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Designer Looks for Less

Wednesday 26 September 2012


jackets
Rick Owens leather jacket, Mango leather jacket, Balenciaga Motorcycle leather jacket and Mango Perfecto leather jacket



Shoes
Alexander Wang Inna heels, Mango Fetish heels, Isabel Marant Milwauke boots, Mango ankle boots, Isabel Marant Dicker and Mango suede ankle boots.



Casual
Isabel Marant Finett shirt, River Island Patchwork shirt, Isabel Marant Nuk track pants and Mango knitwear trousers




Knitwear
Etoile Isabel Marant Lexy jacket, Next Boucle jacket, Isabel Marant loose knit jumper and Mango Open Knit jumper



Thank you all for the positive feedback about the new layout. I'm still tweaking things a little here and there. Meanwhile, please don't hesitate to send me a tweet or email if you have any suggestions to improve it as I'd like the blog to be as user friendly as possible.

I may be a little crazy (oh ok....REALLY crazy) about Isabel Marant and Rick Owens but common sense prevailed most of the time because truthfully speaking, these designer clothes hurt my pocket more than I care for. I allow myself a couple of pieces from each collection but the rest of the time, I try to find more affordable alternatives.

I bought a Mango leather jacket more than a decade ago and it still remains one of my firm favorites to this day. It has held up surprisingly well considering the fact that I barely paid £50 for the jacket. I've got my eye on the lookalike version of the Rick Owen jacket that I've been lusting for many years now. The price tag is a mere 10% of the designer piece which is a bargain seeing that it's made of 100% leather.

Do you tend to look for affordable options?


30 comments:

  1. I'm eyeing on an Isabel Marant similar knit in red by "Esprit", but i'm still hesitating because the Esprit knit is more burgundy than bright red... Anyway, I also flipped through Mango's pages recently and noticed interesting cheaper items than designers. Probably worth a visit next week-end to try some goodies on (if my husband could do some children-sitting, i'd appreciate too !!).

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    1. I don't have a Mango store near my place. Bummer. I just purchased the leather jacket online. Can't wait till it gets here.

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  2. I adore these minimalist looks you have out here. Is it because i read your blog too much or my style has changed...i wonder. Those shoes are to die for. I would love to invest in high quality pieces of clothings but am still unsure what brand to start with that wont give my wallet a sudden heart attack. I may start with J. Crew and go from there.

    Thank you so much for your kind words about a recent drama caused by some internet losers. I guess i now have experienced all facets of blogging...haha. I got my words out and i am done with them, i am sure they are not done showing their ugly side to the world but let them. My total pageviews look even betterto now, i am laughing my way to the bank and back.

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    Replies
    1. LOL! I'm happy to be blamed for your minimalist style. Whenever I have the time I try on clothes from different brands to see how the silhouette fits my body shape. Some do, some don't. I've narrowed the list down to a few.

      I've seen plenty of dramas in the cyber world but I've learned to just walk away. Unless it's forgery or plagiarism which I'll promptly action.

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  3. Definitely. My budget is small but I guess half the fun is finding the cheaper option. Mango are coming in to their own this season - they've got a very strong collection. I've actually tried on their skinny sweatpants and they're pretty nice apart from the suedette ribbon on the front which I would have to cut off. I have my eye on them and another pair which I would like to see and try before I commit. Elegant slumming here I come.

    And your new layout is very contemporary and cleaner - much sharper than previous. I would love to change mine but I don't know where to start and I don't know if everything updates straightaway or if you can take your blog offline while you play etc. And it would be just my luck to delete everything.

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    1. I haven't bought a thing from Mango for years but I'm loving their clothes from this season. Good pricing as well.

      Thanks, Sue. You don't have to take your blog offline but I've had a few technical glitches. Flick me an email when you have a moment.

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  4. Yes of course. You know how I love RO and IM but I try to copy the look - esp the basics they do each year - with lower priced lines. They are just too $$$.The ladies on the RO thread on tpf gave me the idea to look at Three Dots(yes!) for RO-esque skirts and Enza Costa for ROish T's and tops with the extra long sleeves, seams and unfinished hems. (EZ is blatantly copying). I try to find the iconic pieces that make the look (jackets, shoes) at The Outnet or pre-owned on Ebay and then mix them in with the cheaper ones.

    Off to check Mango. Are they in the US? I've never seen them here.

    ITA - the new format is modern crisp and clean. Love it.

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    1. Thanks, Maria! I'm trying to keep the layout as simple as possible to avoid clutter.

      Thanks for the tips, btw. I'll have to checkout EC and 3 Dots. I used to stock up on 3 dots tees at one stage. Mango has an online presence in the US and they ship as well. Hope that helps.

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    2. Found it, thanks! Tried to purchase the Mango version of your leopard IM sweatshirt and it kept booting me back to the home page. Pooh.

