50,000 or it might be $5. But you will have to spend something on your wardrobe.

In fact, ladies living on a shoestring should be entitled to even better wardrobes because often these ladies are working hard to make ends meet, and often they are working hard to support children too. Looking good can make such a difference in how one feels about oneself. A good outfit transforms everything from your posture to your self-worth. A good outfit may very well make you feel better than an hour of therapy, and it could cost less.

You may not be able to afford Proenza Schouler, but you can probably afford Proenza Schouler for Target. And you may not be able to afford the hot pink holiday bubble dress that is so "in", but you can afford a simple black cocktail dress that will get you through hundreds of holiday seasons to come (if, indeed, you do plan to live for hundreds more holiday seasons).

Since we already mentioned Target, let's start there. Target has turned itself into quite a one-stop shop for recessionistas. From stationary to clothing, you can find just about anything in vogue you need at Target. I will spend good amounts of money on clothing, but I often find myself back at Target all the same because of their great partnerships with leading designers, and the reasonable prices at which you can buy clothing. Target isn't bargain basement shopping, and the clothes are not jaw-droppingly cheap, but they are good, solid buys, and you can find anything from basics to trends in their clothing and jewelry sections.

Another great place to find good deals on clothing is H and M, if you live near one. I must bitterly admit I don't. Right now, H and M has a Jimmy Choo line for sale beginning on November 14. Kate Moss also has a line for H and M.

Forever 21, and stores similar to it like Wet Seal, have good deals on trendy clothing. They recently opened a Forever 21 in our mall where there used to be a Lord & Taylor. It's huge. And I have a friend who loves Forever 21 with her heart and soul. She used to drive by the mall wistfully dreaming of when the Forever 21 would open up. And now that it's open, she buys everything there from shoes to Christmas gifts. She is probably there as I write. Her clothes won't last forever, and neither will yours if you buy them there, but she always looks cute, and so you will. They have a lot of great options for trendy clothing.

The internet has opened up a whole new world for shopping as well, and next time I write we will cover online sales (of which I know a lot).

Rent The Runway

I found out about a new website that may appeal to some of you, dear readers. The website is called Rent the Runway, and the concept is that those of us who don't want to pay top dollar for couture outfits can rent them instead.

It's a cool concept. Basically, you log onto the website and choose which dress you want to rent. RTR sends you the dress in two different sizes, just in case. You wear the gown and ship it back. They take care of the dry cleaning.

The website is well-designed, making it easy to navigate through the outfits. You can search by occasion, which is a great way to narrow down the inventory to the event you want.

I like the idea, but the only problem is that renting a designer dress from RTR is still more expensive than going to the mall and buying one. The prices start around $50/rental. For those of you who live and die on the runway, this probably won't matter. Better a Stella McCartney dress for a night than a Banana Republic dress for life.

I believe this website would come in handy, however, when you are looking for a dress for an occasion that will never repeat itself. Therefore, you need the dress for one night only. In this case, renting a dress may seem like the best option. For example, you are invited to a black-tie wedding. You are being whisked to Paris so your boyfriend can propose atop the Eiffel Tower. You are going to the Oscars. You are the mother-of-the-bride. In any such cases, I could imagine wanting a stunning dress, one you won't ever want to wear again or may never have an occasion to wear again.