There once was a time when differentiating between expensive pieces and affordable ones could be done in seconds, no matter how trained in fashion a person was. The dramatically opposing fabrics, cuts, and construction gave everything away. But today, that’s not exactly the case. Brands are savvier than ever, making it easy to be tricked and, in turn, to trick others with $20 pieces that look and feel like they cost $200 or even $2000. (I won’t tell if you won’t.) Therefore, looking like someone with a closet full of designer items no longer comes with a steep price tag.
I’ve done the research and crunched the numbers, and by my calculations, the perfect budget for a designer-esque wardrobe is $150. And no, I’m not pulling one on you. To prove it, I went ahead and rounded up 35 under-$150 pieces from H&M, Zara, and Nordstrom that even the most discerning fashion critics would assume were from the designer floor. Scroll down for the receipts.
