Savvy Outfit of the Day $86 - Coach & Outerwear

So, I realize that as we head into winter, the outfits get more expensive, usually by virtue of the addition of outerwear, but I do want to make sure I include it as it shows that you can get great outerwear at a fraction of the price if you hit the thrift store and/or sales at the major department stores.

That said, today's savvy outfit of the day is brought to you by the thrift store, Dillard's, Target, and eBay. Admittedly the jeans are lighter than what I usually wear, but I have found that I've put on a few pounds over the summer and combined with my lack of desire to squeeze into any jean that doesn't have some sort of stretch in it, this is what I came up with. Of course, just changing the jeans into cords would have made this outfit more "dressy" but I was in a casual mood today.

The Breakdown.
Armani Exchange jeans ($4 thrift store), Mossimo black sweater ($5 Target), Joan & David patent & leather ballet flats ($4 thrift store), Coach Bleecker handbag ($48 eBay), Hayden & Harnett leather tassel on Coach bag ($8 eBay), I.N Studio jacket ($17 Dillard's sale). Grand Total: $86

Once again a little nod to my stylist Clinton Kelly as he continues to tout the ballet flats as a great way to dress up a casual outfit. I LOVE these little flats from Circa, Joan & David! The patent leather detail on the from and back and even the bow (and I am NOT a bow person) is understated but still a little dressy, and for $4 I couldn't resist such a wardrobe staple.

This handbag from Coach was also a little more expensive, but it's a classic that will last for years. As with all my handbags, I pay a price that I know I can recoup should I ever tire of it and want to re-sell it on eBay. It's the best way I know to keep from overspending when it comes to purses/shoes/whatever your particular fancy may be, though it's not a bad rule of thumb to use when considering any items that are trendy. Of course, even if it is a staple item, like this black coat, I like the idea of being able to sell it for what I paid if it's at all possible!

The other thing that I added to this outfit was the tassel on the purse. Hayden Harnett sells them and they are clip-ons. I use this particular tassel on several different purses as a way to dress them up a little or change the look. If you look at the high end Prada and Gucci purses, you'll see that some have a great tassel on it, I thought it would be fun to buy a clip-on and use it to dress up several purses. I've also used them on zip-up purses that have small pulls. It makes opening up a zipped purse easier if you've got a lot of stuff to carry or a kid to hold on to.

These tassels retail for $32 on the Hayden Harnett website. I bought it on eBay. Actually I paid $18 for one, but since they didn't have the color I wanted the seller threw in an extra free tassel so I kind of look at it like paying $9 each.

In the end, as I share these day-to-day outfits, I hope y'all know that they are by no means the most fashion forward of wardrobes, even though sometimes I try to be a little trendy. I really wear these clothes when I run out to the store with the girls to by groceries, though I may not get them on till after noon when the homeschooling stuff is finished.

I just think it's naive to think that how you present yourself doesn't affect the way that people perceive you or how you feel about yourself. If putting on a Target sale-rack sweater and ballet flats means you look more together and you feel more sassy than in an oversized sweatshirt & tennis shoes when you go to Walmart for groceries then why not? With savvy shopping it no longer becomes an issue of cost.