      EC can be pricey for what it is but can be bought on sale if you watch for it. Three Dots usually does one RO inspired skirt a season and I find the quality surprisingly good for the price.

      Delete
  5. Nice tip about Three Dots! I pick and choose. If it's a forever piece, I splurge for the original. But that's a rare and wonderful occurrence. Otherwise, I look for options that are easier on the wallet.

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  6. I always go for the affordable option these days as my budget doesn't allow otherwise except when it comes to handbags of course, I just can not carry a cheap handbag!

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  7. I'm all about affordable options with perhaps the exception to handbags. Even then, I don't buy them on retail. I'm frugal! :P

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  8. This is such a great post. I always try to go for a more affordable option if it's a more trendier item. For the basics I don't mind paying a bit more. But as you know, I am very pleased with my leather jacket from H&M which I have already worn more times than my Balenciaga moto jacket and the IM Sade which is a shame really.

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  9. I fell out of love with Mango and I have to say I'm still not entirely convinced by the quality. My favourite high street-type brand is still Massimo Dutti, but even they've skimped on quality in recent collections. After a while I just feel content to wear out whatever I've got first.

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  10. Yes, I usually try to look for more affordable options of pieces I like. Zara is typically the first place I visit, but I've to say mango has been coming up with fantastic items at great prices for the last couple of years. I probably spent more than 10 years without buying anything from this brand (or even visiting a store), but I'm slowly coming back...
    After reading Lin's comment above I have to say that I think Massimo Dutti offers a very good price- quality ratio. It used to be my favourite brand when I lived in Portugal. I have a few shirts from them bought 7-8 years ago that are still in great quality.

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  11. I really want that Mango version of the RO jacket! And the Mango version of the Balenciaga! But sadly and very frustratingly, they don't ship here.. sigh. I don't suppose you know any UK mail forwarders? I have a few US ones on my list (like paypal's hopshopgo) but have yet to find a UK one!

    steph / absolutely-fuzzy.com

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    Replies
    1. Steph, I've found a list of UK mail forwarders on this blog http://www.leblogdesushi.com/2010/10/how-to-find-good-parcel-forwarding.html

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    2. Marlene, you're AWESOME. Thank you :)

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  12. I have been lusting over that RO jacket forever too! The Mango version is extremely tempting, but I am adamant that one day I will own the original, I feel like jackets are always worth the splurge & they pop up on The Outnet now & then for pretty decent discounts, so one day! I seriously love Mango's Balenciaga inspired jacket though, think that might be my first new season jacket purchase! :)

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  13. Loving your new layout too. Though I thought it was always very fresh and happening before, going to scroll up now and Spot the Differences. I am seriously looking into Mango now, those sweats are a good option. Before you, I knew nothing of Isabel Marant, now I'm obsessed with her!

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  14. I think it's really cool that affordable options are out there regardless of what one is looking for! For basics or trendier items, I sometimes go with the less costly pieces but if an items is something that I absolutely love, I'm willing to pay the price. I guess it's all about mixing and matching the high and the low. :)

    xxTheresa

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  15. Hello Marlene, love the new layout too! It looks cleaner and still has the familiarity of the old.

    Going for "inspired" and more pocket-friendly versions are certainly ways you can enjoy the look without breaking the purse. I do that with clothes and shoes and sometimes I'd be surprised that the cheaper alternative actually fits better. But with bags, I am more particular, likely to save up for the real deal..lol

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  16. I do look for affordable options sometimes but I avoid going for pieces that look too similar as sometimes it can come across looking tacky and fake. The Luxe and less pieces you've got are both fantastic. Sometimes the big designer brands get it wrong and the smaller labels offer something more appealing...I guess it's just about looking at the individual piece and your personal style

    PS I've always found your blog really easy to navigate :)

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  17. Hi Marlene, I'm like you here. I LOOOOVE designer clothes and would gladly only by that but my bank account can simply not afford it. I do the same as you, invest in few pieces here and there but for the rest I go to my favorite fashion companion, Zara. I love the Rick Owens jacket, I don't think there is a more perfect leather jacket out there but the price is simply crazy. The Mango could be a good option but don't have very high expectations on the quality as I'm not sure that today's quality is as good as the one from 10 years ago. xx
    ps:I lobve the new layout but mainly I love the logo, super cool ;)

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  18. I do tend to look for the affordable options especially if it's a trendy garment. For accessories, I tend not to skimp because they can be worn on so many occasions and seem to stand the test of time much better (i.e. I can't gain too much weight to wear a purse LOL)

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  19. I'm such a sucker for boucle jackets. Can't wait to to pull them out again. And yes- there's nothing wrong with affordable options. Your new layout looks great.

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  20. I have used many shipping services/companies but I did not get much difference in cost. Recently I used parcelbound.com and I must say it is really amazing reliable and have fast service and its offer very low rates then other's.

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    ReplyDelete

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